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(s)Elections See other (s)Elections Articles Title: Obama's Friends Appear Poised to Hold Clout in Washington Barack Obama owes a lot of favors. His successful bid to be America's 44th president was aided by unprecedented fundraising, and he gained the early support of mutinous Democrats who rebelled against the better known and more experienced candidates in the primaries. Now Obama's effort to craft his administration and his agenda before he becomes president on Jan. 20 could be influenced in large part by those who helped put him in the position to be making those decisions. Much as George W. Bush brought his Texas advisers to Washington, and Bill Clinton tapped his Arkansas connections before that, Obama can be expected to bring Chicago to the nation's capital on Inauguration Day -- and even before. Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett and his Senate chief of staff Pete Rouse were named as two of three co-chairs for his transition team on Wednesday. The other chairman is former Clinton chief of staff John Podesta. And Illinois Rep. Rahm Emanuel has accepted Obama's offer to be his chief of staff, according to a Democratic source who spoke with FOX News. But dozens of Chicago advisers, officials and fund-raisers have helped grease Obama's ascent from community organizer to president-elect. "There are a lot of people in the city who feel they are sort of on the short list," said Chicago political consultant Philip Molfese, president of Grainger Terry, Inc. The campaign figures potentially in line to head to Washington would be chief strategist David Axelrod, a prominent figure in Chicago politics, and campaign manager David Plouffe. Obama gave them both a hearty shout-out during his victory address in Chicago's Grant Park Tuesday night. Molfese said officials and former officials in Illinois may also be looking to ride Obama's coattails. He mentioned Illinois Senate President Emil Jones as someone "instrumental" in Obama's formative period as a presidential candidate. "I wouldn't be surprised to see him in the White House," Molfese said. Another key figure from Obama's home turf is fellow Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, one of his earliest supporters on the national level. Democratic strategist Dan Gerstein said Durbin is likely next in line to be Senate majority leader, aided by Obama's sway. "People like [Durbin], their power's going to be enhanced, their stature's going to be enhanced," Gerstein said. But he said that in Obama's case, "there's no kingmaker here." Obama's fundraising was broad-based, driven in large part on the Web by small donors he has never met. Many donors gave the maximum $2,300 -- but Obama raised more than $600 million as of September, so even they will likely get lost in the shuffle. Instead, the people calling in favors may be the early supporters, the critical voices who touted Obama when he needed them most. Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, one of the first of the party elders to pass the torch to Obama, is reportedly angling for secretary of state. "I would not be surprised if we see a Colin Powell as a part of his administration," said the New York Post's Charles Hurt. Powell endorsed Obama late in the game, but his endorsement may have nudged right-leaning undecideds toward the Democrat in the closing days of the campaign. Another way Obama can deliver some payback is in guiding the replacement process for his own Senate seat, as well as Emanuel's, should he leave the House of Representatives to join the administration. "I would imagine he will have a heavy say in who those replacements are," Gerstein said. Gerstein said he expects both Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton to have Obama's ear going forward, as well. Sen. Clinton could be a critical ally for him in the Senate, and Obama would be "foolhardy" not to seek the former president's political advice, he said.
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Minister of Ecumenicism: Jeremiah Wright Department of Affirmative Action: Louis Farrkhan
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