Backtalk: Next president must quickly choose efficient staff, advisers

[unhappycamper]

Next president must quickly choose efficient staff, advisers
By Alan Gropman

During the presidential primary season, many candidates — especially Sens. John McCain and Hillary Rodham Clinton — made an issue of their readiness to be president from “Day One.” It obviously did not work for Clinton, but surely she and her campaign managers must have believed calling attention to her White House experience to assume full presidential responsibilities was a winning argument, even if not for her.

The country is in a hole, and we need an effective president beginning on Jan. 20. We are fighting two wars, and victory in both is long off. The economy is seriously weakening, the federal budget is in shambles, the U.S. dollar is soft and the population is restive.

No president can function effectively without a competent staff and capable advisers. President McCain or President Obama will need able assistants and Cabinet officers earlier than the Senate approval process in the past has afforded.

To accelerate senatorial ratification, President-elect McCain or Obama should consider selective reappointing of well-qualified senior officials. The most important would be Defense Secretary Robert Gates. Since Congress is in session before the presidential inauguration, either McCain or Obama could have that crucial position filled soonest.

Gates had rich and distinguished experience in government before becoming defense secretary — service on the National Security Council staff and director of Central Intelligence — and demonstrated capability as a scholar.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/community/opinion/army_backtalk_staff_092208/%2e



uhc comment: Although Gates may seem to be a reasonable choice, I'll have to disagree for two reasons:

• Gates was nominated by dubya.
  
• Gates was the CIA director from '91 to '93.
  
  Why is this a big deal you ask? Take a look at the last three directors: Tenet 1997–2004, Goss 2004–2005 and Hayden 2006-present.
  
  I'd also recommend you take the time to read
  
  In case you're short on time, here's the gist of Weiner's book --> since 1947 the CIA has got exactly one thing correct. They called six day war before it happened - everything else has been a clusterfuck.