Congressional leaders and outgoing Bush administration officials promised to cooperate as President-elect Bill Clinton began the 10-week process of building a new government yesterday.

At Harvard and around the country, speculation mounted over Clinton's choices for the first Democratic executive administration in 12 years.

Clinton took a short walk with his wife Hillary in Little Rock, Ark., yesterday. Afterward, he told reporters he was "happy, exhausted, thinking of all the work to be done."

In the short term, Clinton said his plans include "taking a nap," but his long-range agenda holds more formidable tasks.

Clinton arranged a meeting later this week with the leaders of a transition team.

"The message is we're ready to get to work, ready to work on the mandate the people offered yesterday, the mandate of economic change," said campaign spokesperson George Stephanopoulos.

And work crews began readying Washingtonoffices for Clinton's planners, installingtelephones and spackling walls in a governmentbuilding just a few blocks from the White House.

Among the team's most important tasks will befilling the top appointments in the newadministration. Several Kennedy School ofGovernment scholars are rumored to be underconsideration.

Sources have named Lecturer in Public PolicyRobert B. Reich and Professor of Public PolicyDavid T. Ellwood as two of the top Clintonprospects.

Reich, who was Clinton's Oxford roommate whilethe two were Rhodes scholars, has advised theDemocrat on economic issues throughout thecampaign. Many consider him a leading candidatefor Secretary of the Treasury.

Ellwood has publicly supported Clinton duringthe campaign, and would likely be considered for apolicy advisory role.

Most congressional leaders spent the dayspouting generalities, promising better relationswith Clinton than they had under President Bush.

"I think there will be a very positive andcooperative spirit and attitude," Senate MajorityLeader George J. Mitchell said on ABC's "GoodMorning America."

The final tally gave Clinton 32 states and theDistrict of Columbia, totaling 370 electoralvotes. Bush took 18 states for 168 electoralvotes. Clinton garnered 43 percent of the popularvote, Bush 38 percent and Perot 19 percent.

This article was compiled with wiredispatches.