Americans Like Clinton and Gates in Cabinet

The vast majority of Americans approve of President-elect Barack Obama’s decision to include Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Robert Gates in his Cabinet, according to a new Gallup poll.

The choice of Clinton as secretary of State received the approval of 69 percent of Americans and the disapproval of just 25 percent. The decision to keep Gates as Defense secretary was approved by four-fifths of Americans. Just 14 percent disapproved of it.

Most Americans — 78 percent — also approve of the way Obama is handling the presidential transition. Those approving of the transition include most Republicans. Just 13 percent of Americans said they disapproved of the transition.