Obama keeps Bush’s Defense Secretary
Hey, remember that campaign line Barack Obama used incessantly throughout the campaign — you know, the one deriding McCain as a Bush clone and mocking a McCain win as “four more years of Bush?”
You remember, right?
The One: “I can take 4 more weeks of McCain’s attacks, but America can’t take 4 more years of failed McCain\Bush” policies!
Well, ummmm, ahhh, never mind.
Now, it looks like continuity is not such an evil thing. Obama’s keeping on Bush’s SecDef, Robert Gates.
President-elect Barack Obama will keep Defense Secretary Robert Gates in that job for at least a year, according to an official familiar the two men’s discussions.
Obama is expected to announce the selection of Gates and other members of a national security brain trust next week. Gates has served as President George W. Bush’s defense chief for two years.
Gates, a moderate with long-standing ties to Republican administrations and the Bush family, would fulfill an Obama pledge to include a Republican in his Cabinet.
Retaining Gates provides stability for a stretched military fighting two wars during the turbulent changeover in administrations. Gates once said it was inconceivable that he would stay on past the close of Bush’s term on Jan. 20.
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Trackbacks
- This ain’t Hell, but you can see it from here » Blog Archive » Official; Gates will remain at the Pentagon
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- Your Nightly Circular Firing Squad Post…. | Political Byline
- Werner Patels - A Dose of Common Sense
- Why the MSM will turn on Obama | skewred.com
- More Change You Can’t Beleive In … Obama Keeps Defense Secretary Robert Gates | Scared Monkeys
- Gates As Obama Defense Chief: Another Centrist Obama Administration Sign
- Obama Will Keep Gates at Defense | The American Pundit
- 2002 Video Flashback- Eric Holder: Terrorist Detainees Don’t Fall Under Geneva Conventions | BigMouthFrog
- Más cambio en el que … ¿creer? « Sarah Palin en Español
- Michelle Malkin » Obama keeps Bush’s Defense Secretary | Mixblog Team 2009
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Wait. Who was your horse in the last race? And I don’t mean McCain, because hardly anyone here initially supported him.
Was it Huckabee? Or Romney? And if so what US military experience did they bring?
So now that he is elected Obama will still be a Rorschach Test for his supporters. No matter what he does it will be interpreted as having kept his promise.
How else can you call keeping something the same “change”?
No.
If he does not end torture, that is not change.
If he does not make a major push for universal health coverage, that is not change.
If he doesn’t make a major push for alternative energy development, that is not change.
I could go on, but I think I’ve made my point.
N.B. I never said you personally have to like these changes. I suspect you don’t.
All these issues can be easily spun. Hardly black and white.
Does this go for Centcom, too? Will Obama keep him?
So…when Bush picks Gates, it’s based on cronyism, not Gates’ competence.
But, when Obama selects the same person, it’s “change” because Obama made his decision based on competence??
are.you.freaking.serious?
Hunter. Vietnam.
Yes. they. are.
So General “Betrayus” was just the left’s little inside joke with a man they respected?
Gates is a hell of a good man, so I can hardly blame Obama for wanting to keep him on. I have to wonder how much better off we would have been had he been in that post from the get-go instead of Rumsfeld.
Think about it this way - you have a really good man running the show now, so all the right things that he’s able to pull off will get attributed to Obama’s administration.
It’s all a big smoke and mirror show with Obama who obviously studied Bill Clinton’s playbook extremely well.
No. Bush learned his lesson eventually. Gates was a good pick then and now.
Where were we discussing Patreus? And that particular attack was infantile, fwiw.
Wait, he was in the race?
Yes, I brought up Petraeus in #105.
So do you think Obama will keep him? If he does and the left doesn’t attack Obama, will you admit hypocrisy on their part?
Will Gen Petraeus choose to stick around or retire? That’s the question.
ALOT of soldiers are taking a hard look at an obama pResidency and thinking twice about re-enlisting. Except right now is not a good time to be in the IRR.
Why? What’s the risk?
Chap…Here is your previous statement:
I thought that you were saying “cronyism” was the case with Gates.
So, if Bush is the one who made the “change” from cronyism, why are you crediting Obama for that?? Obama is not “changing” anything here. I thought he was the candidate who did not represent “4 more years of Bush’s policies….”
Don’t know about you, IR, but I’m enjoying the cognitive dissonance of the left. Those Krazy Kos Kids don’t know what to do with themselves either:
Back when Kos called Gates a “Shoot first crazy neocon”
Yes and yes.
It will be fun to watch the libs twisting and squirming to justify their leader in the future.
twist and shout!
Even a blind squirrel (BUSH) will find an acorn (GATES) every once in a while!
Not really. The far subtler message here is that Repubs are far more “into” war and killing than Dems/Libs are, so DOD’s a “suitable” seat for Repubs.
James Greenidge
Queens New York