Senior International Monetary Fund economist Olivier Blanchard endorsed (WSJ) President-elect Barack Obama’s economic stimulus plan, saying the size of the program “corresponds roughly to what we think is needed.”

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) expressed skepticism (Politico) over the stimulus package on Monday. McConnell said the bill should not be passed without “appropriate hearings to scrutinize how tax dollars are being spent.”

President-elect Barack Obama spoke with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice by phone Sunday to discuss the situation in Gaza (CNN).

Politico and the Wall Street Journal consider the potential impact of Israel’s strikes in Gaza on Obama’s plan for Middle East peace.

President-elect Barack Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden announced the nomination of several additional members of their national security team on Tuesday. Former Clinton administration officials James Steinberg and Jacob Lew are Obama’s picks to serve as deputy secretaries of state under Hillary Clinton. Thomas Donilon is the nominee for deputy national security adviser, and Antony “Tony” Blinken is the nominee for national security adviser to Biden.

STIMULUS: Biden emphasized on Tuesday that the incoming Obama administration’s planned economic stimulus package will not include earmarks (WSJ).

Former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk is reportedly President-elect Barack Obama’s choice for U.S. Trade Representative (AP). Kirk is currently a partner at Houston law and lobbying firm Vinson and Elkins.

INTELLIGENCE: Obama has selected retired Navy Adm. Dennis Blair (WashPost) for his administration’s director of national intelligence, according to congressional officials. Blair is former commander of the U.S. Pacific Command.

President-elect Barack Obama announced his nomination of Rep. Ray LaHood (R-IL) to the post of transportation secretary on Friday at a Chicago press conference. LaHood, who has represented Illinois’ 18th congressional district since 1995, is the first Arab-American to be chosen for a seat in Obama’s cabinet.

LaHood discussed his views on energy security and other foreign policy issues with CFR.org at the Republican National Convention in September 2008:

“I think the American people are going to require Congress in a bipartisan way to solve this energy thing and it’s not just going to be drilling. It’s going to be getting the car manufacturers to make higher mileage cars, and to think outside of the box about the kind of cars we drive today and the kind of trucks we drive today. It’s solar, it’s nuclear, it’s wind, it’s a combination of all kinds of things that in a comprehensive way really looks at this problem that we have and right now the American people are telling every member of Congress ‘you all need to do something to help us.’ Drilling is just one aspect of it. We need a real comprehensive long-term approach to our energy. We’re hooked on oil and almost all of our oil comes from somewhere else.”

Click here to read more excerpts from CFR.org’s interview with LaHood.