'Meet the Press' transcript for Dec. 7, 2008

MR. BROKAW:  You still have some appointments to make coming up, and there's also a good deal of consideration here in Illinois about who will replace you in the Senate.  But in New York this weekend the big buzz is Caroline Kennedy in the United States Senate, perhaps as the appointment to fill the seat that Hillary Clinton is expected to vacate if she gets confirmed as secretary of state.

PRES.-ELECT OBAMA:  And?

MR. BROKAW:  Is that a good idea?

PRES.-ELECT OBAMA:  Well, let me tell you this.  Caroline Kennedy has become one of my dearest friends and is just a, a wonderful American, a wonderful person.  But the last thing I want to do is get involved in New York politics. I've got enough trouble in terms of Illinois politics.  But just in terms of our appointments, I am very proud of the speed with which we have started to put together our core economic team, our national security team, but also the excellence of the candidates.  And I, I think that it's an indication of part of the change I was talking about during the campaign, an emphasis on competence, an emphasis on people who are nonideological and pragmatic and just want to do business.

You know, tomorrow, you had mentioned earlier, is when we commemorate Pearl Harbor, and so I'm going to be making announcement tomorrow about the head of our Veterans Administration, General Eric Shinseki, who was a commander and has fought in Vietnam, Bosnia, is, is somebody who has achieved the highest level of military service.  He has agreed that he is willing to be part of this administration because both he and I share a reverence for those who serve.  I grew up in Hawaii, as he did.  My grandfather is in the Punchbowl National Cemetery.  When I reflect on the sacrifices that have been made by our veterans and I think about how so many veterans around the country are struggling, even more than those who have not served--higher unemployment rates, higher homeless rates, higher substance abuse rates, medical care that is inadequate--it breaks my heart.  And I think that General Shinseki is exactly the right person who's going to be able to make sure that we honor our troops when they come home.

MR. BROKAW:  He's the man who lost his job in the Bush administration because he said that we would need more troops in Iraq than Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld thought that we would need at that time.

PRES.-ELECT OBAMA:  He was right.

MR. BROKAW:  And General Shinseki was right.

Let me ask you as we conclude this program this morning about whether you and Michelle have had any discussions about the impact that you're going to have on this country in other ways besides international and domestic policies. You're going to have a huge impact, culturally, in terms of the tone of the country.

PRES.-ELECT OBAMA:  Right.

MR. BROKAW:  Who are the kinds of artists that you would like to bring to the White House?

PRES.-ELECT OBAMA:  Oh, well, you know, we have thought about this because part of what we want to do is to open up the White House and, and remind people this is, this is the people's house.  There is an incredible bully pulpit to be used when it comes to, for example, education.  Yes, we're going to have an education policy.  Yes, we're going to be putting more money into school construction.  But, ultimately, we want to talk about parents reading to their kids.  We want to invite kids from local schools into the White House.  When it comes to science, elevating science once again, and having lectures in the White House where people are talking about traveling to the stars or breaking down atoms, inspiring our youth to get a sense of what discovery is all about.  Thinking about the diversity of our culture and, and inviting jazz musicians and classical musicians and poetry readings in the White House so that, once again, we appreciate this incredible tapestry that's America.  I--you know, that, I think, is, is going to be incredibly important, particularly because we're going through hard times.  And, historically, what has always brought us through hard times is that national character, that sense of optimism, that willingness to look forward, that, that sense that better days are ahead.  I think that our art and our culture, our science, you know, that's the essence of what makes America special, and, and we want to project that as much as possible in the White House.

MR. BROKAW:  Finally, Mr. President-elect, the White House is a no-smoking zone, and when you were asked about this recently by Barbara Walters, I read it very carefully, you ducked.  Have you stopped smoking?

PRES.-ELECT OBAMA:  You know, I have, but what I said was that, you know, there are times where I've fallen off the wagon.  Well...

MR. BROKAW:  Well, wait a minute.

PRES.-ELECT OBAMA:  ...what can I tell...

MR. BROKAW:  Then that means you haven't stopped.

PRES.-ELECT OBAMA:  Well, the--fair enough.  What I would say is, is that I have done a terrific job under the circumstances of making myself much healthier, and I think that you will not see any violations of these rules in the White House.

MR. BROKAW:  Mr. President-elect, thank you very much for being with us today.

PRES.-ELECT OBAMA:  Thank you.  I really enjoyed it.

MR. BROKAW:  And I know that I speak not just for MEET THE PRESS, but for all of America when I saw we wish you only the very best.

PRES.-ELECT OBAMA:  Well, Tom, thank you and congratulations on doing such a great job on this show.

MR. BROKAW:  Well, these were circumstances none of us, none of us wanted to have, but Tim remains with us in a lot of ways, as you know.

PRES.-ELECT OBAMA:  He does.

MR. BROKAW:  Thanks for being with us.

And after that discussion about the future of this country, in a moment, the future of MEET THE PRESS.

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