Obama announces congressional liaisons

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama announced his campaign’s congressional liaison team Monday.

The lawmakers will help the Illinois senator include congressional Democrats in the campaign's messaging.

{mosads}The Obama Congressional Liaison Team “will serve as the primary contact for the individual senators and House members and will ensure that the member of Congress’s counsel is considered in overall message strategy, campaign planning and execution,” according to a release.

Phil Schiliro, Rep. Henry Waxman’s (D-Calif.) chief of staff and a former aide to ex-Sen. Tom Daschle (D-S.D.), will serve as the team’s senior adviser. Mike Strautmanis, who has worked in the counsel’s office both on Obama’s campaign and in his Senate office, will be senior counsel. And Michael Robertson, another aide in Obama’s Senate office, will work as director of congressional affairs.

“Americans cannot afford four more years of President Bush’s policies and our new team in Washington will help us to stay in contact with members of Congress who know all too well how the divisive politics of the past have impeded progress on measures to move our country in a new direction,” David Plouffe, Obama’s campaign manager, said.