# What do you think of Obama's National Security Team **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 1, 2008, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-obamas-national-security-team/475198 "2008-12-01T16:49:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2008, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-obamas-national-security-team/475198/81 "2008-12-03T14:55:16Z")
> [@Digital\_Stimulus](#): > > Oh, and thank you, **Sam Stone** for the positive words. I’m rather enamoured with **Dio** ’s phrasing (in another thread) that Obama’s picks are “_stone-cold pragmatist_”. As an aside: do you feel a bit more comfortable now (not necessarily _totally_ comfortable, but _more_) with Obama’s win? I’m just wondering if his picks are doing anything to alleviate some of the pre-election misgivings/worries expressed by those in the non-nutjob contingent of conservative voters… Well, sure. Obama’s first cabinet looks rock solid. It could have been much worse. So you really can’t do anything but praise the guy for his picks. What ultimately matters are the policies Obama pushes, so we’ll have to wait and see how he actually performs once in office, but so far I’m liking the guy. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2008, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-obamas-national-security-team/475198/82 "2008-12-03T15:07:07Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > To flip the argument the other way, suppose a president issued an executive order increasing all the cabinet salaries by $1 per year. Would that render all current members of Congress permanently ineligible for service in the cabinet? They are not permanently barred from cabinet positions. They are barred from from the cabinet when a raise was issued during the term they are in office for. So if, say, the pay raise happened before Clinton’s election in 2006 then she is free and clear because the raise did not occur during her current term in office. At least that is how I read it. And yeah, if the President gives everyone a $1 raise then all congresscritters are barred till they stand for election again. You may say that is silly but that is the law as written. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2008, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-obamas-national-security-team/475198/83 "2008-12-03T15:44:29Z")
> [@What\_the](#): > > Seriously, there hasn’t been a post-election thread has there? Why would or should there be yet another thread on that brain-dead “liberal media” canard? ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2008, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-obamas-national-security-team/475198/84 "2008-12-03T17:49:33Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > Well, sure. Obama’s first cabinet looks rock solid. It could have been much worse. So you really can’t do anything but praise the guy for his picks. > > What ultimately matters are the policies Obama pushes, so we’ll have to wait and see how he actually performs once in office, but so far I’m liking the guy. I knew you would. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2008, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-obamas-national-security-team/475198/85 "2008-12-03T21:46:51Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > Unpopular governor? My sense of it is that Napolitano is well regarded in Arizona. I think **dale** was saying that Napolitano would have to do unpopular things to fix the economic clusterfuck in the next two years. ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2008, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-obamas-national-security-team/475198/86 "2008-12-03T21:58:29Z")
> [@autz](#): > > So it is oficial today, here is the national security team: > Hillary Clinton as secretary of state HATEHATEHATEDESPISEHATELOATHEHATE! > [@autz](#): > > General James Jones as National Security Adviser Not familiar with him, currently no opinion > [@autz](#): > > Janet Napolitano as Homeland Security Chief The “Homeland Security” department is a worthless, paranoid offshoot of bush’s incompetent 9/11 response, and serves no purpose, other than to compromise and remove our constitutional rights and privacy, this governmental branch should be eliminated and dissolved, it’s a goes-nowhere-does-nothing useless parasite and should be shut down > [@autz](#): > > Robert Gates as Defense Secretary Aside from unfortunately sharing the last name with the most evil troll in the computer industry, I have no opinion on him, Meh… > [@autz](#): > > Eric Holder as attorney general > > Susan Rice as ambassador to the United Nations No opinion, Meh… any attempt to install the _other_ Clinton in any governmental job (aside from White House Janitor/toilet scrubber) will make me lose all respect for the President-Elect, I voted for real political change, not simply rebuilding the Clinton white house… ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2008, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-obamas-national-security-team/475198/87 "2008-12-03T22:26:50Z")
What was wrong with the Clinton White House? This country did pretty damn well under Clinton. ---
**Author:** ![What\_the](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f4b2a3/32.png) [@What\_the](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_the)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2008, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-obamas-national-security-team/475198/88 "2008-12-05T19:25:16Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Why would or should there be yet another thread on that brain-dead “liberal media” canard? Because of something like [this, for example.](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/07/AR2008110702895.html) Just what is an ombudsmen anyway? I’m beginning to think it’s somebody a newspaper has on staff to fool a few people into thinking that they are fair in their coverage. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2008, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-obamas-national-security-team/475198/89 "2008-12-05T19:49:34Z")
They are too hawkish for my tastes. I suppose I am the only one who thinks Iraq is a huge waste of lives and money. We could pull out right now to make me happier. I don’t think these people will. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2008, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-obamas-national-security-team/475198/90 "2008-12-05T21:51:13Z")
> [@What\_the](#): > > Just what is an ombudsmen anyway? [They have their own organization.](http://www.newsombudsmen.org/what.htm) ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2008, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-obamas-national-security-team/475198/91 "2008-12-05T21:52:35Z")
> [@MacTech](#): > > HATEHATEHATEDESPISEHATELOATHEHATE! :dubious: :mad: Who, **Hillary?!** ---
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2008, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-obamas-national-security-team/475198/92 "2008-12-05T22:08:14Z")
Yes, Hillary, I don’t have a cite for it, but she just trips my “evil politician” sensors, just a gut feeling, nothing more She also had a reputation for “nannystating”, and not to dig up the whole 2nd amendment can-o’-worms (now with added worms!), she’s no friend of the 2nd amendment Just my opinion/gut instinct, nothing more ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2008, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-obamas-national-security-team/475198/93 "2008-12-05T22:58:50Z")
Okay, so. You have a “gut feeling” that Hillary is evil, and you know nothing about the rest of the appointees. My only question is, was it a slow day for you? I mean, why did you post in here? I’m not condemning you for it or anything. We all do that from time to time — wander into a thread and post something from a sense of boredom as much as anything. ---
**Author:** ![What\_the](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f4b2a3/32.png) [@What\_the](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_the)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2008, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-obamas-national-security-team/475198/94 "2008-12-06T15:18:00Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > Okay, so. You have a “gut feeling” that Hillary is evil, and you know nothing about the rest of the appointees. My only question is, was it a slow day for you? I mean, why did you post in here? I’m not condemning you for it or anything. We all do that from time to time — wander into a thread and post something from a sense of boredom as much as anything. Maybe he couldn’t find the Saxby Chambliss thread? BTW **MacTech** … no one would mention it if you directed that big capitalized compound word at Bush or another Republican. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2008, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-obamas-national-security-team/475198/95 "2008-12-07T02:53:39Z")
Moving right along, it now appears that tomorrow – on the 67th anniversary of Pearl Harbor Day – Obama will announce his choice for Secretary of Veterans Affairs: [retired General Eric Shinseki.](http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/06/shinseki.obama.cabinet/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2008, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-obamas-national-security-team/475198/96 "2008-12-07T03:46:03Z")
Here’s [some commentary on Shinseki](http://www.dailykos.com/comments/2008/12/6/172957/795/55#c55) by a dKos member who says he served under the general: > [@](#): > > he told you what he expected and if you didn’t deliver you would have a new job somewhere else by the time you made it back to your office. That isn’t to say that his expectations were unreasonable, he expected you to know your job and to do it well. If he gave you a tasking, he also ensured that you had the time and the resources necessary to get that tasking completed. > > Too often I encountered leaders whose pat response would be “get it done” knowing full well that you don’t have the equipment, personnel or adequate time to “get it done” and then fault you for not fulfilling the task. GEN Shinseki is not that type of leader. He gave clear guidance, you didn’t leave wondering what the “old man” meant. > > One thing about the military, you are either admired or not, there isn’t too much in between. I believe GEN (Ret) Shinseki is one of those leaders who was admired by more soldiers than not. There will always be those who will have a dislike for certain people and I would say that those who dislike GEN Shinseki would be the ones who tried to take shortcuts or not put too much effort into their jobs and were called on it by GEN Shinseki. > > He was great mentor for a lot of soldiers. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2008, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-obamas-national-security-team/475198/97 "2008-12-07T03:47:36Z")
Shinseki got fired for being honest. Bush hated that. He told him Iraq would take 400 ',000 troops t0 pacify it. He was canned. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-obamas-national-security-team/475198/98 "2008-12-08T00:08:09Z")
It is a brilliant and inspired choice. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-think-of-obamas-national-security-team/475198.md?page=4)