Official: Obama asks Gates to stay at Pentagon
President-elect Barack Obama will keep Defense Secretary Robert Gates in that job for at least a year, according to an official familiar the two men’s discussions.
Obama is expected to announce the selection of Gates and other members of a national security brain trust next week. Gates has served as President George W. Bush’s defense chief for two years.
Gates, a moderate with long-standing ties to Republican administrations and the Bush family, would fulfill an Obama pledge to include a Republican in his Cabinet.
Smart in its own right, what with one victory to be consolidated and another remaining to be won. It’ll also privately fash all the right people, the folks one degree removed from the stilt-puppet set – previously so committed to Change! – especially when it comes to foreign policy. Many of whom will doubtless wave this all away as a cost of doing business. But not all of them, no. Not all.
The more things Change, yah?
No change perhaps but lots of hopietude! Notice how we just got used to the idea of trillion $ deficits?
“Who’s this ‘we’?” – Trillion-dollar deficits (indeed, Multi-trillion-dollar deficits) owed by the US Government have been around for decades. No “just got used to” there.
Trillion $ national debt, yes, been around since Reagan. Trillion $ deficits have been hidden with all the off-book accounting. Now they’re overt and blatant and you don’t see anybody complaining do you?
Last estimate I saw on the Social Securty deficit, and that was prior to the financials meltdown, was $4 trillion. Which is off-budget, of course.
I’ve purchased a dumpster, presently use it for storing trash until the local waste company can empty it every couple of weeks.
I joke with my mother that I own t he dumpster so no matter what she’ll always have a place to live.
That joke hasn’t been as funny over the past 20 years.
– Max
Amazing what a difference it makes when you actually put someone smart in charge of the country.
Exactly, Graham – nothing changes!
Actually Lex I was thinking more along the lines that people get appointed or kept in positions based on ability rather than fealty to a cause.
Yeah, I could tell what you were thinking.
Graham, someone smart is in charge. That will change in a month and a half.
Nose, the guy in charge is doing “a heck of a job” (TM)
Graham, on Sept. 11, 2001, almost 3000 of your fellow citizens died at the hands of a viscious, committed, and implacable enemy. Since then, have you walked your streets afraid of attack by terrorists? Have you worried one moment that the aircraft you are flying might slam into a building full of your fellow citizens? Do you fear that your daughters might one day wear the bhurka?
The presidents first job is to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States”. His second is to protect the citizens of this nation. History will judge that Geore W. Bush did an admirable job of both. Now we can look forward to a president who is on record saying that our Constitution, a document that created and allowed a small colony become the greatest nation on the face of the earth, is a document that needs “change”. Be careful what you change…it’ll be very hard to get those freedoms back once you give them away.
Obama will tread carefully during the first 4 years, and the economy puts a damper on the more grandiose plans of the democratic congress. I expect nothing obvious, besides the insidious hollowing out of our military through cuts in development, supply and training.
The mask will come off during the second term.
I must confess that Obama’s selections thus far are not nearly as bad as I had feared.
On a scale of 1 to 10, (10 being good) they have been an average of 1.5, with Gates’ retention earning a grade of 10.
Of course, the crazies in Congress, at the behest of The One, may slash defense spending ruthlessly, mandate all sorts of non-defense projects and then leave Gates to be the scapegoat for failure to maintain essential defense capability. In fact, I am counting on it… not liking it, but just expecting it.
We are so screwed.
Yes, its looks like Hillary’s, I mean Barrack’s, first term will be all about change.
Byron sez…
Since then, have you walked your streets afraid of attack by terrorists?
Heh, reminds of this article…
http://www.theonion.com/content/node/27924
WASHINGTON, DC—As an additional reminder that the U.S. is on high alert for terrorist attacks, Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge announced Tuesday that Orange Alert klaxons will blare 24 hours a day in all major cities.
“These 130-decibel sirens, which, beginning Friday, will scream all day and night in the nation’s 50 largest metro areas, will serve as a helpful reminder to citizens to stay on the lookout for suspicious activity and be ready for emergency action,” Ridge said. “Please note, though, that this is merely a precautionary measure, so go about your lives as normal.”
Edward – please allow us to get thru the next 4 years without making us look too far ahead.
Taxi, is there harm in reminding the populace that we must remain aware? That we should keep an eye out for those who chose not to face our fighting men and women? I’m ready, are you?
I wanted to be first with a reference to “Who’s Next”.
… Meet the new Boss!
Byron sez…
I’m ready, are you?
HELL YEA I GOT MY KLAXON TURNED UP TO 11!
HUH? WHAT? YOU SAY SOMETHING?
Yes, there’s a suitcase nuke under your butt
Oz Guvmnt of the day issued fridge magnets stating “Be alert but not alarmed”. All to the quiet hum of the fridge.
I have often hoped for adult leadership in the FedGov. I have, just as often, been highly disappointed. It is quite sad that Bush has never been a conservative, nor was the messiahs opponent anything like a conservative. I think it’s too late to do anything about what I see coming down the pike. We are in very deep Kimshi.
Good choice Barrack! Good man that Gates. Epitome of a public servant. He listens-he takes action-he accepts responsibility. Gotta like it.
I know the left is mad. Those Code Pink Kool-Aid drinkers should be. Maybe it was the scary in-brief Obama got from intell after the election or maybe it is that Les Aspin is dead, Dr. Perry is too old and Sandy Berger is an ex-felon..He doesn’t have a lot of talent to choose from on the blue team. Know what I mean?
b2
Hehe…give Graham a break – Obama is certainly very smart; question is, is he wise, and does he know the difference?
Since then, have you walked your streets afraid of attack by terrorists? Have you worried one moment that the aircraft you are flying might slam into a building full of your fellow citizens? Do you fear that your daughters might one day wear the bhurka?
No to the first, but I never have. No to the second, but that had nothing to do with the President or the $40b joke called the TSA. Yes to the last, everytime I hear the current President mutter some BS like “Islam is a religion of peace” when all the evidence of his senses tells him the contrary. He and his advisors never have realized, to this late date, the nature of our enemy and the peril we face, because they have ignorantly, arrogantly and adamantly refused to recognize it or even acknowledge its name.
Regrettably, I expect even worse from the next President. My only hope is that if Carter, once burned repeatedly (if that makes sense) by the Soviets, could learn they weren’t his friends, perhaps the so-smart Obama won’t have to burned so much before he learns who our enemies are (assuming he actually cares about his oath to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”
While I have remained damned glad that it was Bush and not Gore in the White House on 12 September, 2001, I have real limits with how much credit I give to Bush for how secure we really are (or aren’t).
Zane, Bush is as human as any of us, and walks a tightrope few would dare to try. I don’t and didn’t expect him to be perfect. Overall, he done good. I really doubt that either who ran against him, whether it be the Cowardly Poodle or the Mad Scientist Who Invented the Internet and Global Warming would have done nearly as well.
I’m with you, Byron. Imperfect though he may be, Bush has generally tried to do right by us. He has my gratitude and support, and I’m of the belief that most historians will do him the justice he deserves.
The irony is not lost on me how so much of The Chosen One’s campaign was about not having a Bush 3rd term, and, yet, here we are on the brink of the Clintonistas…again…3rd term…dumber and dumberer. What a conetry!
Byron…
Overall, he done good.
The invasion of Iraq and subsequent occupation that followed will go down in the annals of history as one of the most poorly planned, knee-jerked, $%^&-ed up exercises ever, and it is only by the dint of our bottomless pocketbooks and general unwillingness to quit that we scooped it out. Everything I read and see says we screwed up the initial few years or so royally there. The lack of planning for the post-war as compared for the invasion boggles the mind. WTF? Pure incompetence. And a fair number of those 4,000+ servicemen who did die didn’t need to.
And Bush was the CinC. So I’d disagree on the “overall he’s done good” comment. Glad he stuck it out to victory, but the war reminds me of the superior pilot using superior headwork to avoid to the need for superior airwork. Or more directly, proper prior planning prevents piss poor performance.
On Obama’s selections:
http://iowahawk.typepad.com/iowahawk/2008/11/obama-names-bill-clinton-to-president-post.html