Obama taps veteran Dems for DoD, State handovers (Nunn and Christopher)

[onehandle]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON – President-elect Obama has hired former Senate Armed Services Committee chairman Sam Nunn to help shepherd his Pentagon transition, a spokeswoman said Tuesday. Nunn, a former Georgia senator and veteran Democratic defense adviser, was once rumored as a potential running mate for Obama. Transition spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter said Nunn will perform "an informal senior adviser role throughout the defense transition process."

Nunn's role has been described by others, speaking anonymously because the transition teams have not been announced, as the leader of Obama's defense transition. Similarly, a senior administration official said former Secretary of State Warren Christopher would advise Obama on his State Department transition.

Obama's national security transition offices will work with the outgoing Bush administration to hand off management of two wars and complex diplomacy with North Korea, Russia and other nations. Obama has not announced his choices to be defense secretary and secretary of state.

Nunn and Christopher would be part of a national security brain trust for Obama that is heavy on former Clinton administration officials, including possible national security adviser James Steinberg, a former State Department official.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081112/ap_on_go_pr_wh/obama_national_security

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Lots and lots and lots and lots of Clinton era folks to come according to the article.

[last1standing]

1. I dislike the idea of giving Nunn any role in government.

He's a homophobe of the worst order and should be kept away from any decision making. As for Christopher, I always thought he did an excellent job in the Clinton administration and his help during the transition is probably a good idea.

[Davis_X_Machina]

4. Good thing there's no hint...

...that he's getting any role in the government.

[JohnnyCougar]

5. In Nunn's defense...

Hasn't he recanted on his stance on gay marriage? Furthermore, I don't know that being involved in the defense department allows any of his views on homosexuality to be put forward, whether he has recanted or not.

I am pleased that Nunn has a role in transition. I would like to see Obama pick a Democrat for Secretary of Defense. There is no need to cede defense responsibilities to a Republican like Hagel or Lugar. I want Obama to be bipartisan with some of his cabinet choices, but it's time the Democrats told America that we have no problem defending America ourselves. I think Nunn would be a far better choice for Secretary of Defense than Hagel or Lugar.

[last1standing]

13. I hadn't heard that Nunn changed his stance on gays in the military.

If he has then that would be a step in the right direction. I would still like to see someone with a non-cold war mindset running Defense, however. I think many of our problems stem from the cold war concept that demands massive arsenals and bloated troop numbers. Our military needs to be streamlined and needs to include efficiency techniques that are woefully lacking today.

[fasttense]

2. If you are looking for experience

for executive positions, your choices are very few. You either take the bushie currently installed, another repuke from Raygun, or Bush Sr staff or Clinton former staff members. Clinton former staff members seems to be the best of all evils.

[madrchsod]

3. not a bad idea

bringing in the veterans to help him figure out the bureaucracies of the state and defense departments. it certainly is nice to have a president that actually can think

[DissedByBush]

6. I was hoping for "change"

But it's starting to sound like the Clinton White House warmed over.

[RufusTFirefly]

10. You were? Oh puh-leeze!

Besides, the Clinton White House was full of liberal leftists who probably palled around with William Ayers.
:sarcasm:

[DissedByBush]

15. I was thinking

No standard politician and old-guard administration types, you know, the opposite of how Bush recycled Rumsfeld and others in his administration. There's not going to be much change if the place is populated with the same old tired political stiffs.

[peacetalksforall]

7. NO to HAGEL - (one of the) voting machine THIEVES. ES & S.

I'm lukewarm to cold on some of the other people mentioned.

[L0oniX]

8. This is NOT change!

[RufusTFirefly]

9. Nunn and Christopher: Co-champions for Change!!

:woohoo:

In a bold move, President-elect Obama has named the entire board of Goldman Sachs as his new Treasury Department.

Please don't forget to save a slot for Jim Baker!!

[bemildred]

11. Mr Christopher is a good man. nt

[sabra]

12. AP Correction: Obama-National Security story

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gb9AHikDNKCpRxyixmPpvwS7VVfwD94DG3V80

Correction: Obama-National Security story

25 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — In a Nov. 11 story about President-elect Obama's transition operation, The Associated Press erroneously reported that Obama has hired veteran Democrats Sam Nunn and Warren Christopher to head his transition teams at the Pentagon and State Department. Nunn "will play an informal senior adviser role" for the transition, and Christopher has no role, Obama spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter said.

[Dover]

14. Nunn, et al, are part of the think tank CSIS which is probably the 'brain trust' they refer to.

Associates of CSIS (Center for Strategic and International Studies) are often seen on CSPAN and making the pundit rounds. http://www.csis.org/

They have had much to do with the shaping of our foreign policy. Check out the members on their website.

They were pretty much sidelined by Bushco.