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http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sp/article/2008/200812/20081222/article_385411.htm
Obama's holiday no rest from Blagojevich
Created: 2008-12-22 1:22:04
UNITED States President-elect Barack Obama and his family arrived in his native Hawaii for a holiday vacation that is set to be interrupted with the release of an internal investigation into whether his aides played any role in alleged attempts to sell his vacated Senate seat.
An Obama aide told reporters on Saturday that the results of the investigation could be released early this week. Aides declined to discuss details, saying they would honor US Patrick Fitzgerald's request to keep them private until this week.
Obama has said he is eager to release their internal investigation about what contacts his aides and advisers had with Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, who faces federal allegations that he tried to sell Obama's former US Senate seat to the highest bidder. Obama earlier told reporters an internal investigation showed his staff did nothing wrong.
On Friday, Blagojevich said he did nothing illegal and vowed to fight the allegations.
Apart from the report's release, Obama plans to keep a low profile during his 12-day trip to Oahu, the third-largest Hawaiian Island.
Aides said the Obama family would have no formal events during the trip but will continue to have business meetings and intelligence briefings.
Obama has spent recent weeks at a breakneck pace, barreling through appointments.
During the past week, Obama met reporters every day to announce his picks for Cabinet posts, rounding out the bulk of his top economic, national security and domestic policy officials in his administration-in-waiting.
He said on Friday that he had assembled his top economic team more quickly than any other of his predecessors ?? a sign that the nation's economic woes would define Obama's agenda as he takes office.
Still unfilled are his picks for CIA director and national intelligence director, along with other sub-Cabinet appointments.
On Saturday, Obama said he would seek to create or save 3 million jobs in the next two years instead of the 2.5 million he proposed last month.
Obama set the more ambitious target earlier last week after meeting with top economic advisers.
An Obama aide told reporters on Saturday that the results of the investigation could be released early this week. Aides declined to discuss details, saying they would honor US Patrick Fitzgerald's request to keep them private until this week.
Obama has said he is eager to release their internal investigation about what contacts his aides and advisers had with Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, who faces federal allegations that he tried to sell Obama's former US Senate seat to the highest bidder. Obama earlier told reporters an internal investigation showed his staff did nothing wrong.
On Friday, Blagojevich said he did nothing illegal and vowed to fight the allegations.
Apart from the report's release, Obama plans to keep a low profile during his 12-day trip to Oahu, the third-largest Hawaiian Island.
Aides said the Obama family would have no formal events during the trip but will continue to have business meetings and intelligence briefings.
Obama has spent recent weeks at a breakneck pace, barreling through appointments.
During the past week, Obama met reporters every day to announce his picks for Cabinet posts, rounding out the bulk of his top economic, national security and domestic policy officials in his administration-in-waiting.
He said on Friday that he had assembled his top economic team more quickly than any other of his predecessors ?? a sign that the nation's economic woes would define Obama's agenda as he takes office.
Still unfilled are his picks for CIA director and national intelligence director, along with other sub-Cabinet appointments.
On Saturday, Obama said he would seek to create or save 3 million jobs in the next two years instead of the 2.5 million he proposed last month.
Obama set the more ambitious target earlier last week after meeting with top economic advisers.
Agencies
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