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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Obama 'to curb lobbyists' reach' | Obama 'to curb lobbyists' reach' |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| US President-elect Barack Obama will usher in new rules to restrict the role of lobbyists as he puts together his administration, says a senior official. | |
| Transition chief John Podesta said Mr Obama would introduce "the strictest, and most far reaching ethics rules of any transition team in history". | Transition chief John Podesta said Mr Obama would introduce "the strictest, and most far reaching ethics rules of any transition team in history". |
| He promised the "most open and transparent" ever handover of power. | He promised the "most open and transparent" ever handover of power. |
| Mr Podesta gave no indication of when the key posts of treasury secretary and secretary of state would be filled. | Mr Podesta gave no indication of when the key posts of treasury secretary and secretary of state would be filled. |
| Various interest groups have been circulating lists and offering recommendations on cabinet-level appointments to the Obama transition team. | Various interest groups have been circulating lists and offering recommendations on cabinet-level appointments to the Obama transition team. |
| Both Mr Obama, who takes office on 20 January, and his defeated Republican rival John McCain regularly railed against lobbyists during the presidential election campaign. | Both Mr Obama, who takes office on 20 January, and his defeated Republican rival John McCain regularly railed against lobbyists during the presidential election campaign. |
| Favour-peddlers | Favour-peddlers |
| They accusing them of peddling favours and influence to sway Capitol Hill lawmakers in a culture of corruption. | They accusing them of peddling favours and influence to sway Capitol Hill lawmakers in a culture of corruption. |
| At a briefing in Washington, Mr Podesta told reporters: "President-elect Barack Obama has pledged to change the way Washington works and curb the influence of lobbyists." | At a briefing in Washington, Mr Podesta told reporters: "President-elect Barack Obama has pledged to change the way Washington works and curb the influence of lobbyists." |
| Clearly, this guy [Mr Obama] is going to bring a great sense of family to the White House George W Bush | Clearly, this guy [Mr Obama] is going to bring a great sense of family to the White House George W Bush |
| Under the new measures, Mr Obama will not allow lobbyists actively petitioning the federal government to work with the transition, said Mr Podesta. | Under the new measures, Mr Obama will not allow lobbyists actively petitioning the federal government to work with the transition, said Mr Podesta. |
| The guidelines will also prevent anyone who has acted as a lobbyist over the last 12 months from working on any policy area in the transition in which they had been active. | The guidelines will also prevent anyone who has acted as a lobbyist over the last 12 months from working on any policy area in the transition in which they had been active. |
| He added that anyone who works on the transition and then becomes a lobbyist will be barred from approaching the administration for 12 months in the area in which they worked. | He added that anyone who works on the transition and then becomes a lobbyist will be barred from approaching the administration for 12 months in the area in which they worked. |
| Mr Podesta also told reporters the future of the Guantanamo Bay detention centre was under review, but that it was a complicated matter, as he put it. | Mr Podesta also told reporters the future of the Guantanamo Bay detention centre was under review, but that it was a complicated matter, as he put it. |
| In a previous news briefing, he said Mr Obama would use his executive powers to reverse decisions by outgoing President George W Bush which restricted stem cell research and sought to allow oil drilling in wilderness areas. | In a previous news briefing, he said Mr Obama would use his executive powers to reverse decisions by outgoing President George W Bush which restricted stem cell research and sought to allow oil drilling in wilderness areas. |
| '100mph to zero' | '100mph to zero' |
| Meanwhile new details emerged of Monday's visit by Mr Obama and his wife Michelle to the White House to meet the outgoing president and first lady. | Meanwhile new details emerged of Monday's visit by Mr Obama and his wife Michelle to the White House to meet the outgoing president and first lady. |
| Laura Bush is reportedly exploring a book deal for her memoirs | Laura Bush is reportedly exploring a book deal for her memoirs |
| Mr Bush told CNN that after their policy discussion, his successor had wanted to check out the future bedrooms of his daughters, Malia, 10, and Sasha, seven. | Mr Bush told CNN that after their policy discussion, his successor had wanted to check out the future bedrooms of his daughters, Malia, 10, and Sasha, seven. |
| "It was interesting to watch him go upstairs, and he wanted to see where his little girls were going to sleep," Mr Bush said. | "It was interesting to watch him go upstairs, and he wanted to see where his little girls were going to sleep," Mr Bush said. |
| Mr Bush also said that after Mr Obama took the oath of office, he would go from "100 mph to near zero overnight". | Mr Bush also said that after Mr Obama took the oath of office, he would go from "100 mph to near zero overnight". |
| "I know I'll miss certain things about the presidency," Mr Bush told CNN. "I also know I'm looking forward to getting home, so I've got mixed emotions." | "I know I'll miss certain things about the presidency," Mr Bush told CNN. "I also know I'm looking forward to getting home, so I've got mixed emotions." |
| Meanwhile the Associated Press news agency reported that First Lady Laura Bush is in the early stages of confidential talks with publishers to write a memoir about her time in the White House. | Meanwhile the Associated Press news agency reported that First Lady Laura Bush is in the early stages of confidential talks with publishers to write a memoir about her time in the White House. |