Following his inauguration , Obama and the Senate worked to confirm his nominees to the United States Cabinet . Three Cabinet-level officers did not require confirmation : Vice President Joe Biden , who Obama had chosen as his running mate at the 2008 Democratic National Convention , Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel , and Defense Secretary Robert Gates , who Obama chose to retain from the previous administration . An early list of suggestions came from Michael Froman , then an executive at Citigroup . Obama described his Cabinet choices as a " team of rivals , " and Obama chose several prominent public officials for Cabinet positions , including former Democratic primary rival Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State . Obama nominated several former Clinton administration officials to the Cabinet and to other positions . On April 28 , 2009 , the Senate confirmed former Kansas governor Kathleen Sebelius as Secretary of Health and Human Services , completing Obama 's initial Cabinet . During Obama 's presidency , four Republicans served in Obama 's Cabinet : Ray Lahood as Secretary of Transportation , Robert McDonald as Secretary of Veteran 's Affairs , and Gates and Chuck Hagel as Secretaries of Defense
2008 Democratic National Convention
2008 Democratic National Convention
Presidency of Barack Obama