Mark Halperin’s Three Things

Mark Halperin's three things to watch for in presidential politics for Monday, November 24.

1. Watch Barack Obama’s press conference in Chicago at noon ET where he will announce his economic team. Watch the president-elect’s style and substance, what kind of tone he tries to set and what kind of signals he tries to send to the country, the world and the markets. He hasn’t spoken much at this kind of event since Election Day.

2. Watch the reaction to the economic team. So far, the feedback has been very positive from the right and the center, but less so from the left. Watch to see what kind of message the transition team tries to send about these nominees and appointments. Also watch what the team says about the selections in order to smooth their way toward successful confirmation and reception.

3. Watch the real-world economy. The $20 billion rescue of Citigroup is dominating the news, a potential bailout for the Big Three automakers is still on the burner and lots more is going on in the economic world. Watch the markets and how the Bush administration deals with this dominant factor during the transition period. President Bush is meeting with Treasury Secretary Paulson this morning and is expected to speak on the economy afterwards. Watch what he says.