Obama's Choice For White House Chief Of Staff Considering Costs Of Post To His Family

Washington, D.C. (AHN) - Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-IL), House Democratic Caucus chair and longtime Chicago friend of Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL), said Wednesday his decision to accept the president-elect's offer to be White House chief of staff is a "personal" choice that will involve weighing the cost the job would entail to his family.

Speaking to WLS-TV in Chicago, the congressman repeatedly said he was "honored to even be considered" as the next presidential chief of staff, but that he has "to make a decision about [his] family."

"I've been in the White House. I used to joke in the White House that on Fridays, I would say: it's two more workdays till Monday. When I was in the White House, I didn't have children. I do know something about the White House, and I do have children now. I have a family. And so you weigh these-what is the opportunity for your children, and what is the cost?" he said.

Emanuel added, "This is not a professional choice. This is a personal choice about what my wife and I want to do for our family, ... when I chose to run for Congress, I took months to think about it. This is being asked in a few days."

Obama (D-IL) announced his transition team Wednesday afternoon, naming several former Clinton administration officials. The president-elect is also reportedly considering appointing two Kennedys and former Secretary of State Colin Powell to key posts.

The transition team will be headed by three co-chairs: former Clinton chief of staff John Podesta, who is currently president of Washington think tank Center for American Progress and Visiting Professor of Law at the Georgetown University Law Center; senior adviser Valerie Jarrett; and former Obama legislative chief of staff Pete Rouse, who was a member of the congressional staff of former Senate majority leader Tom Daschle.

The president-elect's three co-chairs will be assisted by an advisory board that includes former Clinton Environmental Protection Agency administrator Carol Browner, former Clinton Commerce Secretary William Daley, Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano, who was also chair of the Democratic Party's 2008 Platform Drafting Committee.

A website has also been launched for the transition team at www.change.gov.

Key Cabinet posts for the freshman senator are the treasury and defense secretaries. Former Clinton Treasury Sec. Lawrence Summers, former Fed Chair Paul Volker and billionaire investor Warren Buffet are reportedly contenders for the first post, while Defense Sec. Robert Gates may continue in his official capacity. Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE), a Republican and staunch critic of the war in Iraq, is also being floated as a potential defense secretary.

Obama "is strongly considering" appointing Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as head of the Environmental Protection Agency, Politico has said, citing Democratic sources.

Kennedy, who endorsed Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY), i is an environmental activist and son of Robert F. Kennedy, a younger brother of former President John F. Kennedy and candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination when he was assassinated in 1968. He is a professor at Pace University School of Law's Environmental Litigation Clinic, president of the Waterkeeper Alliance and co-host of "Ring of Fire" on Air America Radio network.

Kennedy's cousin, Caroline Kennedy, is being considered for U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Politico added. Caroline is the only surviving child of John F. Kennedy and was one of three members of Obama's vice presidential search committee.

Powell, who endorsed Obama a few weeks before election day, is a contender for the post of secretary of defense or education, Politco also said. Powell was National Security Advisor to Ronald Reagan who became a four-star Army general and the first African-American secretary of state under President George W. Bush.