CNN: Obama is reaching out for Scowcroft

[question everything]

CNN also has learned that Obama is getting foreign policy advice from an unlikely source: Republican Brent Scowcroft, who was national security adviser in the first Bush administration.

Two sources familiar with the conversations confirm to CNN that Obama reached out to Scowcroft for phone chats even before he ran for president, and the back-and-forth has continued in recent days as the president-elect assembles his Cabinet.

Scowcroft is very close to current Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who is rumored to be in the running to stay in the Cabinet for at least an interim period at the start of the new Obama administration.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/11/20/transition.wrap/index.html

[davidinalameda]

1. I saw that report today

could do a lot worse than Scowcroft

[question everything]

2. Scowcroft was very much against the invasion of Iraq (nt)

[bdamomma]

78. he really did not care for Cheney either.

[iamthebandfanman]

3. could have done alot better also n/t

[zulchzulu]

4. Scowcroft was one of the first to leave the SS Bush Ship of Fools

From wah I remember, he was against going into Iraq and got the hell out of there early... I still don't really trust him, but...

[bluestateguy]

5. He showed that he was not a neo-con long before being against the neo-cons was cool

So this is fine with me.

[Art_from_Ark]

29. Here's his resume

See if you still believe that after you read this:

http://www.nndb.com/people/664/000024592/

[Occam Bandage]

46. Right. He was against the Iraq war. He would be a good FP advisor, as far as Republicans go. nt

[Thrill]

6. He warned about fighting in Iraq. If they would have only listened

http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110002133

[Thrill]

7. CNN is late. John Marshall scooped this last week

http://tpmtv.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/11/tpmtv_why_gates.php

[wisteria]

8. Meet the new boss- same as the old boss.

I am starting to regret the time and effort and money I put into electing this guy. He seems to want to be an appeaser and not really a bold leader.

[tabatha]

9. Obama is smart -

he talks to people from all sides. THAT is bold.

[wisteria]

15. When he talks to progressive people on both sides that are fresh faces

then I believe he is different. Right now, he is behaving just like any other politician- promise them anything to get elected and then do the bidding of the big donors who got you where you are at.

[SwampG8r]

27. he is talking to people who

were not listened to before
the difference being he is listening
if these people gave able advise that went unheeded it is no mark against them

[Art_from_Ark]

Do you really think Scowcroft was not listened to before?

Take a look at this:

http://www.nndb.com/people/664/000024592/

[SwampG8r]

36. by ghwbush maybe

by gwbush...not so much
i have to say the mormon thing is more disturbing that anything else

[Art_from_Ark]

43. The guy is Republican to the core

He MIGHT have been against the Iraq war, but it could have been a "good cop, bad cop" routine. In all likelihood, he left bu$h to cash in on his insider information. And he gets to continue to be an insider now.

[woolldog]

49. do you think progressives have a monopoly on wisdom?

[Sebastian Doyle]

75. Well, actually... yes.

Don't believe me? Name one good thing that ever came from conservatism. :)

As far as Scowcroft goes, he's in that small minority of the Bush Crime Family alumni who never bought into the PNAC agenda, and for that reason, he's probably worthy of discussing things with, from a historical perspective anyway. But I doubt seriously he'd play any role in the Obamadministration.

[wisteria]

21. It's been done before, nothing bold here. n/t

[FrenchieCat]

10. It's been 16 days.

You could perhaps ask for your money back.
I don't know if you can do anything about your equity sweat though.

Here....you can ask here for your money back: http://www.change.gov/page/s/contact

[wisteria]

16. I have already been to the site- more than once.

I let you know if he offers me a refund. Too bad I can't take my vote back.

[FrenchieCat]

20. Oh well. Perhaps you can blame it on your bad judgment, if that makes you feel better.

You'll have your chance in 4 more years. :shrug:

By then, you'll have more to judge him on.
After all, with 2 wars and a dow that lost 8.3 trillion in a week,
he'll have plenty that you can pick on not to like,
then you can claim that you were hoodwinked and bamboozled
and you'll be able to rationalize your dislike on his action as opposed to
just disliking the fact that he picked Hillary over Kerry for SOS.... :shrug:

[wisteria]

26. The only reason I voted for him and gave him money was because of Kerry

I never felt comfortable with Obama, but I trusted Kerry's judgment. And, yes I will never forgive him for choosing her over Kerry. But, lets be clear- I had reservations about Obama from the beginning. If its only words it doesn't mean much. Many politicians are sweet talkers. So, Kerry motivated me to vote reluctantly for Obama against my better judgment. And, now, unfortunately, I think my opinions about him are correct.

[FrenchieCat]

30. Like I said, you can do what you want in 4 years.....

that's how it works.

I voted for John Kerry in 2004.....

Had he won, although he wasn't my choice in the primary,
I would have been happy that Bush wasn't in there any more.

I certainly wouldn't be double guessing him and shitting on his parade 16 days after the election.

But hey...if this attitude works for you, go for it.
But your misery won't have my company.

[wisteria]

35. I am getting away from the cesspool called politics.

I won't be working for, contributing to or voting for anyone in four years. Our efforts really make no difference.

[FrenchieCat]

38. I have put you on ignore.

That way, I don't have to deal with the ridiculous.

Have a great life! :hi:

[wisteria]

41. Thank you. n/t

[Uzybone]

58. Good riddance

last thing we need is more irritants and whiners.

[datopbanana]

33. Go away.

[firedupdem]

34. Maybe you shouldn't have cast it! Doesn't sound like you really

wanted to and if it wasn't Kerry it seems that it would have been some other reason for your disgust. 16 days doesn't spark this much outrage.

[wisteria]

37. Your right, I hesitated up till the last minutes. n/t

[firedupdem]

39. So why complain now? Suck up that you voted for the wrong guy

and move on. Don't blame it on cabinet picks.

[Lilyeye]

50. Then you shouldn't have voted for him.

[question everything]

72. Does Edwards have a similar page?

This is one where I would like to have my money back...

[VADem11]

11. Geez

Let him get into office first.

[thoughtcrime1984]

12. What the hell is wrong with these POTENTIAL Cabinet choices??

There is absolutely nothing wrong with getting some experienced people in the Obama Administration. There will be some Repubs in his Cabinet, and he has hinted at that for a long time. The most important person in all of this remains President-Elect Barack Obama. He sets the tone, and can replace Cabinet members if they do not perform up to the expected level. Regret away, there are no regrets here. Electing McClown/TurkeyKilla would have made me regret not working harder and donating more to the Obama campaign, that's for damn sure.

[Left 0f Center]

14. good post

[wisteria]

17. Where are the progressive fresh faces with bold new ideas?

Lets start with Clinton- now that is someone fresh and new and yes- real progressive. Look defend him all you want- I think he is off to a questionable start and I am having regrets.

[Bicoastal]

25. Fuck your fucking regrets.

You're regretting not voting for Hillary or McCain? OR NADER?

Not only are you fickle, you're also gullible. The media is throwing out a crapload of names to feed a 24/7 news cycle, and you're pinching a fit over one of the names being bandied about?! Why don't you wait until he actually PICKS his cabinet, or better yet, fucking takes office, before losing all faith in the guy?! What has been decided yet? NOTHING. What has been accomplished? NOTHING TIL 1/20/09. And who has he actually picked thus far? FOUR OR FIVE PEOPLE.

Far be it for me to belittle your political convictions, but as for your rush to judgement--It's been two weeks since the election. GROW UP.

:rant:

[wisteria]

31. I regret I had such limited choices.

But, this is the end of the road for me. Politics suck. Good people get screwed and the same old people retain their power. I am going to put my time, money and energy into something good that makes a real difference. Our politics and our politicians don't change. You will see Obama is like all the rest. Oh,and I am fucking grown up and I would suggest that you fucking get use to Obama being criticized.

[Bicoastal]

42. Bon Voyage. I didn't put all this money, time, and effort into Obama's campaign...

...just to turn my back on him the second he so much as TALKS to someone I don't approve of. If people like you were around back in FDR's time, you'd have bitched about the Republicans he put in his cabinet too--people like Harold L Ickes, who pretty much masterminded the New Deal.

You'd think that, after defeating a powerful former first couple and media-friendly Republican War Hero, the guy MIGHT know what the fuck he's doing.

[blondeatlast]

71. Dollars to donuts you won't hold your tongue (fingers?) on DU though.

That's why I won't put you on ignore but I will bookmark this thread.

"Through with politics." Sure you are.

[anonymous171]

54. Writing columns and whining about government,.

Fuck ideologues. I've had enough of their shit.

[lessthanjake1234]

56. You are being childish

He doesnt need to appoint progressive. He IS a progressive and it will DEFINITELY be his progressive policies that are pushed. He just needs experienced people to help him push those policies effectively. Clinton people fit that bill the best. Their ideology does NOT matter because they wont get deciding policy. Obama will.

[ecstatic]

77. That is a terribly short sighted view of the situation

You seem more concerned with superficial aspects of the cabinet rather than what will be actually happening.

And your regrets are insulting to all of us because the alternative would have been McCain/Palin. :eyes:

[question everything]

19. The White House is not a training field

and if he wants to hit the ground running, which he does, he has to use the best minds in the country with knowledge and experience of how the government works.

I think that this was the mistake of Carter and Clinton. They brought their wide eyes buddies from their states and fell flat on their faces.

[wisteria]

23. Stale old ideas does not mean you will hit the ground running.

It means you may make the same old mistakes.

[question everything]

66. What kind of a mistake?

Presiding over an expanding economy across all income levels? Appointing Supreme Court justices that hold firm against the right tilting majority? Standing for gays' and for women's rights?

Show empathy to the ones who suffer?

His FEMA head was an example on how a government should help when disaster strikes.

[Lilyeye]

28. Give me a fucking break. Maybe you should have voted for McCain if you never really liked Obama.

[wisteria]

40. I am not going to start arguing about McCain. n/t

[MadBadger]

62. You're as dramatic as the women of Wysteria

[phleshdef]

68. Appeaser eh... you sound like a Republican.

[blondeatlast]

70. "appeaser" Yeah, that's the word Bush used to define "diplomacy."

You forgot the "sarcasm" thingy.

[RollWithIt]

74. I wish you spent as much time researching before posting...

Scowcroft was in complete opposition to the Iraq war.

[ecstatic]

76. Are you concerned at all about 2010?

:shrug: Obama is taking history into account (remember what happened in 1994 after Clinton was elected?)?? Putting a bunch of left wingers in the cabinet will only ensure a landslide defeat in '10.

[Wetzelbill]

13. This is Obama taking all views into consideration

and figuring it out himself. He's great at that. I wouldn't be alarmed at Obama listening to somebody that I don't necessarily agree with, because he's the sort of guy that weighs differing viewpoints and info. Scowcroft is a foreign policy establishment stalwart, he's well-respected and smart, but definitely part of the status quo. He's very much a realist and not a neoconservative, for example, he warned about going into Iraq. I'm a serious student of foreign policy and he's somebody whose views I take into consideration, so why shouldn't the President-Elect do so? It's smart of Obama to do so.

Plus Scowcroft is very close to Bush Sr and guys like Jim Baker, but still his own man. And if Obama gets the GOP establishment types to like him it makes life easier for him in many ways.

[wisteria]

18. Excuses. Too many views spoil the progress.

This will be the continuing excuse from now on- he is like Lincoln. Actually, this isn't the 1800 and we aren't on the brink of civil war and there are no slave that need to be freed.

[Wetzelbill]

22. not an excuse just a fact

He's always been like this. Have you not been paying attention for the last four years? Or read any of his books? Or know anything about him? It has nothing to do with Lincoln, it's just how he is. What did you think you were getting when you sent him money? Sounds pretty foolish for you to send money to somebody if you don't know how they are. If you don't do your research then you have no reason to complain.

[azurnoir]

24. Too many views spoil the progress.???

That was Bushes "philosophy" too, do you want Obama to be some sort of mirror image to Bush?

[Lilyeye]

32. It's not excuses. The man hasn't even been sworn in yet and your already bitching and saying you

shouldn't have voted for him. Give him a freaking chance.

[Historic NY]

44. Don't you hate Thursday night quarterbacks that sound like freepers....

last I heard there were 66 million + votes besides yours.

[Lilyeye]

48. Maybe I am misunderstanding your post, but are you accusing me of being a freeper?

I ask since you replied to my post.If not I apologize in advance. But if so... can you explain to me how I sound like a freeper by being annoyed that someone has already regretted voting for Obama and he hasn't even been sworn in yet? I may not have a high post numbers because I never even heard of this place until august, but I can honestly say I am no disgusting freeper. I've been lurking and reading here everyday since august and I've only made a few post here and there. The constant complaining and whining here has been annoying, but I understand that people feel the need to vent and I haven't said anything. However, to have someone claming they already regret voting for Obama provoked a strong response from me. So if that makes me a sounds like a "freeper" then I really don't get it.

[firedupdem]

51. I'm not sure lilyeye but I think the response was regarding the

person talking about being ticked with Obama. I can't imagine anything you stated being confused with anything a freeper would say. :)

[Lilyeye]

52. Hi fired. Thanks for responding.

I wasn't sure since the poster responded to my post and sometimes people with low post counts are called freepers. I guess I misunderstood. If I went on a big silly rant for nothing...I'm sorry and will feel like a dope about it :) I guess being thought of to have any connection to a freeper bugs the hell out of me lol.

[firedupdem]

53. I've been there! Trust me!! Don't feel like a dope, I would have

been bugged too! This place is making us crazy right now!!
:fistbump:

[Lilyeye]

55. Thanks for the supportive words. You made me feel a little more comfortable coming out of my shell.

:fistbump:

[firedupdem]

59. Hey, we're all in this together. I've been living at this site since I became

a member, just moved to a new state, no job, starting over. Sometimes you need a friend and I hate that freeper shit so your post just really stuck out for me. Come on out of that shell, you sound knowledgeable and we need more voices of reason. Someone turning their back on our PE 16 days in is amazing to me and I'm glad you voiced your opinion on that too!

:yourock:

[Historic NY]

69. didn't mean you...

:hi:

[Occam Bandage]

45. Thank you, Chairman Mao. nt

[lessthanjake1234]

57. Do you want Obama to surround himself with yes men?

Or do you want him to have people there to challenge his presumptions in order to make sure he makes the wisest decisions?

[TheKentuckian]

47. The brightest people can listen to all voices

and then choose their own path. I can't believe people are upset about a President not setting up an echo chamber after the last 8 years. Unlike numbnuts, I'm thinking Obama can listen and talk with a wingnut and still go another way. I'm glad he's talking to all the old heads because that will allow him a richer and fuller understanding of issues, successes, and failures. I don't want him to become these people but they have insights, like it or not.

[KingOfLostSouls]

60. Scowcroft was very much against Iraq

as well as general tony zinni, both were two of the very first and most outspoken critics of the invasion.




anyone criticizing obama seeking advice from this man is a complete and utter fool. Obama is showing savvy by looking to those familiar with more of a "Real politik" take on things.


of course some people won't be happy till the department of defense becomes the department of pacifism but unfortunately there are still bad people around the world who need to be hunted down and killed.

[JCMach1]

61. Scowcroft would be an actual Republican I could support

for the Cabinet...

[democracy1st]

63. come on Mr. Scowcroft help us put American back together

[mmonk]

64. Bad.

[mmonk]

65. I guess the same old games will continue

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=American_Turkish_Council

[kevinds13]

67. RE: Wisteria

Can't you even wait till he's President? Having people you dislike in his Cabinet means nothing considering HE makes the final decision. God damn...I've been lurking for a few years and always wondered what DU would be like with a Dem President.

The answer is ridiculous.

[ecstatic]

79. You've nailed it nt

[Jennicut]

73. Wisteria: Obama is so like George Bush. All polticians are the same.

Just like Al Gore and Bush were so alike.
:rofl:
Come back when you have learned what politics is really all about.
Obama can talk to whoever he wants to.