Obama considers retired general for foreign policy post

By Caren Bohan and Jeff Mason

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Retired Marine Gen. James Jones emerged as a leading contender for White House national security adviser as President-elect Barack Obama worked on Thursday to assemble his foreign policy team.

New York Democratic Sen. Hillary Clinton was on track to be named secretary of state, but a Democratic official said Obama was not planning to announce his foreign policy team until after Thanksgiving on Nov. 27.

Clinton moved closer to taking the job of top U.S. diplomat after her husband, former President Bill Clinton, offered to allow ethics reviews of future business and charitable activities.

The Obama team had been concerned that some of the former president's globe-trotting activities, such as his philanthropy and paid speeches might pose a conflict of interest should his wife become secretary of state.

But financial disclosure issues have been ironed out, the Democratic official said.

Democratic sources said Jones, the former top operational commander of NATO, was in the running for the job of national security adviser along with James Steinberg, who was deputy national security adviser in Bill Clinton's administration.

An ABC News report said Jones was Obama's preferred candidate and the president-elect valued in particular his more-than four decades of military experience.

Jones is widely respected by both Democrats and Republicans but has avoided aligning himself with either party.