obama appoints tom vilsack to team

Obama names Vilsack agriculture secretary and Salazar interior chief
Published: Wednesday, December 17, 2008 | 12:04 PM ET
Canadian Press: THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

CHICAGO - On a pre-holiday push to fill his cabinet, president-elect Barack Obama announced Wednesday his choices of former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack to be agriculture secretary and Colorado Senator Ken Salazar to lead the Interior Department.

"It is time for a new kind of leadership in Washington that's committed to using our lands in a responsible way to benefit all of our families," Obama said in a news conference, his third in as many days to announce cabinet choices.

Obama said his administration will ensure that policies in those two departments - which oversee federal farming and lands policies - are designed to serve "not big agribusiness or Washington special interests" but farmers, the environment and the nation's energy needs.

Transition officials say more announcements are likely this week before Obama heads to Hawaii for Christmas vacation with his family.
© The Canadian Press, 2008