Who does Barack have to choose from for SOD? Clark? Maybe Powell? Or Clark w/ Powell @ SOS?

[WheelWalker]

[Captain Hilts]

1. WHY would he choose war criminal Powell? He ought to keep Gates, actually.

He's hired and fired all the right people and says things we need to hear. Keep him as the token Republican.

Not a good post for Clark.

ps. I'm not on a first-name basis with Senator Obama.

[fulllib]

2. Hillary for SOD!

Wouldn't that be fun?

[Captain Hilts]

8. No. nt

[WheelWalker]

6. Gates might work. Who's SOS? That's more important;.

[Captain Hilts]

9. Susan Rice? Or would that be confusing like replacing John Warner with Mark Warner? nt

[Virginia Dare]

41. Bill Richardson...n/t

[Captain Hilts]

48. Yes, I think he has a VERY good chance. In fact, I might say he's already been promised it. nt

[madokie]

51. Yes, Bill Richardson would be my choice

He is a Diplomat

[Canuckistanian]

3. Neither seem likely

Clark "wasn't required" at the convention, so I'd say he's not in the running for any major position.

And as for Powell.... the less said, the better. He hasn't even endorsed Obama yet.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

20. I'm confused about what's happened between Clark and Obama

As a great fan of both men, it's disappointing to me the way Clark was almost completely ignored at the convention and has continued to be ignored. There must surely be more to the story than just the fact that Clark said McCain's capture by the North Vietnamese doesn't necessarily mean he has the judgement required to be President. In retrospect, that was a mild statement and one that didn't hurt Obama at all. In fact, it left that issue as a big question mark in the back of the minds of potential voters. The recent political advertisement by a former POW and McCain colleague has made that very point. Clark in fact is not as prone to making occasional verbal slips as Biden is, so that can't be the complete explanation.

I've looked at the Wes Clark forum at DU but there really isn't any explantion there. Is there an explanation or is it just one of those things? Clark is one of the few people in the Democratic Party who is at Obama's intellectual level, in my opinion. Obama and Clark are great people and should work together, whether during this campaign or afterwards.

[elleng]

29. I agree that they should work together.

I suspect that there's some kind of 'personal' problem between the 2, much to my displeasure. Wes should have a significant role in the next administration.

FYI, Steve Clemons is hosting a discussion with General Wes Clark tomorrow at 4pm ET at the New America Foundation at 1630 Connecticut. Clark will be talking about our economy and national security challenges, and the event will be streamed on The Washington Note, on OpenLeft, and around the blogosphere.

The websites for possible streaming are TheWashingtonNote.com and OpenLeft.com.

[Canuckistanian]

31. It makes no sense to me either

You can't deny that Clark has massive experience and would bring national security credentials that blow all the others away.

PLUS, the Repubs fear him because he's got NO SKELETONS in his closet that they can attack him on.
They knew that back in 2004.

Something personal might have happened. Or maybe it was Clark himself. I think he said that unless he was was nominated back in 2004 he had no interest in the VP or SOD slot.

Who knows.

[montanacowboy]

4. Powell? as in war criminal fuckin liar

Powell? are you in your right mind?
that scumsucker better not even be near Obama for anything
that jerk belongs in jail right along with the rest of the criminals
maybe he can bring his little vial of anthrax

Poor pathetic piece of shit liar

[WheelWalker]

19. Dude! That was GREAT! I couldn't agree with you more, comrade.

[spindrifter]

5. I'd take Petraeus--even though the position is

ordinarily given to a civilian. If Petraeus balks, then I'd keep Gates, at least for a year or two.

[Captain Hilts]

11. We don't have to 'like' the Sec. of Defense. So, that widens the pool. nt

[WheelWalker]

25. Yikes.

[jwirr]

7. One of those retired military leaders from the convention?

[napi21]

10. I guess it's fun to speculate, but I think we should just leave it up to

Barack. There have been MANY selections for cabinet positions by past Presidents, of people I never heard of! Some turned out to be great and some, like Rummy, turned out to be AH's. I like what I've seen and heard from Barack so far, and I'm willing to trust HIS choices for cabinet posts.

[Captain Hilts]

12. I'll leave it up to Senator Obama. I'm not on a first-name basis with him. nt

[gateley]

16. You keep pointing out that you're not on a first name basis with Obama. We get it. nt

[Captain Hilts]

17. Convincing others to support him isn't helped by using the informal. 'Senator Obama'...

sounds respectful and has a gravitas to it. This is important when his 'experience' is in play.

A friend working in the Obama office in Bethesda - I'll be volunteering there soon - has noticed a lot of people also using his first name. NO ONE addressed FDR as "Franklin" other than Eleanor. No one. He made his own kid address him as "Mr. President" when he was in the West Wing.

Just trying to give our man some dap.

[gateley]

21. Okay, you melted me with

'Just trying to give our man some dap." Sorry I snarked.

But I don't think that how we address him is going to convince people to vote for him, although I do see your point.

[napi21]

22. There's no way I view calling our candidate by hius first name

demeaning! I never refer to the opposition candidate by HIS first name! I call him McNuts! I never personally met Joe Biden, but I refer to him as Joe. To me, it's an indication of likability and comfort or ease with a person.

I also never call the current resident of the WH by HIS first name. I've called him Shrub the entire time he was running for office and all the years since! I refuse to give him the respect to call him by his given name!

[Hekate]

13. Colin Powell will not be asked to serve in a Democratic administration after the lies he told...

... and the lies he was silent about that led us into this misbegotten war. The man squandered his credibility by being a "good soldier."

Barack Obama will have a large number of highly qualified people to choose from, people who support Democratic principles. I'm sure a lot of their names will be mentioned here, but right now I'm more concerned with getting him elected.

Hekate

[Captain Hilts]

37. Obama's met with Powell on more than a few occasions. nt

[Virginia Dare]

43. I hope he doesn't tell him anything of substance..

it will go right back to Poppy.

[Captain Hilts]

44. I have faith that Senator Obama plays his cards close to his vest, yet...

the whole thing perplexes me as the anti-war vote has been so integral to his supporters.

You've been on the Obama bus longer than I, how do people reconcile his meetings with a fellow whose resignation over an issue - Gitmo, Abu Grahib, the war itself - could have stemmed the tide? Powell's approval ratings were just about THE highest in the US. He had clout he never even tried to use. Can you help me here?

I'll admit that Obama's meetings with Powell, Sam Nunn and Jim Cooper really creeped me out.

[Virginia Dare]

45. My only explanation to that is..

that to be a President, at least a successful one, you cannot be an isolationist. There is certain information that you need to know, which can only come from a handful of sources. It's actually a good sign that people like this are willing to talk to him, because that means that the inner-circle of Washington power has accepted the fact that he just might be President, and that he could be President.

I remember when Jackie Kennedy took the Clintons out for a private sail on her yacht, and Pam Herriman hosted a private fundraiser for him in her home, I was thinking, well that's it he's going to be President. When people like that take you under their wing, you've made it.

[Captain Hilts]

46. Yes, I see that too. You need to spread your attention around. I actually like it...

and think that this is his strength, but it doesn't follow the way most folks here see him.

My friends in Virginia are getting active in the campaign. I think Thelma Drake is 'off'able.

Keep up the Good Fight!

[Virginia Dare]

47. Good news!...

A quarter of a million newly registered voters, the vast majority of them in seemingly "Blue" areas. Virginia is definitely going Blue this year!!

[biscotti]

14. Powell has lost all of his credibility

[gateley]

15. I THINK that Clark has to wait a couple of more years until he can

be SOD (a certain amount of time since he retired from the military), but he'd be my first choice. I don't think there's that time limit for SOS, though, so that could work. If I were Obama, I'd solicit Joe's input on this - he knows better than almost anyone what would be important to that position.

Don't know how well Powell would go down with a lot of Dems - that might be kind of iffy.

I'm interested to see the suggestions from others who are aware of other who could fill the slot.

[Captain Hilts]

18. Yes, he does. I still don't think it's the job for him. nt

[Warpy]

23. Why would he choose a lying war criminal GOPer for anything?

Are black folks supposed to hire only black folks? Is that how you think it's supposed to go?

Powell will be lucky to stay out of prison for his part in lying this country into an illegal and ruinous war.

[tammywammy]

24. Clark hasn't been retired long enough to become Sec. of Defense n/t

[TahitiNut]

26. Why not John McCain?

:hide:

[verges]

27. I think he'd be much better

passing out towels in the men's room.

[TahitiNut]

34. Huh? ... Oh... wait... ahhh ... I get it ...

... that's an AGE joke, right? I see.

:eyes:

[verges]

35. No.

I'm saying he'd make an excellent men's room attendant.

[TahitiNut]

36. Are you sure you're not thinking of Larry Craig?

:eyes:

[verges]

53. Larry Craig

would have to be disqualified for that job because of his indiscretions. McCain, however, is wonderfully qualified.

[Throd]

28. Sargeant D is coming, and you're on his list!

[Burma Jones]

30. No Big names for DoD.........

Have to find a well respected civilian with a great ability to clean house and as little baggage as possible.

Or, if he needs a "big" name, I would go with Sam Nunn......



I think Biden would have made an outstanding Secretary of State.....

I think Bill Richardson will make an outstanding Secretary of State.



HRC can become one of the great Senators in US History, she certainly would be a better Majority Leader than Reid.


Tim Kaine, Governor of Virginia, will be out of a job in 2010........he's limited to a single term

[Virginia Dare]

52. I think Kaine will be Chief of Staff.....n/t

[ConsAreLiars]

32. Sleazy slimy Powell???

That sorry suck-up covered up My Lai to please his masters, lied to the UN for the same reasons, and now is pretending to be undecided about the presidential contest in order to offend neither side. If you want a good example of a spineless weasel with no sense of shame, integrity, or honor, you couldn't do better than Powell. If you want an honest man in your administration, anyone who kicks that gutless opportunist in his teeny nuts would be a far better choice.

[Virginia Dare]

42. He'd go running back to Poppy...

and tell him everything that Obama was doing. I think that's why he's making all these overtures to Obama, they will need a mole in the administration.

[EFerrari]

33. Powell is a war criminal. n/t

[Bandit]

38. I believe Kucinich would be the absolute best choice.

:shrug: You are describing a Dept of War not Defense.

[shadowknows69]

39. Powell shouldn't be within 1000 miles of this administration

He spoke to the world and spread the lies to start the war that Obama opposed.

[ThomWV]

40. Clark can not be Secretary of Defense - rule against retired Generals holding the position

By there's no rule against retired Generals or Admirals running the NSA. What is that?

[Vickers]

49. I thought they only had to be out of the military for 10 years?

Did they change that, or am I misremembering?

:shrug:

[DemoTex]

50. Powell!!?? Are you the village idiot or something?

1. My Lai coverup.
2. Iran-Contra
3. Bu$hco war crimes worldwide (Iraq, Gitmo, rendition, etc)