Clinton names White House transition team

Washington (AFP) - Hillary Clinton on Tuesday announced the formation of a transition team to handle the transfer of power at the White House if the Democratic candidate is elected to succeed President Barack Obama.

Ken Salazar, a former secretary of the interior and Colorado senator, will head the team as part of the traditional preparations ahead of the November 8 elections, her campaign said.

"Once Hillary Clinton makes history by being elected as the nation's first woman president, we want to have a turnkey operation in place so she can hit the ground running right away," Salazar said in a statement.

Republican candidate Donald Trump named New Jersey Governor Chris Christie in May to head his transition team.

The transition teams have been funded by the federal government since 2010, enabling them to set up office space in Washington and operate as not-for-profit organizations.

Besides Salazar, Clinton's team includes former Obama national security adviser Tom Donilon; Neera Tanden, a longtime Clinton adviser who heads the liberal Center for American Progress; former Michigan governor Jennifer Granholm; and Maggie Williams, director of Harvard's Institute of Politics and a former Clinton campaign manager.