Much has been made of President Barack Obama's assemblage of "a team of rivals†for his first-term cabinet. Political observers compare his choices of Joe Biden for vice president and Hillary Clinton for secretary of state–fierce competitors for the Democratic presidential nomination–as an indication of the same political genius President Abraham Lincoln demonstrated when he selected political opponents to serve in his administration 148 years ago. Grappling with a nation divided by civil war and the issue of slavery, Lincoln wanted access to the country's best minds to help him preserve the Union. He believed he would receive candid, straightforward advice from his critics. It is true that Obama has taken a page from his political hero's book, but his cabinet and White House staff represent so much more. Consider them the Obama Dream Team, a diverse cadre of accomplished, well-educated public servants–many of whom served in the Clinton administration–equipped to take on America's unprecedented economic, national security, and environmental challenges. We offer this snapshot of Obama's White House staff and cabinet-level choices, looking at them through the lens of his policy priorities. (As of press time, a commerce secretary had not yet been chosen.) WHITE HOUSE Name: Joseph Biden Position: Vice President Past Positions: Six-term U.S. senator from Delaware; Democratic presidential candidate Value: One of the nation's influential policy leaders dealing with foreign affairs, terrorism, drug policy, and crime; he will lead a new task force aimed at helping "working families.†Name: Rahm Emanuel Position: Chief of Staff Past Positions: Three-term U.S. Congressman representing Illinois' 5th Congressional District; fourth highest-ranking Democrat in the House; Senior Adviser to President Clinton Value: Nicknamed "Rahmbo†for his aggressive, in-your-face style, Emanuel's ability to get things done and his insider's knowledge of Congress is expected to be a huge asset–especially in getting Obama's economic stimulus plan enacted. Name: Valerie Jarrett Position: Senior Adviser and Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Relations and Public Liaison Past Positions: CEO, The Habitat Co., a Chicago-based real estate development firm; Chairman, Chicago Stock Exchange; Chairman, Chicago Transit Authority Value: A close friend, confidante, and mentor, Jarrett brings years of political skill and business acumen to a post in which she will work closely with state and local government officials. Name: David Axelrod Position: Senior Adviser Past Position: Chief Strategist for Obama's 2008 presidential campaign; Senior Partner, AKP&D Message and Media Value: Considered a keen observer and political genius, this trusted adviser will fiercely protect Obama's image, message, and the integrity of his proposals. Name: Greg Craig Position: White House Counsel Past Position: Partner, Williams & Connolly law firm; Special White House Counsel for President Clinton Value: The only attorney to represent a president (Clinton) as well as a would-be assassin of a president (John Hinkley, who shot Ronald Reagan), this ultimate Washington insider is a foreign policy maven who can nimbly maneuver through a maze of complex legal and political issues. ECONOMIC RECOVERY TEAM Name: Timothy Geithner Position: Secretary of the Treasury Past Positions: President & CEO, Federal Reserve Bank of New York; Undersecretary of the Treasury for International Affairs (Clinton administration) Value: As New York Fed Chief, Geithner has participated in such industry-saving acts as the sale of Bear Stearns to JPMorgan Chase and the multibillion-dollar rescue of AIG. Also, he's an experienced hand at Treasury, having worked for five secretaries. Name: Lawrence H. Summers Position: Director, National Economic Council Past Positions: President, Harvard University; Treasury Secretary (Clinton administration) Value: Known for his fierce intellect, Summers has been a staunch proponent of the use of government spending to jolt the economy and has been at the forefront of the development of Obama's economic stimulus package. Name: Peter R. Orszag Position: White House Budget Director Past Positions: Director of Congressional Budget Office; Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution Value: Orszag has operated the nonpartisan CBO, the agency charged with providing objective analysis and data on economic trends and budgetary issues, and knows the federal budget cold. He comes to his new position with expertise in pensions, taxes, Social Security, homeland security, and health policy. Name: Tom Daschle Position: Secretary of Health & Human Services Past Positions: U.S. Senate Majority Leader Value: A 26-year congressional veteran, this South Dakota politician is expected to apply his passion for healthcare reform as well as his relationships and knowledge of the Senate to gain support for Obama's ambitious programs. Name: Shaun Donovan Position: Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Past Positions: Commissioner, New York Department of Housing Preservation and Development Value: With two decades of experience, Donovan has effectively managed a multibillion-dollar HUD subsidy program during his years with the Clinton administration as well as in New York City's mammoth affordable housing program. Name: Hilda Solis Position: Secretary of Labor Past Positions: Four-term Democratic Representative of California; California State Senator Value: A favorite with organized labor, she has served as a strong advocate for low-wage workers and supported legislation making it easier to unionize workers. A huge plus for the Obama camp is her close relationship with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Name: Ray LaHood Position: Secretary of Transportation Past Positions: Seven-term Republican Congressman from Illinois Value: A centrist Republican, LaHood has spent his career in government dealing with transportation issues, including his participation on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. He shares Obama's philosophy that government spending jump-starts economic growth. Name: Ron Kirk Position: U.S. Trade Representative Past Positions: Mayor of Dallas Value: A free-trade advocate, Kirk fully understands the impact of global partnerships on economic development and job creation. He helped produce 45,000 additional jobs through his involvement in developing the North American Free Trade Agreement. NATIONAL SECURITY TEAM Name: Hillary Rodham Clinton Position: Secretary of State Past Positions: Junior U.S. senator from New York; First Lady of the United States Value: Obama's most tenacious rival for the Democratic nomination, Clinton gained foreign policy bona fides through her involvement on the Senate Armed Services Committee. She reportedly plans to expand the State Department's portfolio of diplomatic activities to include a special focus on economic matters. Name: Robert M. Gates Position: Secretary of Defense Past Positions: Secretary of Defense (Bush administration); CIA Director Value: The first Pentagon Chief to serve two consecutive administrations, Gates has his hand on the pulse of Obama's major national security challenges. In addition to managing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Gates will contend with conflicts with Iran and Russia. Name: Susan Rice Position: U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Past Positions: Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution; Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs (Clinton administration) Value: One of Obama's leading foreign policy advisers during the campaign, Rice offers breadth of experience in foreign policy and the global economy. Hers will be a powerful voice against acts of genocide such as those in the Darfur region of Sudan, among other issues. Name: Janet Napolitano Position: Secretary of Homeland Security Past Positions: Two-term Governor of the state of Arizona; Attorney General of Arizona Value: Lauded as one of the nation's best governors, Napolitano has been a leading advocate for federal protection of the nation's borders. In her new role, she will utilize her leadership skills to overhaul a sprawling agency charged with securing institutions against terrorism and responding to natural and manmade disasters. Name: Eric K. Shinseki Position: Secretary of Veteran Affairs Past Positions: Chief of Staff of the Army Value: In his previous post, this Vietnam War veteran developed revolutionary programs to modernize the Army as well as make soldiers more effective in urban terrain. He presciently advocated an increased deployment of troops in Iraq–a position that led to his public clash with then Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld. Name: James L. Jones Position: National Security Adviser Past Positions: Supreme Allied Commander, Europe Value: Jones possesses a diplomatic management style and a knack for coalition building that served him well as commander of all NATO military forces. During the campaign, it was Jones, a four-star general, who briefed Obama on the status of American and allied involvement in Afghanistan. LAW & EDUCATION Name: Eric Holder Position: Attorney General Past Positions: Partner, Covington & Burling L.L.P.; Deputy Attorney General (Clinton administration) Value: The first African American to serve as the nation's top cop, he's well-versed in the operations of the Justice Department. In his previous role, he focused on healthcare fraud, computer crimes, software piracy, and investigation of high-level federal officials. Name: Arne Duncan Position: Secretary of Education Past Positions: Chief Executive Officer, Chicago Public Schools; Director, Ariel Education Initiative Value: Since 2001, he's overseen the nation's third-largest school system that services more than 400,000 students. Through his consensus-building management style, he's increased state test scores, boosted graduation rates, opened new schools, and built strong relationships with teachers' unions. ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT Name: Steven Chu Position: Secretary of Energy Past Positions: Lab Director, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Value: Chu, who won the Nobel Prize in physics in 1997, built a solid reputation for the management of research teams on climate change, advanced biofuels, solar power, and energy efficiency. To develop and fund such projects, he created successful public-private partnerships. Name: Ken Salazar Position: Secretary of the Interior Past Positions: Democratic senator from Colorado; Colorado Attorney General Value: Cited for his political pragmatism, Salazar will seek to strike a balance between focusing on the preservation of public land and endangered species and the creation of new energy sources and climate change. Name: Tom Vilsack Position: Secretary of Agriculture Past Positions: Two-term Governor of Iowa Value: Another candidate for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination, Vilsack is an expert in agriculture policy. He believes rural America can undergo an industrial and economic transformation through the discovery of renewable energy sources, and he will use his political capital to make it happen. Name: Lisa P. Jackson Position: Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency Past Positions: Commissioner, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Value: In her previous role, the former chemical engineer was an activist regulator that developed a program to reduce carbon emissions as well as ordered compliance investigations to stop polluters from ravaging urban hubs.