Barack Obama has started to assemble his brain trust, the inner circle of advisers who will guide him as he leads the country and navigates the shoals of Congress.
In addition to chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, who accepted the post today, Obama has reportedly selected his campaign's chief strategist, David Axelrod, to be his senior adviser in the White House, according to ABC News.
Axelrod and Emanuel would make a formidable duo, both known for their expertise in brass-knuckle politics and experienced at tough Chicago-style politicking.
In addition, Robert Gibbs, a campaign spokesman known for his steady presence on Air Obama, the campaign plane, will be named the White House press secretary, Democratic officials told Politico.
Gibbs is a more genial presence, although he made headlines at the tail end of the campaign by aggressively confronting Fox News host Sean Hannity over the host's inclusion of an anti-Semite in his documentary on Obama.
The next step for President-elect Obama will be his Cabinet picks, especially the crucial post of Secretary of the Treasury.
Read more about Obama's potential Cabinet picks here.
And check out HuffPost's BigNews Page on Obama's potential Cabinet.