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U.S. President-elect Barack Obama added more Clinton-era heavyweights to his cabinet today and asked the Defense Secretary Robert Gates to stay on.

As expected, Mr. Obama named former first lady Hillary Clinton as his secretary of state, making his former rival the point person as he attempts to rebuild America's tarnished reputation abroad. Former president Bill Clinton cleared the way for his wife's first-executive job by agreeing to disclose the names of donors who have poured tens of millions into his foundation.

Mr. Obama called Ms. Clinton "a friend, a colleague, a source of counsel, and a tough campaign opponent," adding that she was "an American of tremendous stature" and the right person to lead the State Department.

Ms. Clinton, more hawkish than Mr. Obama and a backer of the Iraq war, will need to curb her foreign policy impulses as she becomes American's top diplomat.

The next president, who won't be sworn in until Jan 20, said he was "pleased to announce our national security team."

Along with Mr. Gates and Ms. Clinton, the president-elect also named several key players to non-Cabinet national security posts.

Susan Rice, a key foreign police adviser to Mr. Obama will be the next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

Retired U.S. Marine Gen. James Jones will be the Mr. Obama's national security adviser.

"Jim is focused on the threats of today as well as the future," Mr. Obama said.

Mr. Obama also announced that Washington lawyer Eric Holder, another Clinton appointee, would be the next attorney general.

Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano was picked as homeland security secretary.

Yesterday's announcements mean that Mr. Obama has assembled nearly half of the 15-member cabinet less than a month after winning the Nov 4 election.