EARLYBIRD

Friday, November 7, 2008 8:32 AM

Top Transition Stories - 11/7

Barack Obama is "moving swifty" to bring in economic heavy hitters to stem the crisis and reassure "foreign leaders and even the Bush administration" (New York Times).

President Bush is eager to minimize the nation's vulnerability during the transition, even dispatching Mike McConnell, the director of national intelligence, to Chicago to brief Obama (New York Times).

The more things change, the more they stay the same for Defense Secretary Robert Gates. Fifteen years ago, Gates helped a Democratic president-elect take over for a Bush at a time when the most pressing international issues included "the turmoil in Russia," as well as "developments in Iraq, North Korea, China, and Iran" (New York Times).

Obama is likely to shift military resources to Afghanistan to deal with the Taliban's resurgence and a volatile Pakistan (Wall Street Journal).

Republicans and a few Democrats criticized Obama's chief of staff pick, Rahm Emanuel, arguing that it would be hard to bridge the political divide with a "veteran partisan pugilist" nicknamed "Rahmbo" (Wall Street Journal).

"Business and political leaders were cautiously optimistic Thursday about the impact the incoming Obama administration will have on the D.C. area's economy." (The Washington Times)

Bush wants to "make the transition from one administration to the next as smooth as passing a baton in a relay race," and plans "to meet with Obama next week to accelerate the transition." (USA Today)

Bush will meet with Obama "in the Oval Office on Monday to discuss the economy, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and other challenges the new administration will face in January," while First Lady Laura Bush will also give Michelle Obama "a tour of the White House residence that afternoon." (Washington Post)

In a meeting Thursday with "two of the country's top intelligence officers," which was Obama's "first full-blown classified briefing on national security," the discussion focused largely on the question of "who would Obama pick to advise him on the nation's most sensitive intelligence secrets during the next four years?" (Washington Post)

"One of Obama's early appointments after he takes office is likely to be a new U.S. solicitor general, the government's top lawyer before the court." (USA Today)

Obama returned phone calls and "accepted congratulations from nine presidents and prime ministers Thursday" (AP).

The same web team that helped changed the way the internet was used in Obama's presidential campaign "is moving to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave" and has already launched a new site that encourages supporters to get involved in the transition effort (Washington Times).

The business community is gearing up for a "landmark political battle" with the new administration over union rules, trade policy and other issues (Financial Times).

Obama is getting "conflicting advice" from his advisers over who to pick for Treasury Secretary (Los Angeles Times).

Malia and Sasha Obama "will face dramatic changes when they become the youngest White House inhabitants since Amy Carter" (Chicago Tribune).