This Morning: Another Obama Press Conference
Barack Obama is holding a press conference today at 10:45 a.m. ET -- his third presser in three days -- centered around the economy. As we posited yesterday, Obama appears to be trying to quasi-assume the presidency early, in order to provide the image of competent national leadership and calm down the uncertainty of the financial markets during the interregnum.

Report: Obama Taps Volcker For New Economic Board
Barack Obama will reportedly appoint former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker to head up a new President's Economic Recovery Advisory Board, which will give economic briefings to the president and serve as a means for Obama to get advice outside of the usual federal agencies. Volcker is widely credited with bringing the inflationary spiral of the 70s and early 80s to an end during his tenure as Fed chairman, so this appointment might go a long way in reassuring the markets.

Minnesota Sec. of State To Candidates: Stop The Frivolous Challenges
Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie (D) says he is concerned about the huge number of ballot challenges in the Senate recount -- over 3,600 of them so far -- and has called on both campaigns to crack down on it. "The more challenges there are, the more work that the local officials has to do, our office has to do and the candidate representatives have to do to withdraw or back away from those challenges, so this is a cause for concern," Ritchie told Minnesota Public Radio.

Obama Trying To Keep BlackBerry
Barack Obama said during an interview with Barbara Walters that he is trying to keep his BlackBerry, and is negotiating with his staff on how he can stay connected while also satisfying the need to stay secure and keep detailed records. "Because, one of the worst things I think that could happen to a president is losing touch with what people are going through day to day," said Obama -- a stark contrast with George W. Bush's well-known habit of not reading newspapers or seeking outside information.

NYT: No Portfolio Yet For Biden, But Instead The Role Of Adviser
The New York Times reports that the Obama transition is still working out an exact role for Joe Biden in the administration. "I'm sure that there will be discrete assignments over time," said David Axelrod. "But I think his fundamental role is as a trusted counselor. I think that when Obama selected him, he selected him to be a counselor and an adviser on a broad range of issues."

Lieberman: Obama's Cabinet Picks And Other Decisions "Just About Perfect"
Barack Obama's post-election decisions are getting a thumbs-up from none other than Joe Lieberman. "Everything that President-elect Obama has done since election night has been just about perfect, both in terms of a tone and also in terms of the strength of the names that have either been announced or are being discussed to fill his administration," Lieberman said yesterday during a visit back home to Connecticut.