The new stars of Obama's West Wing

Forget CJ Cregg and Toby Ziegler. The new President's inner circle is infinitely more compelling than the cast of the hitTV show. Guy Adams introduces them

Pete Rousem, Senior Adviser

Rouse was Obama's chief of staff in the Senate, and co-chaired his transition team. He is a 30-year veteran of Capitol Hill and boasts impeccable contacts in Congress, together with a proven ability to pull the levers of government.

Joe Biden, Vice-President

Biden worked tirelessly to deliver the white-collar vote during the election campaign. Since then, however, he has seemed to drop off the radar amid rumours that he's been deliberately sidelined.

Jackie Norris, Michelle Obama's Chief of Staff

The First Lady's gatekeeper is a former high-school teacher from Iowa with a reputation for not suffering fools gladly, and a long record as an activist in local Democratic circles. She worked previously as a scheduler for Al Gore.

Patrick Gaspard, Political Affairs Director

Since you wouldn't find a former trade-unionist within a country mile of the Bush White House, Gaspard's appointment may demonstrate how far things have come. During the campaign, the Haitian-American was Obama's national political director. His duties will include keeping the unions onside.

Jim Messina, Deputy White House Chief of Staff

A former chief of staff to Max Baucus, a Democratic Montana Senator with a bi-partisan reputation, his appointment is a sop to Republicans – in the presence of Rahm Emanuel as chief of staff, the Grand Old Party needs at least one person in the White House with whom they can do business.

Cass Sunstein, Information and Regulatory Affairs Administrator

This formidably brainy, liberal-leaning former Harvard law professor is Obama's regulatory tsar. He wrote the book 'Nudge', explaining how government can "nudge" people into making the right decisions on healthcare, private life and finances. He and his wife Samantha Power make up another power couple.

Robert Gibbs, Press Secretary

The Alastair Campbell of the office, Gibbs is a notoriously temperamental former John Kerry spokesman who has worked for Obama since 2004. He is normally the last person to speak to Obama before he heads on-stage. He combines motivational duties with advice on politics, strategy and messaging. Gibbs has spent more time at Obama's side than any other aide.

Daniel Pfeiffer, Deputy Communications Director

Combines extensive media contacts with a 31-year-old's grasp of Facebook, Twitter and other newfangled means of communicating. Pfeiffer worked on the Obama campaign from the early days. His wife, Sarah Feinberg, is an aide to Rahm Emanuel, making them one of the new White House's power couples.

Ellen Moran, Communications Director

You don't mess with Ellen Moran, a Hillary Clinton ally who until recently was executive director of Emily's List, an organisation campaigning to advance the careers of left-leaning, pro-abortion, female politicians. She has managed electoral communications for a string of Democrats and is a veteran of various liberal campaigns.

Mona Sutphen, Deputy White House Chief of Staff

Sutphen worked in the US Foreign Service during the 1990s, where she caught Bill Clinton's eye and was appointed to the National Security Council. In recent years, she has been working as a business consultant in Washington.

Gregory Craig, White House Counsel

A veteran and left-leaning Washington lawyer who defended Bill Clinton during his impeachment hearings, Craig also has close ties at the United Nations and served as a foreign policy adviser during the election campaign.

Desirée Rogers, White House Social Secretary

Rogers, a prominent Chicago socialite, is well qualified to handle the avalanche of invitations in the President's in-tray. She has had a long career in business and public relations, networking her way to the helm of the Illinois State Lottery, together with a slew of public utility firms. She is a family friend of the Obamas.

John Podesta, Adviser

Podesta, a veteran policy wonk, served in the Clinton White House as an adviser before rising to chief of staff. He hails from Chicago, and in recent years has run the Center for American Progress, a think-tank that espouses his old-school liberal views. In November, he was appointed head of Obama's transition team, a job he's carried out impeccably.