Chicago, Clinton camps feed Obama's team

Emanuel's challenges
The task of coordinating all these efforts and bringing structure to the West Wing will fall largely to Emanuel, the fiercely competitive and sharp-tongued Chicagoan who is giving up his House leadership post to work for Obama. He is well-positioned to bridge the Obama and Clinton camps.

Emanuel made his political reputation as a brash young adviser to President Clinton. But his Chicago roots give him close ties to Obama and associates such as Axelrod and Jarrett.

One of Emanuel's biggest challenges will be regulating access to Obama and keeping him from being unduly distracted by well-meaning aides focused on their particular set of problems and ideas. Some people close to Obama think that Axelrod, Rouse, Jarrett, Gibbs and perhaps others will expect to have "walk-in" privileges at the Oval Office, meaning that at almost any time they can insist on seeing the man they have called "Barack" for years.

Such easy access has plagued past presidents, and Washington insiders will watch closely to see where Obama draws the line, even if it means bruising old friends' egos.

Jennifer Palmieri, a spokeswoman in the Clinton White House, said the West Wing's cramped quarters and urgent business can lead to "a situation where the day becomes one rolling meeting that starts in the chief of staff's office and spills into the Oval Office."

The chief of staff must cope with huge amounts of chaos, tension and demands to insulate the president from all but the must important issues before him, she said.

Setting 'access rules'
Aides such as Axelrod and Gibbs probably will be able to see Obama on short notice without seeking Emanuel's permission, Palmieri said, but they certainly would inform Emanuel of their visit and its purpose.

"You have to establish access rules to the Oval Office up front," she said. Emanuel should be able to impose such discipline, she said, because "he's tough and direct with everyone, so no one has to take it personally."

Most presidents and their staffs need some time to find the right balance.

Bill Clinton brought to Washington several Arkansas associates, including boyhood friend Mack McLarty, his first White House chief of staff. McLarty had trouble imposing discipline on West Wing operations and was soon replaced by the no-nonsense Leon Panetta, Clinton's budget director and a former California congressman.

Virtually every new president surrounds himself with people he has known for years, even if they know little about the White House, Congress and the sometimes sharp-clawed worlds of Washington lobbyists and journalists. They adjust at varying rates.

President Jimmy Carter brought a cadre of aides from Georgia, including press secretary Jody Powell and key adviser Hamilton Jordan. They struggled at times to cope with the flood of problems and demands pouring in, and Carter famously spent time deciding who could use the White House tennis courts.

The current president was somewhat more successful with top aides who came with him from Texas. Karl Rove was his top political adviser for almost his entire presidency and masterminded Bush's 2004 re-election. Karen Hughes was Bush's communications and image guru in the first term.

Palmieri says the most successful administrations "have found an equilibrium between having staffs that are close to the president — that he feels comfortable with and are looking out for his best interests — with the experienced hands that can guide the ship."

So far, she said, Obama seems to be following that blueprint.

More from msnbc.com WorldBlog: What's a stake in Copenhagen? What do you remember? Take our weekly quiz ‘Three Cups of Tea’ advice for Obama What's at stake in Copenhagen? Will nuclear fusion fade ... or finally flare? World Cup or world stage? N. Korea on display On Twitter: Breaking news updates | Weird and wild

MORE FROM THE WHITE HOUSE

The White House Section Front

NYT: Turning point for surge decision With U.S. at war, Obama honored for peace Obama talks of jobs plan in weekly address Unexpected drop in jobless rate fuels optimism NYT: Wider Pakistan drone use OK'd Obama sees some consensus at job summit Obama shifts date of climate summit visit Obama's stylish aide under withering scrutiny Secret Service benches 3 over party crashing Congress worries over Obama's Pakistan plan The White House Section Front   Add The White House headlines to your news reader: