The US President-elect Barack Obama's made Thursday the first major appointment in the new administration of the country after Rahm Emanuel accepted the offer to be White House chief of staff, CNN reported.

The step received mixed reaction from Democrats and Republicans.

The Office of the Chief of Staff oversees and coordinates activities and communication among various departments of the administration. It is considered one of the top positions in Washington.

Some party leaders hailed Obama's pick, but others expressed concern that Emanuel would widen Washington's partisan divide.

In his statement accepting the position, Emanuel directly addressed Republicans who might have concerns with his appointment.

"We often disagree, but I respect their motives. Now is a time for unity, and Mr. President-elect, I will do everything in my power to help you stitch together the frayed fabric of our politics and help summon Americans of both parties to unite in common purpose," he said.

The Chicago politician was elected to the House in 2002 and is the fourth highest-ranking member of the chamber's Democratic leadership. He worked on President Clinton's first presidential campaign and served as a White House adviser to Clinton.

Emanuel choked up as he said how glad he is his parents are alive to see him become chief of staff for the first African-American president.

At a news conference Friday, Obama is expected to take questions and talk about his first steps as president-elect.

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