Cheneys to show Bidens their new digs

Three days after the Obamas toured their new digs, the Bidens will get to see theirs today.

Joe and Jill Biden are set to have a private meeting and tour of the Naval Observatory, the official vice presidential residence, at the invitation of Vice President Dick Cheney and his wife, Lynne.

President-elect Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, went to the White House on Monday, a visit that appeared to go smoothly. While Obama harshly criticized President Bush's policies, he was careful not to attack him personally.

Biden's meeting with Cheney could be more awkward. Biden was more personally critical of Cheney, at one point calling him "the most dangerous vice president probably in American history" for expanding his powers, particularly in the war on terror.

GLOBE STAFF

Declaring that there's one president at a time, President-elect Barack Obama isn't attending this weekend's major economic summit, to avoid sending mixed messages to foreign leaders.

But his office announced yesterday that he will send two emissaries who will be available to meet unofficially with delegations at the G-20 summit.

One is Jim Leach, a Republican who represented Iowa for 30 years in Congress, served on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and was chairman of the Banking and Financial Services Committee. The other is Madeleine Albright, who served as secretary of state and ambassador to the United Nations during the Clinton administration.

In a statement, Obama senior foreign policy adviser Denis McDonough described the two emissaries as "an experienced and bipartisan team" who can "meet with and listen to our friends and allies" on Obama's behalf.

GLOBE STAFF

President-elect Barack Obama's office confirmed yesterday that former senator Sam Nunn will help the transition at the Pentagon but disputed a report that Warren Christopher, a secretary of state during the Clinton administration, would play a similar role at Foggy Bottom.

Nunn, a Georgia Democrat who chaired the Senate Armed Services Committee, is a dean of the party on defense issues and was reportedly on Obama's list of potential vice presidents. Christopher has been criticized for what some regard as dovish views.

"Senator Sam Nunn will play an informal senior adviser role throughout the defense transition process. His expertise and the respect he has earned will be invaluable to ensure a smooth transition," said Obama spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter, who said that while Christopher is "deeply respected in the United States and throughout the international community," he "is not playing a role in the transition process."

GLOBE STAFF

WASHINGTON - People want the tax cuts promised during the presidential campaign, but they may be willing to wait while President-elect Barack Obama takes on the larger issue of fixing the economy.

Only 36 percent said trimming income taxes should be a top priority when the new president takes office in January, according to a new Associated Press-GfK poll. That was less than half the 84 percent who cited improving the economy as a number one goal, and the 80 percent who said creating jobs should be a paramount task.

Even fewer of those surveyed - 29 percent - said another top priority should be Obama's plan to allow tax cuts to expire for families earning more than $250,000 a year. He has said he would use the revenue that would raise to help finance some of his priorities.

Amid such talk, 72 percent in the AP-GfK poll voiced confidence Obama will make the changes needed to revive the stalling economy.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON - The national Republican Party wants to make it easier to raise and spend political money and plans to sue the Federal Election Commission to alter a six-year-old law written by John McCain, the defeated Republican presidential candidate.

Robert M. "Mike" Duncan, chairman of the Republican National Committee, said yesterday that he wants the courts to eliminate restrictions on coordinated spending by national parties and federal candidates and to permit the national organizations to raise money for state parties. Duncan said he planned to file suits today in federal courts in Washington, D.C., and in Louisiana. His goal, he said, was to "bring a more level playing field to campaign finance."

The lawsuits challenge the anti-soft money law that McCain championed in 2002, among other restrictions.

ASSOCIATED PRESS