President-elect Barack Obama’s plan to keep Wichita native Robert Gates as defense secretary is wise, as Gates will provide valuable continuity during a time of two wars. Besides, Gates has earned bipartisan respect for his pragmatic, mature leadership during his two years as defense secretary. Rare for the Bush administration, Gates holds people accountable for failures, such as when he fired officials responsible for the conditions at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. He also has championed strengthening and better utilizing America’s “soft power,” such as by expanding the U.S. foreign service – which matches Obama’s foreign policy approach.
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22 Comments
Rare accolades from the EAGLE’s moderate-left opinion editor, Phillip Brownlee. But right-on Mr. Brownlee, in my opinion.
As a Wichita product and outstanding graduate of Wichita’s East High School in 1961, Robert Gates, U.S. Secretary of Defense, is serving our country with honor. We in Wichita who know a little of his achievements would expect nothing less.
Mr. Gates is receiving justifiable recognition by President-elect Barack Obama who is asking Mr. Gates to continue on as Secretary of Defense for at least one additional year.
Without checking, I think the Secretary of Defense most likely follows the Secretary of State in the Presidential “line of succession.”
Of course, we hope this is not exercised.
Interesting historic coincidence, Barack Obama’s Wichita family ancestors, including the Dunhams, lived at various locations near Douglas Avenue in near east and west Wichita back in the first half of the 1900’s. Robert Gates grew up a few blocks south of Douglas Avenue and a few blocks east of Hillside Avenue in the 1950’s.
Some Wichita history bugs are currently researching these locations.
In any case, best wishes to Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates.
As I recall, “JWink,”
(and, like you, I’m not gonna bother to look it up)
I think when succession to the presidency gets to cabinet posts it’s in the order those departments were created. State, Treasury, Defense (originally the Department of War), and so on. Next might be the Attorney General. I dunno.
We’re gonna learn over the next couple of years as senior military personnel retire and write their memoirs just how bad it was when Rumsfeld was in charge.
Gates brought adult supervision back to the Pentagon and boosted morale among a lot of frustrated military professionals who’d been frustrated (at best) and had their careers ruined (more frequently) during Rummy’s last posting.
I’m interested in who Obama will name as Assistant DoD. That’ll tell us a lot and ideally will make a transition from Gates seamless and in the best national interest.
Still, Boeing might not get the tanker contract. (Although I think it probably should.)
The best rule as to who is going to succeed to the Presidency is: “Maybe, depends, if, if not, and we flat out don’t know.” The point is a variety of exceptions stand in the way. Some being: must be natural born citizen, must be at least 35 years of age, must have resided in the U.S. for at least 14 years. Cabinet members must be officially confirmed by the U.S. Senate and not merely be “acting, awaiting confirmation by the Senate.”
Also there is a question whether successors actually become “President” or “Acting President.”
I recall the old story about David Rice Atchison, a U.S. Senator from Atchison, Kansas. Senator Atchison, a rabid supporter of slavery, claimed that because he was President Pro Tempore of the U.S. Senate at a point when a new President waited till Monday to be sworn in, he (Atchison) served as President for one day. However, the catch was Atchison’s own term as President Pro Tempore also expired the day before so his claim had minimal or no merit.
Any Presidential scholars out there?
Also there is a question whether successors actually become “President” or “Acting President.”
A distinction without a difference, I think. However, the 22nd Am. holds that a VP who succeeds IS President. Given that we now have a mechanism to fill a VP vacancy, absent some mass death of much of the line of succession, worrying about who’s next is mostly an exercise in mootness.
MH is right about the order, however. By law, today, the line runs first to the Speaker of the House, then the Pres. Pro Tempore of the Senate, then to the Cabinet positions in order of the creation of the particular department.
One of those annual trivia stories every year when the President gives the State of the Union address is which cabinet member is somewhere far away from the capitol building since the rest of the Congress and Executive branches are presumed to be in the room.
Usually it’s the Secretary of Agriculture or somesuch. But s/he is off in the Dick Cheney Bunker ’til the speech is over.
Glickman was the guy, as I recall, during one or two Clinton State of the Union addresses.
I’m surprised that the liberals here aren’t screaming about this. You folks may have more common sense than I thought.
I have to give credit to Obama for pragmatism.
“outlander
Posted November 26, 2008 at 5:48 pm | Permalink
I’m surprised … ”
I’m not at all surprised.
I want to correct myself regarding David Rice Atchison.
Senator Atchison was a U.S. Senator from northwest Missouri, NOT FROM KANSAS. He was generally from Plattesburgh, Missouri … about 30 miles north of today’s Kansas City International airport. He did help found and name Atchison, Kansas, an early pro-slavery Kansas town.
In about 1855-56, Senator Atchison led a large group of Missourians to raid Kansas. They camped in Merriam, Kansas, at today’s I-35 and Shawnee Mission Parkway on their way to Lawrence, Kansas. At Lawrence, they did some damage to the Eldridge Hotel and blustered around creating the so-called “Kansas war.”
About that time, anti-slavery “old” John Brown and his sons arrived in eastern Kansas and massacered some Missouri pro-slavery raiders. I think John Brown actually captured David Rice Atchison near Baldwin, Kansas at which time Brown paroled and released Atchison thus effectively ending David Atchison’s Kansas pro-slavery activities.
Of course, the real damage to Lawrence, Kansas was done a few years later in 1863. Quantrill and his gang killed over 100 Lawrence men … don’t remember the exact number right now.
As a Kansas history buff, I always thought it would have been interesting if Wild Bill Hickok, an anti-slavery “northerner” and perhaps fastest and most accurate shooter in the west had met William Clarke Quantrill, a southerner, rabid killer, in a duel. Of course, Hickok would have easily won unless outnumbered.
Strangely, Hickok and Quantrill each arrived in the Kansas City area in about 1856-57 as young men of about the same age. They must have crossed paths many times. But local historians have never found any information they ever met.
I strayed a bit from the original subject but one subject led to another.
JW – I wonder how many KU fans know what a JayHawker is.
“Jayhawkers is a term that originally applied to guerrilla fighters during the American Civil War in Kansas who often clashed with pro-slavery partisans, as well as Missouri militia units. The name was also used by or applied to some Kansas regular troops. It is in reference to the mythical Jayhawk. Today the term is applied to a native or resident of Kansas.”
wiki
Is this what you had in mind, Ben?
Yep.
In fatc – it would be interesting to see how many college kids know their mascots – Sooners (land thieves) comes to mind. One of those ‘history lesson’ type questions.
Here I am outlander.
Obama is making a dreadful error in keeping Gates. Gates is part of the damn PNAC crowd. You can count on it.
Too? Many of us are not INTERESTED in working with the party so worthy of the defeat they earned.
This can be the first mistake Obama makes or it can be the last. No one is guaranteeing him the nomination in 4 years.
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BlueJay
Posted November 26, 2008 at 6:55 pm | Permalink
This can be the first mistake Obama makes or it can be the last. No one is guaranteeing him the nomination in 4 years.
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I’m not aware that a sitting president has to go through a nominating process.
Gates was a good choice. In fact, Obama has made a lot of good choices lately.
We all have a choice. We can stew in our hatred of the other party, or we can do what’s needed to get this country back on track for the good of all Americans. If you hate, you’re part of the problem. I prefer to be part of the solution.
“I’m not aware that a sitting president has to go through a nominating process”
Ask LBJ about that – and the surprise we gave him in New hampshire in 1968.
Elections are supposed to mean something X.
This last one means America is THROUGH with the Republican party.
Obama pandered here. I understand he pandered and has appointed some supply sider to his economic team as well.
In keeping Gates, I am ready to make my first prediction on Obama and policy.
Our troops are in Iraq for keeps. JUST as the Project for a New American Century (PNAC) wsanted.
If Obama even THINKS about tacking right, there are no small number of people ready to make him pay for it in four years.
Obama wise to keep Gates
=========================
But Gates is stupid to stay and be the leader of the loosing side when Obama surrenders, turns tail and runs with the French white surrender flag flying high over his head.
Why does Gates want to be a looser?
The war was doomed for failure when Obama won. Pull all our troops out now and save lives.
All hope is lost!
RA – perhaps Gates realizes that the REAL front is Afghanistan/Pakistan and that Obama, UNLIKE BUSH, realizes that reality.
Gates had close ties to William Casey.
Maybe some folks have forgotten about William Casey. HE sought to set up a separate secret foreign policy arm of the US. He was DEEP in Iran-contra and Gates was tight with him at the time.
Also? Gates was CIA, JUST like poppy bush.
I promise you, nothing good will come of Obama keeping this guy.
BlueJay
Posted November 26, 2008 at 9:03 pm | Permalink
Elections are supposed to mean something X.
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Here’s a concept idea. Why don’t we wait until Obama is actually in office and see what he does before we start firing on him?
Yes, elections mean something. I doubt if this one means what you think.
“Yes, elections mean something. I doubt if this one means what you think.”
Then I must start thinking to the next one UNLESS Barack Obama convinces me otherwise.
A most interesting thread. Jay and Linda, look at your email. See you soon.
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BlueJay
Posted November 26, 2008 at 11:36 pm | Permalink
“Yes, elections mean something. I doubt if this one means what you think.”
Then I must start thinking to the next one UNLESS Barack Obama convinces me otherwise.
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Palin in 2012!