Countdown: 10 weeks to go
Updated on 19 November 2008
In 10 weeks Barack Obama becomes the 44th president of the United States. Channel 4 News follows his countdown to power.
Day 63: Tuesday 18 November 2008
The US media reports that Barack Obama will appoint Eric Holder to be the first African-American US attorney-general. He would also be responsible for closing Guantanamo Bay, which Obama has insisted will happen.
Obama also made a video appearance at an environment summit convened by Arnold Schwarzengger. In the taped message, Obama said: "You can be sure that the United States will once again engage vigorously in these negotiations and help lead the world toward a new era of global cooperation on climate change."
Day 64: Monday 17 November 2008
Barack Obama met his rival John McCain for the first time since the election today. It's said he will appoint at least one Republican to his administration, but it is unlikely to be his former opponent.
It's one of the earliest post-election meetings between rival candidates in recent history, and Obama said they would talk about "how we can do some work together to fix up the country".
The man who revolutionised political campaigning with his camp's use of technology will have to give up his Blackberry when he takes office. He was regularly seen to be attached to the device throughout the campaign, but it's seen as a security risk for the future resident of the White House.
It seems he's not the only president to have to cope with a technology blackout - Bill Clinton didn't send a single email while he was president.
Day 66/65: 15/16 November 2008
The weekend remained busy for team Obama as the recruitment round continued. The latest in line for a position is Hillary Clinton, who is tipped to be offered the secretary of state vacancy - the top foreign policy job.
On Sunday, Barack Obama formally resigned as the junior senator for Illinois, in a one-line letter to the state's governor, Rod Blagojevich, who will now appoint someone to fill the vacancy until the 2010 elections.
He accompanied his resignation with a letter in Illinois newspapers, in which he wrote: "today, I am ending one journey to begin another...I will never forget, and will forever be grateful, to the men and women of this great state who made my life in public service possible." He also referenced a former president from Illinois, Abraham Lincoln.
Obama also gave his first interview since the 4 November election to the CBS' '60-minute' programme. Among the priorities he outlined were closing Guantanamo Bay and "reset the confidence" in the financial markets.
He was joined for some of the interview by his wife. When asked if the election victory had sunk in, Michelle Obama said that on election night "Barack's picture came up and it said 'President-elect Barack Obama'. And I looked at him and I said: 'You are the 44th President of the United States of America. Wow. What a country we live in'."
They also confirmed that while the Obama family are still going to add a puppy to their White House residence, they will not select the addition until the end of the winter - after they settle in to their new home.
Day 68: Thursday 13 November 2008
More sabre-rattling from Russian President Dmitri Medvedev, who used a televised address hours after Obama was declared president last week to threaten to move short-range missiles to Russia's borders with Nato countries if America went ahead with plans to build a missile defence shield in Poland.
Medvedev repeats the threat to French newspaper Le Figaro, but says Moscow is "ready to abandon this decision to deploy the missiles in Kaliningrad if the new American administration, after analysing the real usefulness of a system to respond to 'rogue states', decides to abandon its anti-missile system".
Friendlier news from the ambassador of the Czech Republic, which takes the presidency of the EU in January 2009. Milena Vicenova will be inviting Obama to a summit meeting with all 27 EU states in Prague on 2 April, and said transatlantic relations and improving economic co-operation with the United States would be a priority for the six-month presidency.
Back home, Obama's advisers press ahead with plans for an investigation into allegations of torture under the Bush administration. It has been reported that Bush may be considering a "blanket pardon" for those involved in his administration's interrogation policies.
After a campaign in which her public utterances were strictly controlled, ex vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin's born-again media whirl continues apace. She is due to address a Republican governors' conference today, and expressed concern - again - over Obama's acquaintance with former Weather Underground member William Ayers to CNN last night.
"Well, I still am concerned about that association with Bill Ayers," she said. "And if anybody still wants to talk about it, I will, because this is an unrepentant domestic terrorist who had campaigned to blow up, to destroy our Pentagon and our US Capitol."
The Alaska governor also refused to rule out a possible Senate or future US presidential bid.
Day 69: Wednesday 12 November 2008
Barack Obama's opponents are out in force: President Bush even went as far as calling his predecessor, Bill Clinton, to discuss what sort of advice he should offer the president-elect, he revealed last night in an interview with CNN. Bush said he had regrets about some things he said during his time in office and that "popularity is fleeting, principles are forever".
Meanwhile ex-presidential candidate John McCain appeared on the Jay Leno show to discuss running mate Sarah Palin and Obama, he also added he was "ready to go again" in 2012 - following up swiftly saying "I don't think so my friend."
He also told Leno that since the election campaign finished "I've been sleeping like a baby - sleep two hours, wake up and cry, sleep two hours..."
What's more, Sarah Palin hasn't ruled out running for the Republican nomination in four years' time. She told Fox News she would not rule out running, provided God showed her "the open door".
The blogosphere heats up over Lindsay Lohan's apparent gaffe: the actress appeared to call Obama the "first coloured president" in an interview with Access Hollywood. (Check out the clip here) Last week Italian leader Silvio Berlusconi described Obama as "tanned".
The Secret Service has been calling codenames of its own, dubbing Obama "Renegade", wife Michelle "Renaissance" and daughters Malia and Sasha "Radiance" and "Rosebud". Quite how secret these names are is questionable, given that they are widely reported.
Day 70: Tuesday 11 November 2008
Obama makes a statement "honouring the extraordinary service and selfless sacrifice" of war veterans like Tammy Duckworth during the Soldiers Memorial in Chicago.
President elect Barack Obama places a wreath at The Bronze Soldier Memorial with Iraqi war veteran Tammy Duckworth.
Meanwhile transition co-chair John Podesta announces tight regulation of lobbyists in the Obama team, with ethical conduct high on the agenda.
Barack and Michelle Obama's first transition visit to the White House last night graces newspaper front pages both in the States and in the UK.
Although the meeting was private, the American media reports the president-elect suggested to President George Bush that the administration help struggling car manufacturers immediately.
The pair also talked about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and financial crisis, the Associated Press agency reports, while Laura Bush and Michelle Obama talked about raising daughters in the White House.
Obama has now headed back to Chicago. Elsewhere, our Washington correspondent Sarah Smith reports tonight on the surge in gun sales since Obama was elected - does the new presidency really pose a threat to an American's cherished right to bear arms?
