Former Obama adviser defends Trump on Cabinet selection process

David Axelrod, former chief strategist for President Barack Obama's 2008 and 2012 campaigns, defended the Republican president-elect Thursday as Donald Trump works to select his Cabinet officials.

“Lots of reasons to be concerned about [Trump’s] transition but the pace of announcements isn’t one of them,” Axelrod said on Twitter Thursday. “That’s not a fair shot.”

And in response to a critic on the social media site, Axelrod contended that the Obama administration had not “made any major appointments at this point in 2008.”

“I don’t remember being criticized for it,” he remarked.

Two Trump aides declined to speculate on a timeline for the Cabinet recommendations during a call with reporters earlier Thursday.

“There is no arbitrary time table,” Jason Miller said. “It’s about getting it right.”

Vice President Joe Biden, too, defended Trump’s lack of a ready-to-go administration on Wednesday after he met with Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, the man who will take over his job come January.

“No administration is ready on day one. We weren’t ready on day one,” Biden said. “But I’m confident on day one everything will be in good hands.”

Trump has met with several lawmakers and political insiders already with regard to his administration and will continue to do so in the coming days. He is expected to have a lengthy meeting with his transition team Friday.

Trump has maintained that things have been going “so smoothly” in his transition team despite reports of discord and firings.