The O List: 30 power-brokers in Obama’s Washington

The New Republic has put together a compelling list of the 30 most influential individuals as Barack Obama begins assembling his administration. Many of them are obvious and already selecting office furniture for their new perches (Rahmbo, David Axelrod), but others are largely unknown to the general public (James Steinberg, Dean of the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs). The list of power-brokers is a mix of Chicagoland (and Harvard Law) loyalists, Clinton administration retreads and Congressional insiders. One interesting inclusion, Nicolas Sarkozy:

24. Nicolas Sarkozy
President, France
Sarkozy’s chief ambition is to make France powerful again. And he’s found l’Américain to partner with. After Sarko’s rapturous meeting with Obama in July (“You must want a cigarette after that,” Maureen Dowd teased Obama), Mr. Pro-America became even more pro-Obama. (Key bonding point: They are both sons of immigrants who busted ethnic monopolies on power.) Sarkozy is poised to be to Obama as Blair was to Clinton and Bush–the first foreign leader consulted in an international crisis, the honored guest at the most lavish state dinners. One potential hitch: According to Haaretz, Sarko doesn’t especially like Obama’s plans for sitting down with Tehran.