FACTBOX: Obama's cabinet begins to take shape

(Reuters) - President-elect Barack Obama's cabinet is beginning to take shape.

While certain key positions -- notably Treasury secretary -- remain open races, names have emerged for a number of important jobs.

Here are people Obama has reportedly chosen or is considering for Cabinet posts. Most remain subject to vetting and all must be confirmed by the Senate before taking office.

CONFIRMED APPOINTMENTS

SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

* Tom Daschle, a key early supporter and savvy former U.S. Senate leader, was selected by Obama as secretary of health and human services, according to Democratic sources. In that role, he will be the top official spearheading Obama's effort to overhaul the U.S. healthcare system. The high-profile pick signals that the push to extend health coverage to the 46 million uninsured Americans be a high priority for Obama.

LEADING CANDIDATES

SECRETARY OF STATE

* Hillary Clinton, the New York senator and Obama's former rival for the White House, is on track to be named secretary of state. Obama is said to be intrigued by the idea of creating a "team of rivals" in his government that would be modeled after that former President Abraham Lincoln.

One possible obstacle has been the post-White House work of Clinton's husband, former President Bill Clinton. He is said to be trying to address questions about whether his global philanthropic and business activities would create conflicts of interest if his wife got the job.

A Democratic source said the former first lady was on track to get the job and that financial disclosure issues had been ironed out.

* If no deal is reached, other possible candidates are believed to include New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, the 2004 Democratic presidential nominee.

NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER

* Retired Marine Gen. James Jones, the former top operational commander of NATO, is a leading contender for White House national security adviser.

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

He is known to have been a strong critic of the Bush administration's handling of the Iraq war and is quoted as describing the war as a "debacle," in Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward's 2006 book "State of Denial."