Guest blogger Ronda Kaysen: Last night Americans handed Barack Obama the reigns of a country in deep turmoil. Not since Franklin Delano Roosevelt was elected in the darkest days of the Great Depression has a president taken the helm at such a perilous juncture in our history. There will be little time for Obama to bask in the glory of his historic victory. Instead, he will spend the coming days making decisions that will shape his presidency before he even takes his seat in the Oval Office.

Although he doesn't get the keys to the White House until January 20, his team is already preparing its administration. Ready yourself for some major announcements. Here's a sample of what's to come:

The Transition Team. Expect an announcement today of Obama's transition team. The three co-leaders will include John Podesta, Clinton's former chief of staff, Valerie Jarrett, an Obama adviser, and Pete Rouse, who's been Obama's chief of staff in the Senate. The team will vet cabinet members and ready the Obama team for the road ahead.

First Appointees. This morning, Obama asked Rep. Rahm Emanuel of Illinois to be his chief of staff. Emanuel was a Clinton aide and is a close friend to Obama. Known for his sharp elbows and even sharper tongue, Emanuel has had his eye on Nancy Pelosi's job for a long time. He hasn't accepted the offer yet, says ABC News and some wonder if his acerbic style won't mix with Obama's cautious demeanor. There might also be an Obama press before the end of the week to announce other top White House appointees. Obama's chief strategist, David Axelrod, will likely have a place in the new administration.

Cabinet Picks. Wall Street is holding its breath for Obama's Treasury Secretary pick. Jon Corzine, the Governor of New Jersey and a former Wall Street executive, is on the shortlist and being "actively vetted" for the job. Lawrence Sumners, who had the job under Clinton, and Timothy Geithner, president of the New York Federal Reserve, have also been mentioned as possible Treasury picks. The announcement could come as soon as Thanksgiving. Also expect a Secretary of State pick before the end of the month.

Congressional Shakeups. The Republican bloodletting has begun. The first casualty is Adam Putnam of Florida. The Republican Conference Chairman announced he would step down from his post Jeb Hensarling, the conservative representative from Texas, is jockeying for the position. If he gets the green light from his party, it will signal a move further to the right by the Republicans. You could hear an announcement from Minority Leader John Boehner as early as today about his own fate. And it's not clear how Minority Whip Roy Blunt will fare in the shakeup. So far Democrats have been mum about any changes in their leadership. They're still busy counting all their new seats.