PRESIDENT OBAMA 'S FIRST POST ELECTION NEWS CONFERENCE............

Holding his first formal news conference since being re-elected November 6th, the first one in eight months, and the 20th news conference of his Presidency, POTUS 44, took questions about the resignation of General David Petraeus, as C.I.A. Director and the unfolding circumstances swirling around it; and the Fiscal Cliff, and his plan for resolving it, working with the House and the Senate; within the hour.  President Obama also spiritedly defended United Nations Ambassador Susan Rice, thought to be his frontleading choice to be the Secretary of State in the second term of his Asministration, taking on the concerted opposition of U.S. Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham, by name during the hour long questions and answers session.  During the news conference the President came across as willing to work with both Republicans and Democrats in finding compromise solutions to the nation's urgent matters, while being more forceful and assertive in stating what he will or will not accept in addressing the Fiscal Cliff crises and what may become his nomination of Ambassador Rice for the leadership of the State Department.  Senators Graham and McCain specifically fired back during and just after the President's news conference, in what is now likely to be a hard fought fight, should President Obama nominate Rice to become the successor to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton............Fr.  Troy