Gates a ‘Done Deal’

Oh my. The nuts ain’t gonna be happy.

So in the last few days we learn that Obama will keep Bush’s Defense Secretary (and thus continue his Iraq policy), will continue the bailot policies, and that Bush’s tax cuts will stay as is. Hey Obama voting suckers, how do you like your change?

No, I’m a nut and I think this is a good choice. Then after a year or two Obama should nominate Chuck Hagel to replace Gates.

Ken,
We like it very much. Thank you for asking.

As most pundits had said before the election, once PEBO got the job he would begin to organize his administration with a pratical realization that the American public is basically conservative when it taxes (lower), the economy (jobs), national security (anti-terrorist)and foreign policy (know who your friends are) and that some who worked for the Bush Administration (Gates), or opposed him during the Democratic primaries (i.e. Clinton) were the best choices for these jobs.

Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.

Ken: “Hey Obama voting suckers, how do you like your change?”
Just fine actually. A new bus driver doesn’t have get out and change the lug nuts to turn the whole thing in a different direction. You do understand that the President sets the Iraq policy and the Sec Def implements the policy as ordered (or he is immediately relieved)? Sorta a fundmental basis of our government laid out in the Constitution if you want to research it a bit.

Maybe Bush was actually making the correct decisions and everything that has happened isn’t all his fault.
Amazing!

moder8: “As most pundits had said before the election, once PEBO got the job he would begin to organize his administration with a pratical realization that the American public is basically conservative when it taxes (lower), the economy (jobs), national security (anti-terrorist)and foreign policy (know who your friends are)…”
Seeing as how those are many of the fundamental points of all those policy white papers he pulled together and published on his website at the beginning of his run, I don’t think anyone is at all surprised. They are all the “Liberal” promises he ran on – lower taxes for the majority of Americans, an emphasis on jobs over corporate profit, repeated highlighting the need to capture/kill Bin Laden rather than adventure in Iraq, and a return to diplomacy to relieve the ‘policeman’ burden carried by us alone. It’s not like he ever hid any of this.

Back during the primaries, Obama explained what he meant by “change,”: he wants to get away from the excessively partisan party bickering of recent years in an attempt to find common ground. His appointments show that he meant what he said.

Some of You everyday people seem to know how to run the country than the people that was elected to do so. We are in a bad position and the world is looking at us, for crying out load, yes he promised change, but he is also very smart. I see him surrounding himself with all the best even if he didn’t opt to change them, some of you are so bitter about your lost you can’t see that the change is already happening. At least he show no petty grievance. Maybe if we show more support for who’s in office we wouldn’t be in this position. I’ve traveled all over the world in the Military and Trust me when I say this other country have nothing to be jealous of…we are always complaining about something here in America, nothing is ever good enough. You all expect to wake up on Jan 21st and the country’s problems will be fixed. I have all faith in Barack Obama and I assure you that we will see change it just won’t happen overnight. So for all the whinner, get some cheese with that and shut up or grow up. Give the man a chance. Either that or you take a stab at the presidency, let see how well some of you will do, proable run at the first sign of trouble. We can all talk when we are not the one in the public eye faced with this burden place upon us by the Lameduck one..in stead of support that we should all be showing, some of us cry so much about nothing. I guess you guys were the ones born with the silver spoon, never had to face hardship before, well guess what we are all in the same boat and we need to start supporting each other as a country, instead of trying to find the negative in each other. I’m glad non of you guys are my friends. Wow how miserable life would be.

How wise would it be to change every person in Washington at this time. I mean what would it look like to the world ( our enemies) if we got rid of all the experience that we have in government and replace all of it with novice players as some of you seem to suggest. I mean didn’t the president elect say to those that didn’t vote for him he heard. But you know what you can’t please all of the people all of the time and he won’t. I applaud his efforts and await the effects of hiis decisions.Despite some negative chatter, Americans may be pleased with his decisions in the near to long run.

TV took my thunder.
Not that Raddatz or Tapper will update their posting accordingly.
Then again, the fact that SecDef Gates is an Eagle Scout has what sort of bearing on the story?

So Lt. Col John…are you being serious, sarcastic? Can’t really tell from your comments. I respect and admire Mr. Gates. I would think someone of your stature would do the same. I’m surprised at the “politics” that goes on by the armed forces these days…

Donald Rumsfeld is an Eagle Scout too.

“The same failed policies of George Bush.”
That sounds familiar somehow.

Bwahahahahahahaha…
Change!
Ala-Kazham!
What? You didn’t see it? Let’s go over it again. Watch as Barry he moves the walnut shells on the table….watch….
now pick a shell……

What a great leader Obama will be. The real threat to America comes from within, like the Republicans who lost this time. They will try and chisel away at our very core to get their ways. Remember, you lost, WE won, get over it and become Americans. Try for once to put the US ahead of your broken lame party. Gone with the Wind!!!!

Through out the entire campaign I couldnt get over how daft some bloggers could be…….and post election the plague continues. . how keeping Gates on translates to Obama continuing with Bush’s Iraqi Policy I dont just know.
its just like saying a conductor must carry along his own orchestra every where he performs in order to get his tunes played right…..

What happened to the anti-American foreign policy the loony left expected? You know, the change they believed in. This looks very mainstream, Foggy Bottom, Council of Foreign Relations, Bush second term-like.

“the Donald Rumsfeld” struck me as very funny.

Now, this is your traditional circle problem. If Obama reaches for the best and brightest, as in acting in America’s best interest, rather than the party’s interest (like he did here), he is attacked by the left and (ironically) the right. Both, oddly enough with the same complaint – that he is reaching for some of the same people, meaning he isn’t about change. Yes, there are many who value campaign slogans over their country. That’s scary, no matter which party they hail from.

It’s so nice to see change in America…
Thank you America!!!! I am so glad the majority of you voted for president elect Barack Obama. He will make a great president….

If my memory serves me correctly (memory has nothing to do with the following)
Bush is executing PEBO foreign policy (Name one Senate action that was against Bush foreign policy)
Troops are coming home from Iraq on PEBO Timeline (Not the 1st timeline which would have emptied out US forces during a civil war in 2006-2007. Not the revised timeline during the surge. But the most operative timeline, “operative” meaning always the last thing said, does relatively comport with Petraeus and Iraq SOFA)
…the real central front on WOT and we are taking out AQ where ever they are in AFPAK. (Well we need to be taking out AQ “where ever” which is in over 50 countries. There is no central front, there IS a central HQ I suppose but even the current strikes into Pak border areas are as much likely to get Bin Laden as Captain Ahab would be to get the whale fishing from the pier . The continuing problem is not destabilizing and Islamic nuke nation — and what is really needed is a working counterinsurgency plan, good NATO Rules of Engagement, and legitimizing and strengthening our unhappy Mayor of Kabul)
HRC … running a $40Billion -40,000 staff (Dept of State getting major increase – unlikely anytime soon and probably very wasteful)

After getting the full national security briefings, I noticed how Obama and Biden changed their tune. Now, they’ve asked Gates to remain. They say once the President-elect sees the security briefing, his hair often stands up on the back of his neck and his jaw drops. Probably, a few choice words are said. Now, Obama is NOT campaigning, but governing. Something he has NEVER done before. He has placed people who have experience since he has NONE. He still has communist core values. I still see him trying to get everything calm for about 2 years before implementing his full communist policies. Right now, he plans on getting more government control over banks, auto industry and others. It’s only a matter of time before we become a marxist experient. Our founding fathers would cringe. Obama claims to equate himself with Lincoln, he is dellusional. Lincoln believed in the goodness of our nation, Obama hates our nations founding principles. .

Ummm PEBO as you call him introduced legislation to bring ALL troops out of Iraq by June 2007.
That was the PEBO timeline. Are you saying that happened? I think there are still troops in Iraq, so that didn’t happen, did it?
No. Obama said during the campaign that he would “call in the Joints Chiefs of Staff on Jan 20 and give them a new mission, all trrops out by 16 months.”
after being informed that it was not the job of the JCS to set strategy anymore since the reorganization of the Pentagon — a development of which Obama appeared to be entirely unaware– he was told that it would be Centcom Cammander Gen petraeus who would be given the “new mission” of losing the war.
Oh too late! We’ve already won, no thanks — none — to Obama. He voted against the surge and kept insisting it was unsuccessful long after other Dems had given up on the idea of losing the war.
Yes, he’s a real genius. what he is is smart enough to know that he needs Petraeus and Gates way more than they need him, and trust me, it is he who will be asking them how to win in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Both of which by the way will be far more difficult than Iraq.
So, military geniuses here — let’s check back on Jan 20, shall we, and see if Obama has “told” Gates and Petraeus to start losing the war. Because that’s what Obama’s first action was going to be. Well, now it’s the “stimulus handout” that will the “first action.” And then the bailout of Detroit, payback to the unions, abortion on demand — there’s so many things he has promised to do.

I voted for McCain but props to BHO, good choice.

Hey Proteapal….Check the papers….election is over…you lost…maybe you should try getting over it now too. WE suffered 8 years under your heroes, so give Obama a try, will ya??

The Georgetown Hoyas (Gates and Jones) will keep the nation safe and free.

Political opportunism at its finest. When things were going badly in Iraq, Obama was the fastest “cutter and runner” of them all.
Now we don’t hear a peep about Iraq in the media. Why not? The surge worked, and WE WON, and Iraq is at peace.
So President-Elect Obama makes a pragmatic decision: if it works, don’t fix it–keep Gates.
For those who can read between the lines, Obama makes a tacit admission:
McCain was right. Country first.

Everyone’s complaining about Bush and what he’s done. Do you realize it’s not HIS fault? In 1999, the New York times printed an article which mentions Bill Clinton, (That’s right B.C.) was giving Fanny and Freddie Mac, pressure to accept “sub prime lending” which would allow just about anyone to purchase the “American dream.” (Ironically, large lenders were also pressuring Fanny and Freddie as well.) Go figure! The crash of the sub prime market is the foundational reason why the economy is in the toilet at this moment. Don’t hate on Bush. He inherited that cluster. If you don’t believe me, do your freakin’ research! September 30, 1999 New York times. Wish I could attach this article cuz I have it right here.

Is this another Bush therm or Clinton third term? What is gate doing in the cabinet of change?

To the nay sayers if our president-elect didn’t know what he was doing he would not be putting the smartest and best in office. He would put goofs like you in office.

Mediocrity is its own reward.

There isn’t any kind of victory in Iraq. What does it mean victory there? The British Empire was in Iraq for long time and have failed to bring peace for those countless tribes.
Well, Robert Gates was involved – with cel. Oliver North (how the world can forget him?)- on “Iran-Contras” CIA secret operation during the Reagan Administration. They sold weapons to Ayatollah’s regime (USA enemies!) and the profits were sending to the “Contras”, group of mercenaires who fought against the Nicaragua’s government. Led by who? Daniel Ortega, Nicaragua’s president at present time. Gates is a very bad choice for a real CHANGE in Washington.

Hey Repubs: You have lost elections by landslide. The Republican Party means the old, the retrocession, the reactionary – it is over. Finish, finito, c’est fini.

Of all the Bushies in Washington only Gates gets to stay. He must be good or he holds too many top secrets that forces Obama’s hand. Anyway Gates seems sensible and not like that Rumhead.

I cannot belive people on this blog are blaming Clinton. Folks if Bush did not like what Clinton passed he had 8 years to change the laws. This is Bush and the Republians mess for not having any oversight and not enforcing the regs on the books

Why do I feel like I have egg on my face.

National Security is priority #1! Therefore, a strong economy leads to a strong military, which leads to a strong national security. In other words, don’t weaken the economy by taxing it!

Yup, more “change” from Barry & Co. egggggcellent! Whos next, Albright, Vince Fo…. errr froget that one,Henry Cisneros, cmon Barry dont let us down!!!!

I think it makes perfect sense to keep Secretary Gates in place; Obama is just being pragmatic. Gates has not been an ideologue the past two years. He has demonstrated competence, held subordinates accountable, and proven adept at operating in DC.
Most importantly of all, keeping a steady hand at DOD gives the new administration cover to focus on an ambitious domestic agenda.
If Obama is going to spend political capital, he will do so by expanding entitlement programs, especially Health Care, not by appeasing the idealists who see his election as the repudiation of every last second of the past 8 years.

I didn’t vote for Obama, and now I wonder why. He is going to be a great leader. McCain on the otherhand is still a good Senator, but he’d never measure up to Obama’s intellect. He probably would have picked Rumsfeld! LOL

All US troops home in 16 months!
Remember that promise?
End the war.
Remember that promise?

Well the new Obama Administration is looking like a blend of the past two administrations……..Clinton and Bush
Obama has picked a Republican for his Secretary of Treasury who got started in the Reagan adminstration in 1988 and now Gates is a hold over at Department of Defense. Obama has plans to increase combat forces in Afghanistan so he probably needed Gates to manage our increased involvement in that war.
And of course most of the other appointments come from the Clinton administration.
Obama has picked REPUBLICANS for the two most important positions in his administration the Secretary of Treasury and the Secretary of Defense, imagine that! ….Republicans
Not sure how the liberal Democrats are liking this.
Especially the ones who hold tremendous hate in their hearts for Bush and Clinton.
……………………Comments?

Sorry but if I were Gates I would have declined and left as soon as I could.
Sorry but I wouldn’t want to be anywhere NEAR this guys Administration.
I suspect Gates won’t be there for very long at all…and will leave of his own volition.

Those of you who oppose putting competent people in high responsibility positions must have never run a business. The most important thing a chief executive can do is staff with the best people available that will see your agenda through. Which is a key point, just because these individuals served within other administrations doesn’t mean that they will drive policy as such. Quite the contrary, I am absolutely confident that these individuals have distinguished themselves as independent thinkers but also as team players. Most of what I read here is nothing more than sour apples in my view and should be disguarded. Just to be clear, the selection of SOD Gates is by no stretch an acceptance of the Bush Iraq policy. I am certain that after 1/20 President Obama will instruct his commanders to prepare a plan for a phased withdrawal. SOS Clinton will meet regularly with the Iraqi government and its neighbors to create the correct political environment for a successful withdrawal. This has been the plan from day one and I see no indicators to the contrary.

barrack was talking out of his a$$ during the election and now that he got access to the same security briefing that the president received every morning, he realized what Bush had to deal with and essentially agreed with his action. Give barrack some credit for wising up a bit.

Rich and Others,
Place the below search string within quotes in Google and the New York Times article will be the first link.
“Fannie Mae Eases Credit To Aid Mortgage Lending”
It’ll be the first link.