60 minutes Interview with Obama | Watch Obama 60 Minutes Interview [Video]

60 Minutes aired its interview tonight with Barack and Michelle Obama, they're first interview since Obama won the presidential election. In the interview, Obama repeated his commitment to close Guantanamo Bay and ban torture in order to "regain America's moral stature in the world."

President-elect Barack Obama said in an interview broadcast Sunday that since terrorists might try to attack the U.S. during the White House transition, selecting his national security team is one of his top priorities.


"I think it's important to get a national security team in place because transition periods are potentially times of vulnerability to a terrorist attack," Obama told CBS' "60 Minutes." "We want to make sure that there is as seamless a transition on national security as possible."


In his first television interview since his historic election, Obama said he has spent the days since the election on short- and long-term issues, from doing "whatever it takes" to stabilize the economy, restore consumer confidence and create jobs, to getting sound health care and energy policies through Congress. The president-elect also said that as soon as he takes office he will work with his security team and the military to draw down U.S. troops in Iraq, shore up Afghanistan and "stamp out al-Qaida once and for all."

[Via huffingtonpost]

Robert Gibbs will be Obama's Press Secretary

Robert Gibbs, a top aide to Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) on his campaign and in his Senate office, will be named the White House press secretary, a top Democratic official said.


Gibbs was usually the senior official on Air Obama, the campaign plane. As communications director of Obama's Senate office, Gibbs was a key strategist in Obama's rapid move to the national stage.

The announcement, to be made shortly, is likely to be viewed favorably by reporters because Gibbs has unquestioned authority, access and institutional memory.

A senior adviser to Barack Obama tells us that despite earlier reports, the move to make former Obama campaign communications director Robert Gibbs the White House press secretary is not a done deal yet. [Via Huffingtonpost]

President Obama: Barack Obama Becomes America's 44th President

With wins in Ohio and Pennsylvania, Barack Obama has likely won the presidency by a decisive margin, with the potential of carrying almost all the battleground states. He will be the nation's first black chief executive.


Exit polls showed fears about the economy eclipsing all other issues, a development working decisively to the advantage of Democrats up and down the ticket. Polls in the continental U.S. are to close at 11 when the networks will formally call the race.[Via Huffingtonpost]

Obama Wins Dixville Notch, NH

Barack Obama came up a big winner in the presidential race in Dixville Notch and Hart's Location, N.H., where tradition of having the first Election Day ballots tallied lives on.



Democrat Obama defeated Republican John McCain by a count of 15 to 6 in Dixville Notch, where a loud whoop accompanied the announcement in Tuesday's first minutes. The town of Hart's Location reported 17 votes for Obama, 10 for McCain and two for write-in Ron Paul. Independent Ralph Nader was on both towns' ballots but got no votes.

"I'm not going to say I wasn't surprised," said Obama supporter Tanner Nelson Tillotson, whose name was drawn from a bowl to make him Dixville Notch's first voter.[Via Huffington]