Obama's team
Well, I'm disappointed with Obama's choices of Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State and Robert Gates as Secretary of Defense. Foreign policy was my defining issue in the primary campaign between Obama and Hillary Clinton. I thought that her votes for the Iraq AUMF, against the Levin amendment, and in favor of Kyl-Lieberman bespoke a validation of neoconservative talking points, and her ridicule of Obama's support for diplomacy with Iran was shortsighted. And Robert Gates seems like a fine enough fellow, but I don't like a vindication of the notion that you really need to turn to the Republicans if you want to run the Defense Department.
OTOH ...
From non-substantive perspective, one of the worst things about Bush's governing style has been lack of attention to differing viewpoints. As recounted in Ron Suskind's book "the Price of Loyalty," Bush prided himself on "not negotiating with himself," on being decisive, particularly in his first term. This stupid approach made people wary of telling Bush intelligence he didn't want to hear about Iraq not having WMD, for example, and was just a bad, narrow way to govern
I don't think that Obama's a shrinking violet who's going to go along with people like Clinton and Gates just for the heck of it. Ultimately, I'll judge him on the substantive stuff he does, rather than the people he nominates for cabinet positions. So I'll wait and see.
And, hey, I'm excited about not having a carpetbagging Senator again!
OTOH ...
From non-substantive perspective, one of the worst things about Bush's governing style has been lack of attention to differing viewpoints. As recounted in Ron Suskind's book "the Price of Loyalty," Bush prided himself on "not negotiating with himself," on being decisive, particularly in his first term. This stupid approach made people wary of telling Bush intelligence he didn't want to hear about Iraq not having WMD, for example, and was just a bad, narrow way to govern
I don't think that Obama's a shrinking violet who's going to go along with people like Clinton and Gates just for the heck of it. Ultimately, I'll judge him on the substantive stuff he does, rather than the people he nominates for cabinet positions. So I'll wait and see.
And, hey, I'm excited about not having a carpetbagging Senator again!
Labels: Bush, Gates, Hillary Clinton, Obama
posted by honestpartisan | 9:15 PM
2 Comments:
I often wondered why Ms Clinton did not change parties. And I still wonder why the Right still considers her a Liberal.
I would have liked Richardson I think as Sec/State. But I can understand Obama keeping Gates on board. It may not go down well that the Pentagon feels more comfortable with a conservative in charge of Defense, but there it is. Gates can bridge the break in period and allow Obama some time to hopefully win some of their confidence. Yeah, they are supposed to serve the President. Looks great on paper, but the real world works differently.
As you say, I will wait and see how Obama does by his actions. His inclusion of Clinton and Gates definitely offers aome hope he will not suffer from tunnel vision.
Ms Clinton did change party, she started as a Republican.
In my book she still is.
If Gates calls the USAF Tanker Deal for AirBus EtAl then it was a big big mistake.
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