Obama’s final cabinet choice is also his most progressive. Hilda Solis, the daughter of a Teamsters shop steward has been on the front lines of every big labor battle in Southern California in recent memory and has been very good on immigration, green jobs, and trade. The question is, will she have the president’s ear?

According to Lori Wallach of Global Trade Watch there is the real danger that Obama will be largely influenced by his economic advisers and trade representative Ron Kirk, a former Mayor of Dallas and a recent lobbyist at a corporate law firm representing big energy companies. With a cabinet full of former Clinton insiders--including Rahm Emanuel, a vigorous supporter of NAFTA--it's not clear what Obama's trade and labor policies will be.  

On GRITtv Jonathan Tasini, Executive Director of the Labor Research Association, Mark Brenner, the Director of Labor Notes, Lori Wallach, Director of Public Citizen’s Global Trade Watch, and Christina Vazquez, International Vice President of UNITE HERE! discuss the Solis nomination, the auto industry bailout, and labor’s future. 

Then, an interview with Code Pink co-founder Medea Benjamin who recently spent time in Iran. Will Obama hold to his promise of changing the direction of US policy toward Iran? We also speak to Benjamin about a recent crackdown on the office of an Iranian human rights organization, the Center for Protecting Human Rights, led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin Ebadi. 

Finally, The American News Project on the gaping hole in the bailout bill. As congress asks for the second half of the $700 billion, shouldn't we know what happened to the first half? 

Thanks to Code Pink for video used in tonight's show.