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Presidency of Barack Obama
44th President of the United States
Incumbent
Assumed office January 20, 2009
Vice President	Joe Biden
Preceded by	George W. Bush
Personal details
Born	Barack Hussein Obama II (1961-08-04) August 4, 1961 (age 63) Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Michelle Obama (m. 1992)
Children	Malia Ann (b. 1998) Sasha (b. 2001)
Residence(s)	Chicago, Illinois (Private) White House, Washington, D.C (Official)
Alma mater	Occidental College Columbia University (B.A.) Harvard Law School (J.D.)
Profession	Community organizer Attorney Author Professor Politician
Signature
Website	Official White House Website
This article is part of a series aboutBarack ObamaBackground  · Illinois Senate  · U.S. Senate Political positions · Public image · Family 2008 primaries · Obama – Biden campaign Transition · Inauguration · Electoral history Presidency (Timeline, First 100 days)

Template:FixBunching

Template:FixBunching The Presidency of Barack Obama began at noon EST on January 20, 2009. He is the 44th President of the United States. Obama was a United States Senator from Illinois before defeating Arizona Senator John McCain in the 2008 presidential election.

His policy decisions have addressed a global financial crisis and have included changes in tax policies, foreign policy initiatives and the phasing out of detention of prisoners at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp in Cuba. He attended the G-20 London summit and later visited U.S. troops in Iraq. On the tour of various European countries following the G-20 summit, he announced in Prague that he intended to negotiate substantial reduction in the world's nuclear arsenals, en-route to their eventual extinction.

Transition period

The presidential transition period began following Obama's election to the presidency on November 4, 2008. The Obama-Biden Transition Project was co-chaired by John Podesta, Valerie Jarrett, and Pete Rouse. During the transition period, Obama announced his nominations for his Cabinet and administration. Shortly after the election on November 4, Obama chose Representative Rahm Emanuel of Illinois as his Chief of Staff.

Cabinet nominations included former Democratic primary opponents Hillary Rodham Clinton for Secretary of State and Bill Richardson for Secretary of Commerce (although the latter withdrew on January 4, 2009). Obama also nominated Timothy F. Geithner as Secretary of the Treasury. On December 1, Obama announced that he had asked Robert Gates to remain as Secretary of Defense, making Gates the first Defense head to carry over from a president of a different party. He nominated former Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Susan Rice to the United States Ambassador to the United Nations, which he restored to a Cabinet-level position.

During his transition, he maintained a website Change.gov, on which he wrote blogs to readers and uploaded video addresses by many of the members of his new cabinet. He announced strict rules for federal lobbyists, restricting them from financially contributing to his administration and forcing them to stop lobbying while working for him. The website also allowed individuals to share stories and visions with each other and the transition team in what was called the Citizen's Briefing Book, which was given to Obama shortly after his inauguration. Most of the information from Change.gov was transferred to the official White House website Whitehouse.gov just after Obama's inauguration.

Inauguration

Barack Obama was inaugurated on January 20, 2009. He officially assumed the presidency at 12:00 noon, EST, and completed the oath of office at 12:05 PM, EST. He delivered his inaugural address immediately following his oath. After his speech, he went to the President's Room in the House Wing of the Capitol and signed three documents: a commemorative proclamation, a list of Cabinet appointments, and a list of sub-Cabinet appointments, before attending a luncheon with congressional and administration leaders and invited guests. To commemorate the 200th anniversary of the birth of former President Abraham Lincoln, the same Bible that was used for Lincoln's inauguration was used in Obama's inauguration.

In administering the oath, Chief Justice John G. Roberts misplaced the word "faithfully" and erroneously replaced the phrase "President of the United States" with "President to the United States" before restating the phrase correctly; since Obama initially repeated the incorrect form, some scholars argued the President should take the oath again. On January 21, Roberts readministered the oath to Obama in a private ceremony in the White House Map Room, making him the seventh U.S. president to retake the oath; White House Counsel Greg Craig said Obama took the oath from Roberts a second time out of an "abundance of caution".

First 100 days

Expectations

Since President Franklin D. Roosevelt's first term, the first 100 days of a new administration have been a benchmark for measuring the intentions and efficiency of an incoming president. Obama's 100th day in office was April 29, 2009. In his first post-election interview with 60 Minutes, Obama said that he has been studying Roosevelt's first 100 days. But he also said, "The first hundred days is going to be important, but it's probably going to be the first thousand days that makes the difference."

Nevertheless, Obama's first 100 days have been highly anticipated ever since he became the presumptive nominee. Several news outlets have created pages dedicated to covering the subject. Commentators have weighed in on challenges and priorities within domestic, foreign, economic, and environmental policy. CNN lists a number of economic issues that "Obama and his team will have to tackle in their first 100 days", foremost among which is passing and implementing a recovery package to deal with the financial crisis. Clive Stafford Smith, a British human rights lawyer, expressed hopes that the new president will close Guantanamo Bay detention camp in his first 100 days in office. After aides of the president announced his intention to give a major foreign policy speech in the capital of an Islamic country, there were speculations in Jakarta that he might return to his former home city within the first 100 days.

The New York Times devoted a five-part series, which was spread out over two weeks, to anticipatory analysis of Obama's first hundred days. Each day, the analysis of a political expert was followed by freely edited blog postings from readers. The writers compared Obama's prospects with the situations of Franklin D. Roosevelt (January 16, Jean Edward Smith), John F. Kennedy (January 19, Richard Reeves), Lyndon B. Johnson (January 23, Robert Dallek), Ronald Reagan (January 27, Lou Cannon), and Richard Nixon.

Legislation and executive orders

Within minutes of taking the Oath of Office on January 20, Obama's Chief of Staff, Rahm Emanuel, issued an order suspending last-minute federal regulations pushed through by outgoing President George Bush, planning to review everything still pending. Due to the economic crisis, the President enacted a pay freeze for Senior White House Staff making more than $100,000 per year, as well as announcing stricter guidelines regarding lobbyists in an effort to raise the ethical standards of the White House. He asked for a waiver to his own new rules, however, for the appointments of William Lynn to the position of Deputy Defense Secretary, Jocelyn Frye to the position of director of policy and projects in the Office of the First Lady, and Cecilia Muñoz to the position of director of intergovernmental affairs in the executive office of the president, leading to some criticism of hypocrisy and violation of his pledge for governmental openness.

In his first week in office, Obama signed an executive order suspending all the ongoing proceedings of Guantanamo military commission and ordering the detention facility to be shut down within the year. He also signed an order requiring the Army Field Manual to be used as a guide for terror interrogations, banning torture and other coercive techniques, such as waterboarding. Obama also issued an executive order entitled "Ethics Commitments by Executive Branch Personnel", setting stricter limitations on incoming executive branch employees and placing tighter restrictions on lobbying in the White House. Obama signed two Presidential Memoranda concerning energy independence, ordering the Department of Transportation to establish higher fuel efficiency standards before 2011 models are released and allowing states to raise their emissions standards above the national standard. He also ended the Mexico City Policy, which banned funds to international groups that provide abortion services or counseling.

In his first week he also established a policy of producing a weekly Saturday morning video address available on Whitehouse.gov and YouTube, much like those released during his transition period. The first address had been viewed by 600,000 YouTube viewers by the next afternoon.

The first piece of legislation Obama signed was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 on January 29, which revised the statute of limitations for filing pay discrimination lawsuits. Lilly Ledbetter joined Obama and his wife, Michelle, as he signed the bill, fulfilling his campaign pledge to nullify Ledbetter v. Goodyear. On February 3, he signed the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (CHIP), expanding health care from 7 million children under the plan to 11 million.

After much debate, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) was passed by both House and Senate on February 13, 2009. Originally intended to be a bipartisan bill, the passage of the bill was largely along party lines. No Republicans voted for it in the House, and three moderate Republicans voted for it in the Senate (Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe of Maine and Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania). The bill combined tax breaks with spending on infrastructure projects, extension of welfare benefits, and education. The final cost of the bill was $787 billion, and almost $1.2 trillion with debt service included. Obama signed the Act into law on February 17, 2009 in Denver, Colorado.

On March 9, 2009, Obama lifted the restrictions on embryonic stem cell research, and in doing so, called into question some of George W. Bush's signing statements. Obama stated that he too would employ signing statements if he deems upon review that a portion of a bill is unconstitutional.

Early in his presidency, Obama signed a law raising the tobacco tax 62 cents on a pack of cigarettes. The tax is to be "used to finance a major expansion of health insurance for children", and "help some to quit and persuade young people not to start".

Approval ratings and opinion

After his transition period, Obama entered office with an approval rating of 82%. At the end of his first week, 68% of respondents in a Gallup poll approved of how Obama was handling his job, matching the early approval ratings of Dwight D. Eisenhower and trailing only John F. Kennedy in post-World War II Presidents. Throughout early February polls showed scattered approval ratings: 62% (CBS News), 64% (USA Today/Gallup), 66% (Gallup), and 76% in an outlier poll (CNN/Opinion Research). Gallup reported the congressional address in late February boosted his approval from a term-low of 59% to 67%.

By early March, a gap appeared between approval of Obama and approval of his policies. Polls placed the president's personal approval rating at 56% (Zogby), 68% (NBC News/Wall Street Journal), and 72% (Newsweek). The same outlets reported job approvals of 52%, 58%, and 60% respectively. Gallup reported in early April that Obama's job approval rating had been stable since mid-February, averaging 62%.

In April 2009, a Fox News poll showed that 58% approved on how Obama was doing as President, while a CBS/NY Times poll showed 66% approval. Gallup reported mid-April that Obama's first quarter approval rating averaged 63%, the highest such rating for a new president since Jimmy Carter in 1977. A Rasmussen poll showed 55% of voters at least somewhat approving of the President's job so far, with 43% disapproving.

Economy

Rasmussen reported in mid-February that 55% of voters gave Obama good or excellent marks on his handling of the economy. In early March 2009 an unscientific survey of 49 economists selected by the Wall Street Journal gave Obama a grade of 59 out of 100, with the majority of economists surveyed dissatisfied with the administration's economic policies. In comparison, only 30% of those same Journal economists consider the response of governments around the world to the global recession to have been adequate to date. In April a Gallup poll showed trust in Obama's economic policy with 71% saying they had "a fair amount" or "a great deal" of confidence in Obama's handling of the economy, higher than for Ben Bernanke, Tim Geithner, or leaders of Congress.

Administration and Cabinet

The Obama cabinet
Office	Name	Term
President	Barack Obama	2009–2017
Vice President	Joe Biden	2009–2017
Secretary of State	Hillary Clinton	2009–2013
John Kerry	2013–2017
Secretary of the Treasury	Timothy Geithner	2009–2013
Jack Lew	2013–2017
Secretary of Defense	Robert Gates*	2006–2011
	Leon Panetta	2011–2013
Chuck Hagel	2013–2015
Ash Carter	2015–2017
Attorney General	Eric Holder	2009–2015
Loretta Lynch	2015–2017
Secretary of the Interior	Ken Salazar	2009–2013
Sally Jewell	2013–2017
Secretary of Agriculture	Tom Vilsack	2009–2017
Secretary of Commerce	Gary Locke	2009–2011
	John Bryson	2011–2012
Penny Pritzker	2013–2017
Secretary of Labor	Hilda Solis	2009–2013
Tom Perez	2013–2017
Secretary of Health and Human Services	Kathleen Sebelius	2009–2014
Sylvia Mathews Burwell	2014–2017
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development	Shaun Donovan	2009–2014
Julian Castro	2014–2017
Secretary of Transportation	Ray LaHood	2009–2013
Anthony Foxx	2013–2017
Secretary of Energy	Steven Chu	2009–2013
Ernest Moniz	2013–2017
Secretary of Education	Arne Duncan	2009–2016
John King Jr.	2016–2017
Secretary of Veterans Affairs	Eric Shinseki	2009–2014
Bob McDonald	2014–2017
Secretary of Homeland Security	Janet Napolitano	2009–2013
Jeh Johnson	2013–2017
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency	Lisa Jackson	2009–2013
Gina McCarthy	2013–2017
Director of the Office of Management and Budget	Peter Orszag	2009–2010
	Jack Lew	2010–2012
Sylvia Mathews Burwell	2013–2014
Shaun Donovan	2014–2017
United States Trade Representative	Ron Kirk	2009–2013
Michael Froman	2013–2017
Ambassador to the United Nations	Susan Rice	2009–2013
Samantha Power	2013–2017
Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers	Christina Romer	2009–2010
	Austan Goolsbee	2010–2011
Alan Krueger	2011–2013
Jason Furman	2013–2017
Administrator of the Small Business Administration	Karen Mills**	2009–2013
Maria Contreras-Sweet	2014–2017
Chief of Staff	Rahm Emanuel	2009–2010
	William M. Daley	2011–2012
Jack Lew	2012–2013
Denis McDonough	2013–2017
*Retained from previous administration **Elevated to cabinet-level in January 2012

Twenty-two members of the Obama administration are either in the United States Cabinet (15) or are in positions considered to be Cabinet-level (7). The members of the Cabinet are the heads of the fifteen major departments (State, Defense, Justice, etc.), and the seven cabinet-level positions are the Vice President, White House Chief of Staff, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, U.S. Trade Representative, Ambassador to the United Nations, and the Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers. Since Robert Gates was a member of the previous administration, his letter of resignation (a formality at the end of a President's term) was simply not accepted, and he did not need confirmation. On January 19, 2009, Senate Democratic leaders requested fifteen of the twenty positions to be ratified by unanimous consent, and seven gained unanimous confirmation by voice vote the next day: Ken Salazar, Steven Chu, Arne Duncan, Peter Orszag, Eric Shinseki, Tom Vilsack, and Janet Napolitano. On January 21, Obama presided over the swearing in of the seven unanimous nominees. Later that day, the Senate confirmed Hillary Clinton by a 94–2 vote. On January 22, several more confirmations were approved unanimously: Susan E. Rice, Ray LaHood, Lisa P. Jackson, and Shaun Donovan. On January 26, the Senate confirmed Geithner by a 60–34 margin.

At the conclusion of Obama's first week as President, Hilda Solis, Tom Daschle, Ron Kirk, and Eric Holder had yet to be confirmed, and there had been no second appointment for Secretary of Commerce. Holder was confirmed by a vote of 75–21 on February 2, and on February 3, Obama announced Senator Judd Gregg as his second nomination for Secretary of Commerce. Daschle withdrew later that day amid controversy over his failure to pay income taxes and potential conflicts of interest related to the speaking fees he accepted from health care interests. Solis was later confirmed by a vote of 80-17 on February 24, and Ron Kirk was confirmed on March 18 by a 92-5 vote in the Senate.

On February 12, Judd Gregg withdrew his nomination as Secretary of Commerce, citing "irresolvable conflicts" with President Obama and his staff over how to conduct the 2010 census and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Former Washington governor Gary Locke was nominated on February 26 as Obama's third choice for Commerce Secretary and confirmed on March 24 by voice vote.

On March 2, Obama introduced Kansas governor Kathleen Sebelius as his second choice for Secretary of Health and Human Services. He also introduced Nancy-Ann DeParle as head of the new White House Office of Health Reform, which he suggested would work closely with the Department of Health and Human Services. At the end of March, Sebelius was the only remaining Cabinet member yet to be confirmed.

Controversial cabinet nominations

Six high-ranking cabinet nominees in the Obama administration had their confirmations delayed or rejected among reports that they did not pay all of their taxes, including Tom Daschle, Obama's original nominee for Health and Human Services Secretary, and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner. Though Geithner was confirmed, and Senator Max Baucus, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, thought Daschle would have been confirmed, Daschle withdrew his nomination on February 3. Obama had nominated Nancy Killefer for the position of Chief Performance Officer, but Killefer also withdrew on February 3 after it was revealed that she had failed to pay the unemployment compensation tax for a household employee for a period of 18 months. Hilda Solis, Obama's nominee for Secretary of Labor, faced delayed confirmation hearings due to tax lien concerns pertaining to her husband's auto repair business, but she was later confirmed on February 24. While pundits puzzled over U.S. Trade Representative-designate Ron Kirk's failure to be confirmed by March 2009, it was reported on March 2 that Kirk owed over $10,000 in back taxes. Kirk agreed to pay them in exchange for Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus's aid in speeding up the confirmation process; he was later confirmed on March 18. On March 31, Kathleen Sebelius, Obama's nominee for Health and Human Services secretary, revealed in a letter to the Senate Finance Committee that her Certified Public Accountant found errors in her tax returns for years 2005-2007. She, along with her husband, paid more than $7,000 in back taxes, along with $878 in interest.

Notable non-Cabinet positions

Appointees serve at the pleasure of the President and were nominated by Barack Obama except as noted.

• Sheila Bair, Chair of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
• Retired Admiral Dennis C. Blair, Director of National Intelligence
• Richard Holbrooke, special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan
• Retired General James L. Jones, Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs
• George J. Mitchell, special envoy to the Middle East
• Robert Mueller, Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation
• Leon Panetta, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency
• Christina Romer, Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers
• Dennis Ross, Special Advisor for the Gulf and Southwest Asia under the Secretary of State
• Mary Schapiro, Chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission
• Lawrence Summers, Assistant to the President for Economic Policy and Director of National Economic Council
• Paul Volcker, Chairman of the Economic Recovery Advisory Board

Appointed by George W. Bush in 2006 to a five-year term
Appointed by George W. Bush in 2001 to a ten-year term

Policies

Economy

As he entered office, Obama planned to center his attention on handling the global financial crisis. Since before his inauguration, he lobbied Congress to pass an economic stimulus bill, which became the top priority during his first month in office. As President, Obama made a high profile trip to Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C. to dialog with Congressional Republicans and advocate for the bill. On February 17, 2009, President Obama signed into law a $787 billion stimulus plan which included spending for unemployment, food stamps, health care, infrastructure, energy spending, education, aid to states, and a number of tax cuts and credits.

As part of his budget proposal, the Obama administration has proposed additional measures to stabilize the economy, including a $2–3 trillion measure to stabilize the financial system and free up credit. The program includes up to $1 trillion to buy toxic bank assets, an additional $1 trillion to expand a federal consumer loan program, and the $350 billion left in the Troubled Assets Relief Program. The plan also includes $50 billion to slow the wave of mortgage foreclosures. Auditors from the Congressional Budget Office have said that Obama's budget would produce $9.3 trillion in deficits over the next decade.

Ethics

Guantánamo Bay detention camp

On his first day in office, Obama requested a 120-day suspension of all trials for alleged terrorists held at the Guantánamo Bay detention camp, so the new administration could "review the military commissions process, generally, and the cases currently pending before military commissions, specifically". Another order established a task force to lead a review of detention policies, procedures and individual cases. Obama addressed the State Department that "the United States will not torture" and drafted an executive order to close Guantánamo within a year. On January 22, he signed an executive order ensuring safe, lawful, and humane treatment of individuals detained in armed conflicts. This order restricts interrogators to methods listed and authorized by an Army Field Manual. Binyam Mohamed, the first detainee released since Obama took office, claimed in an interview with the Agence France-Presse that conditions at Guantánamo have worsened, stating guards wanted to "take their last revenge" before the facility is closed. On March 13, the Obama Administration announced that it would no longer refer to prisoners at Guantánamo Bay as enemy combatants. The actions have drawn criticism from former vice president Dick Cheney, who said that Obama's administration has made Americans less safe.

Lobbying reform

On January 21, 2009 Obama issued an executive order for all future appointees to his administration, which stated that if the appointee was a registered lobbyist within the two years before the date of his/her appointment, he or she will not participate in any particular matter on which he or she lobbied for a period of two years after the date of his/her appointment. Out of approximately 800 appointments, three formal waivers for this order have been issued. On January 22 Obama issued a waiver for William J. Lynn III, a lobbyist for Raytheon, to hold the position of Deputy Secretary of Defense. Jocelyn Frye, former general counsel at the National Partnership for Women and Families, and Cecilia Muñoz, former senior vice president for the National Council of La Raza, also received waivers. Frye now serves as the Director of Policy and Projects in the Office of the First Lady, and Muñoz serves as the Director of Intergovernmental Affairs in the Executive Office of the President.

All lobbyists in the administration do not require waivers; the White House requires those without waivers to write letters of recusal, stating issues from which they must refrain because of their previous jobs. USA Today reported that 21 members of the Obama administration have at some time been registered as federal lobbyists, although most have not within the previous two years. Lobbyists in the administration include William Corr, an anti-tobacco lobbyist, as Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services and Tom Vilsack, who lobbied in 2007 for a national teachers union, as Secretary of Agriculture. Also, the Secretary of Labor nominee, Hilda Solis, formerly served as a board member of American Rights at Work, which lobbied Congress on two bills Solis co-sponsored, and Mark Patterson, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner's chief of staff, is a former lobbyist for Goldman Sachs.

The Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington have criticized the administration, claiming that Obama is retreating from his own ethics rules barring lobbyists from working on the issues about which they lobbied during the previous two years by issuing waivers. According to Melanie Sloan, the group's executive director, "It makes it appear that they are saying one thing and doing another."

Foreign policy

In his inaugural address, President Obama suggested that he plans to begin the process of withdrawing from Iraq and continuing to focus on the war in Afghanistan. He also mentioned lessening the nuclear threat through "working tirelessly with old friends and former foes". He spoke about America's determination to combat terrorism, proclaiming America's spirit is "stronger and cannot be broken — you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you." To the Muslim world, Obama extended an invite to "a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect". He also said we would "extend a hand" to those "who cling to power through corruption and deceit" if they "are willing to unclench" their fists. Shortly after his inauguration President Obama first called President Abbas of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA). Calls were also made to President Mubarak of Egypt, Prime Minister Olmert of Israel and King Abdullah of Jordan. Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton named George Mitchell as Special Envoy for Middle East peace and Richard Holbrooke as special representative to Pakistan and Afghanistan on January 23, 2009. At the same time, Obama called on Israel to open the borders of Gaza, detailing early plans on his administration's peace plans for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

On February 18, 2009, Obama announced that the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan would be bolstered by 17,000 new troops by summer. The announcement followed the recommendation of several experts including Defense Secretary Robert Gates that additional troops be deployed to the strife-torn South Asian country.

President Obama declared his plan for ending the Iraq War on February 27, 2009, in a speech at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, before an audience of Marines stationed there. According to the president, combat troops will be withdrawn from Iraq by August 2010, leaving a contingent of up to 50,000 servicemen and servicewomen to continue training, advisory, and counterterrorism operations until as late as the end of 2011.

Other characteristics of the Obama administration on foreign policy include a tough stance on tax havens, continuing military operation in Pakistan, and avowed focus on diplomacy to prevent nuclear proliferation in Iran and North Korea.

In April 2009 Obama requested that Congress approve $83.4 billion of supplemental military funding, mostly for the war in Iraq and to increase troop levels in Afghanistan. The request also includes $2.2 billion to increase the size of the US military, $350 million to upgrade security along the US-Mexico border, and $400 million in counterinsurgency aid for Pakistan.

In May 2009 it was reported that Obama plans to expand the military by 20,000 employees.

Gun control

After being elected as President, Obama announced that he favors measures that respect Second Amendment rights, while at the same time keeping guns away from children and criminals. On February 25, 2009, Attorney General Eric Holder announced that the Obama administration will seek a new assault weapons ban across the United States, claiming that it would have a positive impact on the drug-related violence in Mexico, while gun owners and enthusiasts appear to be buying more guns and ammunition out of concern that Obama's administration will push for more gun control.

Science and technology

Cybersecurity

Obama initiated a 60-day review of cybersecurity by Melissa Hathaway, a consultant for Booz Allen Hamilton, appointed Acting Senior Director for Cyberspace. Several persons including Rod Beckstrom who resigned as head of the National Cyber Security Center (NCSC), Bruce Schneier, and Leslie Harris and the Center for Democracy and Technology—and not Dennis Blair—have urged the administration to keep the Department of Homeland Security in charge despite its low scores, rather than the National Security Agency. NSA director Keith B. Alexander said the NSA will help but does not want to take charge.

The New York Times reported in 2009 that the NSA is intercepting communications of American citizens including a Congressman, although the Justice Department believed that the NSA had corrected its errors. United States Attorney General Eric Holder resumed the wiretapping according to his understanding of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 Amendments Act of 2008 which Congress passed in July 2008 but without explaining what had occurred.

Environment

On January 27, 2009, Obama issued two presidential memoranda concerning energy independence. One directed the Department of Transportation to raise fuel efficiency standards incrementally to 35 miles per US gallon (15 km/L) by 2020, and the other directed the Environmental Protection Agency to allow individual states to set stricter tailpipe emissions regulations than the federal standard.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 provides $54 billion in funds to double domestic renewable energy production, renovate federal buildings making them more energy-efficient, improve the nation's electricity grid, repair public housing, and weatherize modest-income homes.

On February 10, 2009, Obama overturned a Bush administration policy that had opened up a five-year period of offshore drilling for oil and gas near both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar has been quoted as saying, "To establish an orderly process that allows us to make wise decisions based on sound information, we need to set aside" the plan "and create our own timeline".

Stem cell research

On March 9, 2009, Obama repealed a Bush-era policy that prevented federal tax dollars from being used to fund research on new lines of embryonic stem cells. Such research has been a matter of debate between those who emphasize the therapeutic potential of such research and those who suggest that elements of this research breach ethical limitations. Obama, however, believes that this debate hinges on a false dichotomy that has only impeded the amelioration of human suffering. "In recent years", he said, "when it comes to stem cell research, rather than furthering discovery, our government has forced what I believe is a false choice between sound science and moral values...In this case, I believe the two are not inconsistent. As a person of faith, I believe we are called to care for each other and work to ease human suffering. I believe we have been given the capacity and will to pursue this research — and the humanity and conscience to do so responsibly."

Transparency

The Obama administration has said that all executive orders, proclamations, and all non-emergency legislation will be posted to the official White House website Whitehouse.gov, allowing the public to review and comment for five days before the President signs the legislation. Obama broke this pledge twice in his first month in office, signing SCHIP legislation and the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act with less than the full five days of "sunlight before signing". The administration has said that they are still "working through implementation procedures and some initial issues with the congressional calendar".

Obama plans to post a video address each week on the site, and on YouTube, informing the public of government actions each week. During his speech at the 2008 Democratic National Convention, Obama stated, "I will also go through the federal budget, line by line, eliminating programs that no longer work and making the ones we do need work better and cost less - because we cannot meet twenty-first century challenges with a twentieth century bureaucracy."

On January 21, by executive order President Obama revoked Executive Order 13233, which had limited access to the records of former United States Presidents. Obama issued instructions to all agencies and departments in his administration to "adopt a presumption in favor" of Freedom of Information Act requests. In April 2009 the United States Department of Justice released four legal memos from the Bush administration to comply voluntarily with a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union. The memos were written by John Yoo and signed by Jay Bybee and Steven Bradbury, then Principal Assistant Attorneys General to the Department of Justice, and addressed to John Rizzo, general counsel of the Central Intelligence Agency. The memos describe in detail controversial interrogation methods the CIA used on prisoners suspected of terrorism. Obama became personally involved in the decision to release the memos, which was opposed by former CIA directors Michael Hayden, Porter Goss, George Tenet and John Deutch.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act requires all recipients of the funds provided by the act to publish a plan for using the funds, along with purpose, cost, rationale, net job creation, and contact information about the plan to a website Recovery.gov so that the public can review and comment. Inspectors General from each department or executive agency will then review, as appropriate, any concerns raised by the public. Any findings of an Inspector General must be relayed immediately to the head of each department and published on Recovery.gov.

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14. Kelley, Matt (2009-01-19). "Obama to be sworn in on 'Lincoln Bible'" (Article). USA Today. Retrieved 2009-01-26. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
15. "Chief justice fumbles oath". Washington Times. 2009-01-20. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
16. Obama takes presidential oath again after stumble (Yahoo)
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18. Chernus, Ira (2008-12-16). "The First Hundred Days or the Last Hundred Days?". The LA Progressive. Retrieved 2009-01-18.
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81. Knowlton, Brian (2009-01-21). "On His First Full Day, Obama Tackles Sobering Challenges". The New York Times. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2009-01-28.
82. Meyer, Josh and Paul Richter (2009-01-21). "Hillary Clinton confirmed for Cabinet, but Eric Holder delayed". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2009-01-28.
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84. "Geithner confirmed, sworn in at Treasury: Obama cites urgency of acting quickly". Boston Globe. The New York Times Company. 2008-01-27. Retrieved 2009-01-28.
85. ^ Weisman, Jonathan (2009-01-24). "Delays in Cabinet Nominations Demonstrate GOP Resolve". The Wall Street Journal. Dow Jones & Company, Inc. Retrieved 2009-01-28.
86. Senate confirms Holder as first black AG
87. Zeleny, Jeff (2009-02-02). "Obama Set to Add Republican to Cabinet". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-02-03.
88. ^ Daschle withdraws as nominee for HHS secretary
89. ^ political ticker
90. ^ Former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk confirmed as US trade representative
91. Gregg withdraws nomination to become commerce secy
92. Former Gov. Gary Locke nominated for Commerce secretary
93. ^ Wheaton, Sarah (March 24, 2009). "Locke Confirmed as Commerce Secretary". The New York Times. Retrieved March 30, 2009.
94. CQ Transcript: President Obama Announces Nomination of Gov. Kathleen Sebelius to Head HHS
95. Obama's promise of ethics reform faces early test, International Herald Tribune, February 3, 2009
96. Official: Performance czar withdraws candidacy, Associated Press, February 3, 2009
97. Tax problems delay vote on Hilda Solis, UPI Online, February 5, 2009
98. Trade nominee Ron Kirk agrees to pay back taxes
99. Another Obama Nominee Has Tax Issues, CBS News, March 31, 2009
100. Henry, Ed (January 19, 2009). "Obama's top priority: the economy". CNN. Retrieved 2009-02-09.
101. Goldman, Russell (January 5, 2009). "Obama Pushes Economic Plan, Saying It Can't Wait". ABC News. Retrieved 2009-02-09. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
102. Bohan, Caren (February 20, 2009). "Obama vows to spend stimulus money wisely". Reuters. Retrieved 2009-02-24. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
103. Halloran, Liz (January 27, 2009). "Obama Woos Hill Republicans On Stimulus Plan". NPR. Retrieved 2009-02-09.
104. "Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, Stimulus Watch".
105. "Stimulus Watch".
106. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090322/ap_on_go_pr_wh/obama_economy
107. . The Washington Times. March 20, 2009. Retrieved March 23, 2009. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
108. "Obama Seeks Halt to Legal Proceedings at Guantanamo". Associated Press. January 21, 2009. Retrieved January 21, 2009.
109. "Obama signs executive order to close Guantanamo Bay". CNN. January 22, 2009. Retrieved January 22, 2009.
110. Whitehouse.gov (2009-01-22). "Ensuring Lawful Interrogations". White House. Retrieved 2009-01-26. {{cite web}}: External link in |author= (help)
111. Guantanamo worse since Obama election: ex-detainee, AFP, March 7, 2009
112. "U.S. Won't Label Terror Suspects as 'Combatants'". The New York Times. 2009-03-13. Retrieved 2009-03-15. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
113. http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/951083.html
114. ^ Obama White House Discloses Two More Lobbyist Waivers Granted, ABC News, March 10, 2009
115. ^ Ethics Update, The White House Blog
116. ^ "Geithner names ex-lobbyist as Treasury chief of staff". USA Today. 2009-01-27. Retrieved 2009-02-14.
117. "Obama HHS deputy has recent lobbyist past". Politico. 2009-01-13. Retrieved 2009-02-14.
118. The Nominee Who Lobbied Herself, The Weekly Standard, February 3, 2009
119. Whitehouse.gov (2009-01-20). "Obama's inaugural address full text and video". White House. Retrieved 2009-01-26. {{cite web}}: External link in |author= (help)
120. "President Obama's first call 'was to President Abbas'". Retrieved 2009-01-23.
121. "President Obama Delivers Remarks to State Department Employees". Retrieved 2009-01-23.
122. "Obama urges Israel to open Gaza borders". Retrieved 2009-01-22.
123. "Obama launches Afghanistan surge". The Australian. February 19, 2009.
124. "Gates: More Troops For Afghanistan". The New York Post. January 27, 2009.
125. "U.S. general urges troop surge in Afghanistan". International Herald Tribune. October 1, 2008.
126. Cuningham, Henry (February 28, 2009). "Obama sets date for end of U.S. combat in Iraq". The Fayetteville Observer.
127. Mathiason, Nick (March 1, 2009). "So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen: is it game over for Swiss banks". The Guardian.
128. Smith, R. Jeffrey (January 24, 2009). "2 U.S. Airstrikes Offer a Concrete Sign of Obama's Pakistan Policy". The Washington Post. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
129. Heilprin, John (January 26, 2009). "Obama Administration To Engage In "Direct Diplomacy" With Iran". Associated Press.
130. "Ambassador Bosworth To Lead Efforts on U.S. Engagement With North Korea". U.S. Department of State. February 26, 2009.
131. Barack Obama uses Bush funding tactics to finance wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, The Telegraph, April 10, 2009
132. Pentagon plans 20,000 new jobs to manage arms-buys, Reuters, May 6, 2009
133. Ryan, Jason (2009-02-25). "Obama to Seek New Assault Weapons Ban". ABC News. Retrieved 2009-02-26.
134. http://www.kansas.com/topstories/story/736526.html
135. Hathaway, Melissa (April 22, 2009). "Remarks: As Prepared for Delivery At the RSA Conference" (Microsoft Word). The Atlantic. Retrieved 2009-04-22.
136. "President Obama Directs the National Security and Homeland Security Advisors to Conduct Immediate Cyber Security Review" (Press release). The White House (whitehouse.gov). February 9, 2009. Retrieved 2009-04-17.
137. Acohido, Byron (April 15, 2009). "Obama to receive cybersecurity review this week". USA Today (Gannett Co.). Retrieved 2009-04-15. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
138. "ExpectMore.gov: Dept of Homeland Security Programs". Office of Managment and Budget, The White House (whitehouse.gov). February 9, 2009. Retrieved 2009-04-17.
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140. Gross, Grant (April 15, 2009). "CDT: Privacy, Transparency Needed in Cybersecurity Policy". PC World. IDG. Retrieved 2009-04-15.
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145. Committee on Appropriations Press Release of H.R. 1
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149. Obama breaks five-day pledge, The Politico, February 5, 2009
150. Barack Obama Campaign Promise No. 234: Allow five days of public comment before signing bills, PolitiFact.com, February 4, 2009
151. We are better than these last eight years Prepared remarks of Barack Obama to the Democratic National Convention
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154. "RELEASED: The Bush Administration's Secret Legal Memos". American Civil Liberties Union. Retrieved 2009-04-19.
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158. Smith, R. Jeffrey (April 19, 2009). "Justice Dept. Memos' Careful Legalese Obscured Harsh Reality". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2009-04-19.
159. Full Text of H.R. 1 - The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Information cited is found under Subtitle B on pages 15-18.

External links

• "President Obama's People" (photography: Nadav Kander)
• The Official White House YouTube page
• Full transcript and video of President Obama's inaugural address
• Full Video of The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 signing ceremony on February 17, 2009 (from C-SPAN)
• Official Video of Open For Questions Online Town Hall on March 26, 2009 from (WhiteHouse.gov)

v t e Obama administration personnel
v t e Cabinet and cabinet-level Office Name Term Office Name Term Secretary of State John Kerry 2013–2017 Secretary of Treasury Jack Lew 2013–2017 Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter 2015–2017 Attorney General Loretta Lynch 2015–2017 Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell 2013–2017 Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack 2009–2017 Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker 2013–2017 Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez 2013–2017 Secretary of Health and   Human Services Sylvia Mathews Burwell 2014–2017 Secretary of Education Secretary of Transportation John King Jr. Anthony Foxx 2016–2017 2013–2017 Secretary of Housing and Urban   Development Julian Castro 2014–2017 Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert A. McDonald 2014–2017 Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz 2013–2017 Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson 2013–2017 Vice President Joe Biden 2009–2017 White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough 2013–2017 Director of the Office of Management and   Budget Shaun Donovan 2014–2017 Administrator of the Environmental   Protection Agency Gina McCarthy 2013–2017 Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power 2013–2017 Chair of the Council of Economic   Advisers Jason Furman 2013–2017 Trade Representative Michael Froman 2013–2017 Administrator of the Small Business Administration Maria Contreras-Sweet 2014–2017 Below solid line: Granted Cabinet rank although not automatically part of the Cabinet. See also: Confirmations of Barack Obama's Cabinet
v t e Executive Office of the President Office Name Term Office Name Term White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel 2009–10 National Security Advisor James L. Jones 2009–10 Pete Rouse 2010–11 Thomas E. Donilon 2010–13 William M. Daley 2011–12 Susan Rice 2013–17 Jack Lew 2012–13 Deputy National Security Advisor Thomas E. Donilon 2009–10 Denis McDonough 2013–17 Denis McDonough 2010–13 White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Mona Sutphen 2009–11 Antony Blinken 2013–14 Nancy-Ann DeParle 2011–13 Avril Haines 2015–17 Rob Nabors 2013–15 Dep. National Security Advisor, Homeland Security John O. Brennan 2009–13 White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations Jim Messina 2009–11 Lisa Monaco 2013–17 Alyssa Mastromonaco 2011–14 Dep. National Security Advisor, Iraq and Afghanistan Douglas Lute† 2009–13 Anita Decker Breckenridge 2014–17 Dep. National Security Advisor, Strategic Comm. Ben Rhodes 2009–17 White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Planning Mark B. Childress 2012–14 Dep. National Security Advisor, Chief of Staff Mark Lippert 2009 Kristie Canegallo 2014–17 Denis McDonough 2009–10 Counselor to the President Pete Rouse 2011–13 Brooke D. Anderson 2011–12 John Podesta 2014–15 White House Communications Director Ellen Moran 2009 Senior Advisor to the President David Axelrod 2009–11 Anita Dunn 2009 David Plouffe 2011–13 Daniel Pfeiffer 2009–13 Daniel Pfeiffer 2013–15 Jennifer Palmieri 2013–15 Shailagh Murray 2015–17 Jen Psaki 2015–17 Senior Advisor to the President Pete Rouse 2009–10 Deputy White House Communications Director Jen Psaki 2009–11 Brian Deese 2015–17 Jennifer Palmieri 2011–14 Senior Advisor to the President and Valerie Jarrett 2009–17 Amy Brundage 2014–16 Assistant to the President for Liz Allen 2016–17 Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs 2009–11 Director, Public Engagement Tina Tchen 2009–11 Jay Carney 2011–13 Jon Carson 2011–13 Josh Earnest 2013–17 Paulette L. Aniskoff 2013–17 Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton 2009–11 Director, Intergovernmental Affairs Cecilia Muñoz 2009–12 Josh Earnest 2011–13 David Agnew 2012–14 Eric Schultz 2014–17 Jerry Abramson 2014–17 Director of Special Projects Stephanie Cutter 2010–11 Director, National Economic Council Lawrence Summers 2009–10 Director, Speechwriting Jon Favreau 2009–13 Gene Sperling 2011–14 Cody Keenan 2013–17 Jeff Zients 2014–17 Director, Digital Strategy Macon Phillips 2009–13 Chair, Council of Economic Advisers Christina Romer 2009–10 Chief Digital Officer Jason Goldman 2015–17 Austan Goolsbee 2010–13 Director, Legislative Affairs Phil Schiliro 2009–11 Jason Furman 2013–17 Rob Nabors 2011–13 Chair, Economic Recovery Advisory Board Paul Volcker 2009–11 Katie Beirne Fallon 2013–16 Chair, Council on Jobs and Competitiveness Jeff Immelt 2011–13 Miguel Rodriguez 2016 Director, Domestic Policy Council Melody Barnes 2009–12 Amy Rosenbaum 2016–17 Cecilia Muñoz 2012–17 Director, Political Affairs Patrick Gaspard 2009–11 Director, Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships Joshua DuBois 2009–13 David Simas 2011–16 Melissa Rogers 2013–17 Director, Presidential Personnel Nancy Hogan 2009–13 Director, Office of Health Reform Nancy-Ann DeParle 2009–11 Johnathan D. McBride 2013–14 Director, Office of National AIDS Policy Jeffrey Crowley 2009–11 Valerie E. Green 2014–15 Grant N. Colfax 2011–13 Rodin A. Mehrbani 2016–17 Douglas M. Brooks 2013–17 White House Staff Secretary Lisa Brown 2009–11 Director, Office of Urban Affairs Adolfo Carrión Jr. 2009–10 Rajesh De 2011–12 Racquel S. Russell 2010–14 Douglas Kramer 2012–13 Roy Austin Jr. 2014–17 Joani Walsh 2014–17 Director, Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy Carol Browner 2009–11 Director, Management and Administration Bradley J. Kiley 2009–11 White House Counsel Greg Craig 2009–10 Katy A. Kale 2011–15 Bob Bauer 2010–11 Maju Varghese 2015–17 Kathryn Ruemmler 2011–14 Director, Scheduling and Advance Alyssa Mastromonaco 2009–11 Neil Eggleston 2014–17 Danielle Crutchfield 2011–14 White House Cabinet Secretary Chris Lu 2009–13 Chase Cushman 2014–17 Danielle C. Gray 2013–14 Director, White House Information Technology David Recordon 2015–17 Broderick D. Johnson 2014–17 Director, Office of Administration Cameron Moody 2009–11 Personal Aide to the President Reggie Love 2009–11 Beth Jones 2011–15 Brian Mosteller 2011–12 Cathy Solomon 2015–17 Marvin D. Nicholson 2012–17 Director, Office of Science and Technology Policy John Holdren 2009–17 Director, Oval Office Operations Brian Mosteller 2012–17 Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra 2009–12 Personal Secretary to the President Katie Johnson 2009–11 Todd Park 2012–14 Anita Decker Breckenridge 2011–14 Megan Smith 2014–17 Ferial Govashiri 2014–17 Director, Office of Management and Budget Peter R. Orszag 2009–10 Chief of Staff to the First Lady Jackie Norris 2009 Jack Lew 2010–12 Susan Sher 2009–11 Jeff Zients 2012–13 Tina Tchen 2011–17 Sylvia Mathews Burwell 2013–14 White House Social Secretary Desirée Rogers 2009–10 Brian Deese 2014 Julianna Smoot 2010–11 Shaun Donovan 2014–17 Jeremy Bernard 2011–15 Chief Information Officer Vivek Kundra 2009–11 Deesha Dyer 2015–17 Steven VanRoekel 2011–14 Chief of Staff to the Vice President Ron Klain 2009–11 Tony Scott 2015–17 Bruce Reed 2011–13 United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk 2009–13 Steve Ricchetti 2013–17 Michael Froman 2013–17 White House Chief Usher Stephen W. Rochon† 2009–11 Director, Office of National Drug Control Policy Gil Kerlikowske 2009–14 Angella Reid 2011–17 Michael Botticelli 2014–17 Director, White House Military Office George Mulligan 2009–13 Chair, Council on Environmental Quality Nancy Sutley 2009–14 Emmett Beliveau 2013–15 Michael Boots 2014–15 Dabney Kern 2016–17 Christy Goldfuss 2015–17 † Remained from previous administration.
v t e Office of the Vice President Position Appointee Chief of Staff to the Vice President Steve Ricchetti Counsel to the Vice President Cynthia Hogan Counselor to the Vice President Mike Donilon Assistant to the Vice President for Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Liaison Evan Ryan Assistant to the Vice President and Director of Communications Shailagh Murray Deputy Chief of Staff to the Vice President Shailagh Murray Deputy National Security Adviser to the Vice President Brian P. McKeon Residence Manager and Social Secretary for the Vice President and Second Lady Carlos Elizondo National Security Adviser to the Vice President Colin Kahl Position Appointee Chief of Staff to the Second Lady Catherine M. Russell Director of Administration for the Office of the Vice President Moises Vela Domestic Policy Adviser to the Vice President Terrell McSweeny Chief Economist and Economic Policy Adviser to the Vice President Jared Bernstein Press Secretary to the Vice President Elizabeth Alexander Deputy Press Secretary to the Vice President Annie Tomasini Director of Legislative Affairs Sudafi Henry Director of Communications for the Second Lady Courtney O’Donnell

• Presidency of Barack Obama
• Presidencies of the United States
• Barack Obama