He can. Here's how...it's a stretch but it's a way of polictically gerrymandering this issue to get the 60 seats.
1st President elect Obama selects a few republicans holding US Senate seats to his cabinent, making sure those senators are from states that have democratic governors.
Plus for President elect Obama, public relations coup, gives the apearance of a bipartisan executive department.
Next: The democrat governors appoint a democrat to the now vacated senate seat.
Plus for President elect Obama, gives the Democratic Party (and presumely the President elect) the necessary 60 seats to block a filibuster.
All perfectly legitimate.