The morning line, Dec. 3, 3008

Obama is scheduled to announce the appointment of New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson as Commerce secretary at a press conference this morning at10:40 EST. [Washington Post] (More after the jump.)

Obama announced an ambitious public works aid package to the nation's governors yesterday, but stopped short of committing to provide the $176 billion the governors asked for, the New York Times reports.
 
More than 130 transition advisers have touched down in at least two dozen agencies, maybe more, asking questions and reviewing documents, according to the Washington Post, which takes a detailed look at the Obama team preparations to assume control of the government next month.
 
Heralding the choice of Gov. Janet Napolitano (D-Ariz.) to be secretary of Homeland Security, the Washington Post is still concerned enough about the issues she will face to publish two editorials on the subject.

Citing the recent attacks in Mumbai and the somber report yesterday by the Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism, which predicted the use of weapons of mass destruction somewhere in the next five years, the Post emphasized that "[t]errorism prevention is and must remain priority No. 1."  On the subject of illegal immigration, the paper applauded Napolitano's balancing act as governor in dealing with issue and urged her to continue that record by fixing the nation's broken immigration system.
 
Obama faces a challenge in formulating an effective intelligence team while hewing to his rhetoric on the campaign trail, which castigated Bush administration policies on extraordinary rendition and interrogation practices, according to the New York Times. The withdrawal last week of Obama's presumed choice, CIA. veteran John Brennan, creates the perception that "if you worked in the CIA during the war on terror, you are now tainted," former agency hand Mark Lowenthal told the Times.