On November 25th, 2008 at 8:09 pm, chapoutier said:

Now, it looks like continuity is not such an evil thing. Obama’s keeping on Bush’s SecDef, Robert Gates.

There’s nothing wrong with recognizing competence.

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

twist and shout!

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?

Yes and yes.

IndyRich said:
So, if Bush is the one who made the “change” from cronyism, why are you crediting Obama for that?

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”

On November 26th, 2008 at 1:56 pm, chapoutier said:
No. Bush learned his lesson eventually. Gates was a good pick then and now.

Chap…Here is your previous statement:

I would say putting competence above cronyism (as is the case with Gates) is pretty good change.

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….”

On November 26th, 2008 at 3:13 pm, sonofdy said:

Except right now is not a good time to be in the IRR.

Why? What’s the risk?

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.

So do you think Obama will keep (Petraeus)?

Will Gen Petraeus choose to stick around or retire? That’s the question.

On November 26th, 2008 at 1:56 pm, chapoutier said:

Where were we discussing Patreus?

Yes, I brought up Petraeus in #105.

And that particular attack was infantile, fwiw.

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?

So…when Bush picks Gates, it’s based on cronyism, not Gates’ competence.

No. Bush learned his lesson eventually. Gates was a good pick then and now.

So General “Betrayus” was just the left’s little inside joke with a man they respected?

Where were we discussing Patreus? And that particular attack was infantile, fwiw.

Hunter. Vietnam.

Wait, he was in the race?

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.