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Current Events => Breaking News => Topic started by: Wretched Excess on November 29, 2008, 02:32:06 PM

Title: Liberals Angry Over Obama Keeping Gates as Pentagon Chief
Post by: Wretched Excess on November 29, 2008, 02:32:06 PM
(http://www.topnews.in/files/Robert-Gates2.jpg)

President-elect Obama's expected selection of Robert Gates as his defense secretary and retired Gen. Jim Jones as his national security adviser is raising eyebrows among liberals.



More than a month before he takes the oath of office, President-elect Barack Obama already is testing the loyalty of his liberal base.

On Monday, he is expected to announce his national security team, which will include Robert Gates as his defense secretary, a carry-over from the Bush administration, and retired Gen. Jim Jones, who supported John McCain for president, as his national security adviser.

Liberal blogger Chris Bowers of The Open Left says the message sent by the selection of Gates undermines Democrats.

"The message would be clear," he writes in his blog. "Even Democrats agree that Democrats can't run the military."

Obama's outspoken opposition to the Iraq war before he became a U.S. senator was one of the reasons he was embraced early in the presidential race by the anti-war faction of the Democratic Party's base, so his apparent decision to keep a Bush adviser as defense secretary for at least a year has raised some eyebrows within that faction.

Bowers, a member of the Pennsylvania state Democratic committee, argues that Gates provided support and cover for practices from waterboarding to the use of psychotropic drugs on terror detainees. The blogger isn't as negative toward Jones but still called it "very disappointing."

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2008/11/29/liberals-furious-obama-keeping-gates/


 :rotf:

** modified by WE for photo **
Title: Re: Liberals Angry Over Obama Keeping Gates as Pentagon Chief
Post by: Eupher on November 29, 2008, 02:39:05 PM
The Exalted One need not worry. He will be worshipped by His followers despite his inability to find anybody in his covey of criminals circle of liberal friends with the credentials of Robert Gates.

The worshipping will go on pretty much unabated for the first 90 days of His Majesty's reign. Then the party's over and he'll actually be held accountable for at least some of his decisions.
Title: Re: Liberals Angry Over Obama Keeping Gates as Pentagon Chief
Post by: TheSarge on November 29, 2008, 02:42:09 PM
The Exalted One need not worry. He will be worshipped by His followers despite his inability to find anybody in his covey of criminals circle of liberal friends with the credentials of Robert Gates.

The worshipping will go on pretty much unabated for the first 90 days of His Majesty's reign. Then the party's over and he'll actually be held accountable for at least some of his decisions.

Considering he's hiring so much of the old Clinton staff...I fully expected to see William Cohen and Togo West returning to the Pentagon.
Title: Re: Liberals Angry Over Obama Keeping Gates as Pentagon Chief
Post by: Eupher on November 29, 2008, 02:53:58 PM
Considering he's hiring so much of the old Clinton staff...I fully expected to see William Cohen and Togo West returning to the Pentagon.

It might be a little difficult to bring in Les Aspin, however.   ;)
Title: Re: Liberals Angry Over Obama Keeping Gates as Pentagon Chief
Post by: TheSarge on November 29, 2008, 02:54:50 PM
It might be a little difficult to bring in Les Aspin, however.   ;)

True.  At least we don't have to worry about him refusing to send us Armor...again.
Title: Re: Liberals Angry Over Obama Keeping Gates as Pentagon Chief
Post by: Eupher on November 29, 2008, 02:57:51 PM
True.  At least we don't have to worry about him refusing to send us Armor...again.

That's a Roger. Shughart and Gordon might be around still....
Title: Re: Liberals Angry Over Obama Keeping Gates as Pentagon Chief
Post by: Ptarmigan on November 29, 2008, 05:30:57 PM
Obama ran on the mantra of "Change". Guess what, he appoints people from the Clinton years. If he wants to live up to his image, he would appoint outsiders, not Beltway insiders or Clinton administration members. Anyways, if they are disappointed, it makes me happy. That's schuedenfreude for ya!  :rotf:
Title: Re: Liberals Angry Over Obama Keeping Gates as Pentagon Chief
Post by: TheSarge on November 29, 2008, 05:36:01 PM
That's a Roger. Shughart and Gordon might be retired

Fixt.
Title: Re: Liberals Angry Over Obama Keeping Gates as Pentagon Chief
Post by: Uhhuh35 on November 29, 2008, 06:15:51 PM
Someone else here said this about the DUmmies and I'd like to repeat it:

"Their anguish sustains me".   :evillaugh:
Title: Re: Liberals Angry Over Obama Keeping Gates as Pentagon Chief
Post by: djones520 on November 29, 2008, 06:19:17 PM
I gotta say, Obama actually made me happy with this move.  I was really afraid of him pulling a left wing nut ball outta the bag for this one, but he played it smart, went with the experience, and was making a good move at reaching across the aisle.
Title: Re: Liberals Angry Over Obama Keeping Gates as Pentagon Chief
Post by: Chris on November 29, 2008, 06:21:00 PM
I gotta say, Obama actually made me happy with this move.  I was really afraid of him pulling a left wing nut ball outta the bag for this one, but he played it smart, went with the experience, and was making a good move at reaching across the aisle.

He could do worse.  He could bring Sandy Berger back.
Title: Re: Liberals Angry Over Obama Keeping Gates as Pentagon Chief
Post by: TheSarge on November 29, 2008, 10:26:56 PM
To the "guest" trying to post in this thread.

SIGN UP YOU MORON!

If you want to post in my thread in the section I moderate you have to SIGN UP AS A MEMBER!

That is all.
Title: Re: Liberals Angry Over Obama Keeping Gates as Pentagon Chief
Post by: DarkHalo on November 29, 2008, 11:39:50 PM


Quote
"The message would be clear," he writes in his blog. "Even Democrats agree that Democrats can't run the military."

When I first heard of this the very first thing I thought was that they had to have a conservative to take care of defense.  :rotf:
Title: Re: Liberals Angry Over Obama Keeping Gates as Pentagon Chief
Post by: NHSparky on November 30, 2008, 06:09:02 AM
I gotta say, Obama actually made me happy with this move.  I was really afraid of him pulling a left wing nut ball outta the bag for this one, but he played it smart, went with the experience, and was making a good move at reaching across the aisle.

He's got four years.  Give it time.  Something tells me it's entirely possible he could be searching for someone to placate the left who wouldn't drive conservatives into a frenzy because they know so little about him, and Gates is just warming the seat for the first year or so.

Trust me, when it comes to the 0, I put NOTHING past the guy.
Title: Re: Liberals Angry Over Obama Keeping Gates as Pentagon Chief
Post by: formerlurker on November 30, 2008, 06:56:43 AM
Gates was going to walk if Obama won as he wanted nothing to do with withdrawing troops from Iraq before the job was done.    The news he is staying is good as it means to me that Obama has assured him he has no intentions at all of making good on that promise.   

Title: Re: Liberals Angry Over Obama Keeping Gates as Pentagon Chief
Post by: TheSarge on November 30, 2008, 06:59:04 AM
Gates was going to walk if Obama won as he wanted nothing to do with withdrawing troops from Iraq before the job was done.    The news he is staying is good as it means to me that Obama has assured him he has no intentions at all of making good on that promise.   



Obama really doesn't have a choice now does he?

The Iraqi parliment agreed to the Security deal that ensured troops in the country for the next three years.
Title: Re: Liberals Angry Over Obama Keeping Gates as Pentagon Chief
Post by: formerlurker on November 30, 2008, 06:59:49 AM
He's got four years.  Give it time.  Something tells me it's entirely possible he could be searching for someone to placate the left who wouldn't drive conservatives into a frenzy because they know so little about him, and Gates is just warming the seat for the first year or so.

Trust me, when it comes to the 0, I put NOTHING past the guy.

I don't know.   Obama will be running again in two years and defense is nothing he cares about.   Gates continues to excel in this position, and Obama doesn't make some left field decisions on the WoT, then Gates will stay on.  
Title: Re: Liberals Angry Over Obama Keeping Gates as Pentagon Chief
Post by: NHSparky on November 30, 2008, 07:10:04 AM
Gates was going to walk if Obama won as he wanted nothing to do with withdrawing troops from Iraq before the job was done.    The news he is staying is good as it means to me that Obama has assured him he has no intentions at all of making good on that promise.   



Oh, okay--nobody has EVER been lied to in politics.  Gotcha.

As I stated before, I put NOTHING past Obama, especially given what we've seen over the past month.
Title: Re: Liberals Angry Over Obama Keeping Gates as Pentagon Chief
Post by: DumbAss Tanker on November 30, 2008, 10:27:31 AM
Obama really doesn't have a choice now does he?

The Iraqi parliment agreed to the Security deal that ensured troops in the country for the next three years.

Certainly he does, the treaty sets a "Not later than" date, not a date certain.
Title: Re: Liberals Angry Over Obama Keeping Gates as Pentagon Chief
Post by: formerlurker on November 30, 2008, 11:12:31 AM
Oh, okay--nobody has EVER been lied to in politics.  Gotcha.

As I stated before, I put NOTHING past Obama, especially given what we've seen over the past month.

The difference is that Gates has no party loyalty to Obama, and will walk in a NY minute if Obama starts handing down ridiculous directives.   

Gates will then do a book tour selling an 'Obama is a jackass' story during election season.    It's all good either way.   :popcorn:
Title: Re: Liberals Angry Over Obama Keeping Gates as Pentagon Chief
Post by: Schadenfreude on November 30, 2008, 11:15:41 AM
Obama ran on the mantra of "Change". Guess what, he appoints people from the Clinton years. If he wants to live up to his image, he would appoint outsiders, not Beltway insiders or Clinton administration members. Anyways, if they are disappointed, it makes me happy. That's schuedenfreude for ya!  :rotf:

Schadenfreude is a bitch!  :-)

Title: Re: Liberals Angry Over Obama Keeping Gates as Pentagon Chief
Post by: Schadenfreude on November 30, 2008, 11:18:30 AM
I had heard that this might be a shrewd move to have a conservative condone the withdrawal when it happens. I guess the operative word is "when". I think Obama was talking 18 months while he was campaigning and now I have heard the 2012 year tossed around.

Title: Re: Liberals Angry Over Obama Keeping Gates as Pentagon Chief
Post by: Hawkgirl on November 30, 2008, 10:38:50 PM
"Even Democrats agree that Democrats can't run the military."


 :popcorn: :-)
Title: Re: Liberals Angry Over Obama Keeping Gates as Pentagon Chief
Post by: paladin0 on December 01, 2008, 01:27:25 PM
I know many in the military are upset over Obama's win, if he replaced Gates with some anti-war liberal the stream of people leaving the military would turn into a flood. He'd look really bad if he has to reinstate the draft.

Paladin0
Title: Re: Liberals Angry Over Obama Keeping Gates as Pentagon Chief
Post by: Jim on December 01, 2008, 02:27:45 PM
Gates is only in for a year, don't get too excited.   
But I am glad to see the zero renege on his entire platform.