Gates's Odds of Staying Rise If Clinton Goes to State

[ben_meyers]

Nov. 17 (Bloomberg) -- Defense Secretary Robert Gates may be closer to being tapped for extended duty by Barack Obama because of the near certainty a Democrat -- possibly Hillary Clinton -- will be named secretary of state and Gates's willingness to accept a new team around him, according to Democratic and Republican experts. (snip)


``It would be a very powerful signal of bipartisanship and continuity,'' said former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, a Georgia Republican who sits on a board that advises Gates on policy issues and favors his being kept on under Obama.

Several Democrats have spoken favorably of keeping Gates, 65, who was appointed two years ago by President George W. Bush. They include Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island.

Reed, a member of the Armed Services Committee, said in an interview that Gates has ``done an extraordinary job.''

``I would hope that in some capacity he could continue to serve,'' he said.

Why not just keep all of them?

Change we can believe in.

[TwilightGardener]

1. LOL! Yep, nothing like retreads to chart a new direction.

:eyes:

[gcomeau]

2. Oh for gods sake would people stop stop bitching?

Geez, what the hell is the problem? Long term memory disabilities? I would just love the absurdity of how this plays out if it wasn't so pathetic.

We sing the praises of our guy in the primary in large part because he is a thinker. A pragmatist. He knows how to get things done. Because he is not a blind partisan. We cheer him on when we hear about his willingness to consider a Lincoln style "team of rivals" cabinet... no sycophant-loving yes-men assembling intellectual lightweight is our guy Obama, oh hell no. He wants dissenting opinions! And it's great! That's what a president is made of! There's democratic government in action the way it was meant to be! GO OBAMA!!!!!

...

"Wait? He wants someone in his Cabinet WE DON'T LIKE!?!?!?!?!?!?! Betrayal! Depression! Oh god we've been had! Woe is us! We didn't know dissenting opinions meant opinions we didn't agree with! This is unforgivable!!!"


Yes he's putting people with different goddamn points of view in his Cabinet, and thank goodness for it. We don't need our own fucking version of Bush. Putting soe people from the other side in a prominent position or two is a GOOD thing. You don't have to agree with them, you still set the agenda, but you give them a damn say. You make sure you always have someone in there who is going to be sure to come at issues from an angle you won't so you keep your bases covered and don't miss things as easily. You send a message to the part of the nation that didn't vote in our favor that they may not have someone in the White House who agrees with everything they want, but he'll bloody well listen to them and give them a fair hearing.

[ben_meyers]

3. First Amendment protects unpopular

as well as popular expression. You therefore are entitled to your opinion