Obama Says White House Will Become The People's House

First, Obama will hold a press conference today at 11 am announcing Eric Shinseki as his choice to head veterans affairs. 

Also, on Meet the Press this morning, amid all the economic and foreign policy talk, Obama said the White House is really the people's house and he's going to make it more open. Local school children are going to visit and he's going to invite all kinds of artists, poets, musicians and scientists to be a part. It's refreshing to have a president who values art and culture and science. 
Video below:

Wash Times: Mr. Obama, speaking on NBC's "Meet the Press," outlined for the first time a way to showcase the "tapestry that is America."

"We want to invite kids from local schools into the White House," he said. He said he wants the White House to be a forum for "elevating science once again and having lectures in the White House -- traveling to the stars or breaking down atoms, inspiring our youth."

He said he would like to invite jazz and classical musicians and have poetry readings in the White House.

"Our art and our culture, our science -- that's the essence of what makes America special, and we want to project that as much as possible when we're in the White House," he said.

He said he and his wife, Michelle Obama, want to "open up the White House and remind people this is the people's house."

Tom Brokaw officially announced an under the weather David Gregory as the new moderator for Meet the Press.
Also on MTP, Obama vowed tough financial regulations:

Reuters: President-elect Barack Obama said on Sunday he would put strong new financial regulation at the center of his economic recovery program to force more accountability on the banking industry.

Obama again warned that the U.S. economic crisis, which saw the country lose more than half a million jobs in November alone, would worsen before it gets better.

"As part of our economic recovery package what you will see coming out of my administration, right at the center, is a strong set of financial regulations," Obama said in a taped appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press" television show.

"Banks, ratings agencies, mortgage brokers, a whole bunch of folks (will) start having to be much more accountable and behave much more responsibly.

"We've got to have transparency, openness, fair dealing in our financial markets and that's an area where I think over the last eight years we've fallen short."

Obama also said there should be a new era of shared wins and losses. As CEOs are laying off people, they ought to be cutting their $25 million salaries. Of course that can't be legislated but Obama saying it sets a bar.

Obama beamed when Brokaw mentioned that Caroline Kennedy might be interested Hillary's Senate seat in New York but he said he didn't want to get involved in NY politics. 

Meet the Press transcript.

Obama won't allow auto companies to go down:

On international terror

Obama reiterates direct diplomacy with Iran

Obama's Direct Diplomacy

hillary wouldn't mind obliterating iran. so her foreign policy sounds just like the bush-mccain brand. george bush and john mccain are spinning and distorting obama's advocacy of direct diplomacy and not advocating any other besides the usual: They're Building a Bomb!
so it's easy to get lost in the cobwebs.
direct diplomacy simply means this: obama will open up a dialogue with adversaries. that way we could know what's on their minds, we could make agreements and build alliances, we could prevent a surprise. there are nuances. the dialogue would be different depending on the leader and the country. that's it really.
joe biden in the wsj explains "preconditions."
john kerry explains why talking works.
here is a nonpartisian grass roots group that is trying to prevent war with iran through -- dialogue. ingenious. there is a lot of information there on how -- dialogue -- works.
here is an explainer on the difference between sanctions and diplomacy from the physicians for social responsibility.
here is another informative site, the middle east report.

here is an excerpt from obama's outline on foreign policy:
Talk to our Foes and Friends: Obama is willing to meet with the leaders of all nations, friend and foe. He will do the careful preparation necessary, but will signal that America is ready to come to the table, and that he is willing to lead. And if America is willing to come to the table, the world will be more willing to rally behind American leadership to deal with challenges like terrorism, and Iran and North Korea's nuclear programs.
on cuba and latin america from the obama campaign:

Senator Barack Obama today laid out his comprehensive Latin America policy, rejecting the Bush-McCain approach that has neglected the Americas and failed to adapt to the realities of our changing world. Speaking at the Cuban American National Foundation Luncheon, Obama outlined his plans to forge a new regional approach to combat insecurity and aggressively promote economic opportunity through new trade, aid and energy policies.

Obama also discussed his differences with McCain and Bush and stressed the need to renew the leadership of the United States in the hemisphere through direct diplomacy.

As President, Barack Obama will:

Engage in direct diplomacy throughout the hemisphere to advance democracy and promote American values and ideals Immediately allow Cuban Americans unlimited family travel and remittances to the island

Create an Energy Partnership for the Americas—a regional energy initiative to develop alternative energy and promote clean and sustainable growth

Launch a regional security initiative to develop a new approach to battling criminality and drug trafficking in the hemisphere

Target development assistance for Latin America aimed at promoting bottom-up growth

Reinstate a Special Envoy for the Americas in the White House and open more consulates and expand the Peace Corps in Latin America.

obama's full remarks
obama's latin america plan

Obama’s Advisers
Obama’s Team
Obama’s Foreign Policy Brain Trust