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Obama Preparing To Redefine The "Center"?
TPM Election Central —
A couple of quick additional points on the question du jour: Whether Barack Obama's bipartisan gestures and staff picks suggest a betrayal of progressives.
As Ed Kilgore notes, it's worth distinguishing between two different approaches to "bipartisanship." It's one thing for Obama to put Republicans in key posts simply for the sake of making GOP party leaders and hidebound bipartisanship-worshiping D.C. opinion-makers happy. That's a non-starter: No amount of sops will stop the GOP from trying to stymie Obama's initiatives.
But if Obama's "bipartisanship" consists of trying to bring in rank and file ...
Reports: Gates To Stay As Secretary Of Defense
TPM Election Central —
And speaking of the question of whether Robert Gates will remain as Obama's Sec Def, it looks like he's staying:
Sources tell ABC News that Defense Secretary Robert Gates will be staying on in the top Pentagon job, for at least the first year of the Obama administration. "It is a done deal," a source close to the process tells ABC News.
The Politico also reports the same thing.
The Obama transition team isn't confirming the reports, but isn't denying them, either. A Pentagon spokesperson I just reached declined to comment.
Ironically, in one sense the economic ...
If Obama keeps Gates, "[t]he message would be clear: even Democrats agree that Democrats can't run the military."
Stubborn Facts —
Also sprach Chris Bowers, this morning. This afternoon: I've accepted President-elect Obama's invitation to keep me, says Gates. Message?
BREAKING NEWS: Gates to remain at Pentagon
The Reaction —
... And yet, when it comes to keeping Gates at the Pentagon, I just can't give him the benefit of the doubt. As Chris Bower points out at Open Left, after all, "keeping Gates on... only worsen[s] Democratic image problems on national security, as he would be the second consecutive non-Democratic Secretary of Defense nominated by a Democratic President [after Bill Cohen by Bill Clinton]. The message would be clear: even Democrats agree that Democrats can't run the military." As well, while Gates may not be a right-wing ideologue, neocon or otherwise, many of his key people certainly ...
Herd Today
N/A —
Bull elephant Robert Gates to join donkey herd in Obama administration. Or you could say since Gates already is Secretary of Defense that the rest of the Obama admin is joining him. Or something.
Change is good. Even when there is no change. Or something
Times: Gates to Stay at Defense
Daily Kos —
... smartest man in the room", as retired four-star US Marine Corps General Joe Hoar describes him), supports a continuation in Gates' tenure. Then too, Gates is apparently admired by Obama himself, who has been in close touch with a number of Gates' former colleagues (dubbed "graybacks"), like Brent Scowcroft, from the first George W Bush administration. "The graybacks have weighed in, and they're all for Bob," a defense official says. As Chris Bowers at OpenLeft said today: This should be an open and shut case. If there was one message ...
Gates As Obama Defense Chief: Another Centrist Obama Administration Sign
The Moderate Voice —
... anybody is surprised by this at this point (perhaps except the far-left hoping Obama might change his mind), but it is looking increasingly likely that current Defense Secretary Robert Gates will hold his job for at least another year, according to CNN…Some on the are undoubtedly getting a sense of buyer’s remorse right now, but I’ve no doubt Obama will throw them a bone from time to time. Which bones he’ll dish out are to be determined, I suppose.
–Talk Left’s Chris Bowers:
This should be an open and shut case. If there ...
And The Netroots Will Explode In 5, 4, 3, 2 . . .
RedState: Conservative News and Community —
... Barring such a verbal admission, I suppose that we will have to
take this reappointment of Secretary Gates to constitute the
closest thing to an admission of error the President-elect can
bring himself to offer the rest of the country. Speaking of
admissions, Chris Bowers admits
that "keeping Gates on would only worsen Democratic image problems
on national security, as he would be the second consecutive
non-Democratic Secretary of Defense nominated by a Democratic
President. The message would be clear: even Democrats agree that
Democrats can't run the military." I am happy to ...
Gates to continue as Sec Def
QandO —
And, as you might imagine, the Netroots is none to happy about it. Chris Bowers: The most important appointment decision Obama will make during the transition, bar none, is who becomes, or remains, Secretary of Defense. As I have noted in the past, the Department of Defense oversees the expenditure of 52% of all discretionary spending, rendering it literally impossible for any other cabinet Secretary to oversee as much federal money. Further, keeping Gates on would only worsen Democratic image problems on national ...
And The Netroots Will Explode In 5, 4, 3, 2 . . .
A Chequer-Board of Nights and Days —
... I think it is finally safe for him to say that when it came to figuring out what to do in Iraq, President Bush, Secretary Gates, General Petraeus and Senator McCain were right . . . and Barack Obama was wrong. Barring such a verbal admission, I suppose that we will have to take this reappointment of Secretary Gates to constitute the closest thing to an admission of error the President-elect can bring himself to offer the rest of the country. Speaking of admissions, Chris Bowers admits that "keeping Gates on would only worsen Democratic image problems on national security, as ...
Gates Stays on at Pentagon?
Mudville Gazette —
... look at some blog reactions to Gates as Obama's SecDef. Before proceeding, a quick look back at a story from early in the Primary campaign season... The senator shook a few print reporters' hands -– told a few bloggers he doesn’t read blogs –- and then headed to the back of the plane -– a part he dubbed "the fun part of the plane" -– where the photographers sit.Got it? Good. Onward then...
*****
Open Left: The most important appointment decision Obama will make ...
Meet the New Boss …
Opinionator —
... : ” My one problem with this is that it sends the message that Dems can’t do Defense. I would prefer General Wes Clark at Defense, but Congress would have to do a fix for that to happen (as a retired military officer, Clark is ineligible for the Defense post for 10 years after retirement. He retired in 2000.) I have no obvious eligible candidates for the job.” While Chris Bowers at OpenLeft is plainly in distress : If there was one message that Obama ran on loudly, clearly, and indisputably, it is that he was going to bring “change” to Washington, D.C. If Gates were kept on ...
The Pentagon Team
Matthew Yglesias —
I think there’s a lot of logic to keeping Bob Gates on as Secretary of Defense. But I also thought Chris Bowers’ concerns about this are reasonable:
The most important appointment decision Obama will make during the transition, bar none, is who becomes, or remains, Secretary of Defense. As I have noted in the past, the Department of Defense oversees the expenditure of 52% of all discretionary spending, rendering it literally impossible for any other cabinet Secretary to oversee as much federal money. Further, keeping Gates on would only worsen Democratic image problems on national ...
Just below Gates
Political Animal —
JUST BELOW GATES.... Following up on this morning's item , one of the key decisions for Barack Obama relating to the Pentagon is not just whether to keep Robert Gates on as Defense Secretary, but also determining who will make up the rest of the senior leadership in the department. Chris Bowers argued yesterday, "If Gates were kept on as Secretary of Defense, it apparently would also mean that all of his top advisors would also stay on." That, of course, matters quite a bit -- as reasonable as Gates is, his deputies have considerable influence on Pentagon decision-making, and they're not as inclined towards pragmatism as ...
Gates at the Pentagon (and What It Says About Obama)
The Moderate Voice —
... And yet, when it comes to keeping Gates at the Pentagon, I just can’t give him the benefit of the doubt. As Chris Bowers points out at Open Left, after all, “keeping Gates on… only worsen[s] Democratic image problems on national security, as he would be the second consecutive non-Democratic Secretary of Defense nominated by a Democratic President [after Bill Cohen by Bill Clinton]. The message would be clear: even Democrats agree that Democrats can’t run the military.” As well, while Gates may not be a right-wing ideologue, neocon or otherwise, ...
The Obama/Gates Pentagon
Political Animal —
THE OBAMA/GATES PENTAGON.... From a progressive perspective, there are a few concerns about Robert Gates staying on as Defense Secretary in an Obama administration. One the main issues has to do with Gates' deputies -- Gates may be a sensible pragmatist, but deputies will have considerable influence on Pentagon decision-making, and they're not as inclined towards pragmatism as their boss. As Chris Bowers recently argued ...
