Wes Clark in an Obama Administration

[krispos42]

Poll question: Wes Clark in an Obama Administration

Assuming that Wes Clark would like to be in the Obama Administration, and of course that Obama wants him in it as well, what's the best place for him to be?

(edit: can't spell...)

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. He can't be SecDef until he's been retired from the military for 10 years.

That won't be for another two years.

[krispos42]

2. The Senate can grant an exception. IIRC it's been done before

Did you go sailing yesterday? :hi:

[gateley]

5. Oh - I didn't know that. Cool.

Although National Security Adviser sounds really good, too.

[elocs]

7. Yes, it has happened, but it was an exception for George Marshall.

Kind of a big name from WWII.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Secretary_of_Defense

Note that Congress had passed a law to allow George Marshall to be appointed in 1950 despite having only been a civilian since 1945.

[krispos42]

14. Well, Wes is only two years away...

... less by the time Obama takes office (crosses fingers) and we're about to win big in the House and Senate (crosses toes) so I don't think the Repubs can legitimately deny an exception.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

9. That would be good.

We didn't go sailing yesterday (or today) because it was so windy and we just had the rudder replaced, so we figured we'd wait for a calmer day to be sure everything worked. I didn't make it to the meetup, though, because something else came up. Sorry about your car.

[krispos42]

13. Oh, too bad.. it was a perfect day otherwise

My car... well, I'm going to go out today and look at it at some point. I was going to go to a car dealership today to look at one, then go to the drive-in triple feature while I was down in the Cities, but the place is closed today. I guess I'll go tomorrow, and no movies :-(

[newmajority]

3. After such "stellar" civilian leadership from Rummy, Wolfie, Feith, etc.

I'd say an exception to that rule is warranted.

[elocs]

6. Yep, very few people seem to realize that.

From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Secretary_of_Defense

The Secretary is appointed by the President by and with the approval of the Senate, and is a member of the Cabinet. By statute the secretary must be a civilian who has not served in the active component of the armed forces for at least 10 years (10 U.S.C. § 113).

[gateley]

4. Toss up between the three (although as ocelot points out,

the SOD position isn't an option now.)

I kind of like National Security Adviser. He can FOCUS on the area where he's strong, without the superfluous whatever that comes along with VP.

I'll go back and vote now. You're a good sounding board! :7

[scarletwoman]

8. Other -- I never "got" Wes Clark. I've never understood why so many DUers are so gaga over him.

Maybe he'd make a good undersecretary or deputy secretary of something. The man just doesn't impress me.

sw

[krispos42]

19. He has a very sucessful military career

And a boatload of foreign military exerience. To me that spells Nat'l Security Advisor.

[Milo_Bloom]

10. VP for sure!

Secretary of Defense: Chuck Hagel
NSA: Richard Clarke

[krispos42]

15. How about Richard Clarke as Anti-Terrorism Czar? n/t

[Milo_Bloom]

17. I wouldn't sneeze at that either, but wouldn't that put him under NSA?

This guy has proven himself to me and should be the leader of his area...

Frankly, he would be my VP choice.

[krispos42]

18. Ummm... I'm thinking of that new post that Wolfowitz has

where he's in charge of the CIA and NSA or something like that. Director of National Intelligence?

[Muttocracy]

11. not to derail things, but would Gary Hart be a good NSA leader?

I didn't know much about him until I joined DU, but what I've read impressed me.

[democrat2thecore]

12. Yes. He would make an exellent National Security Advisior -nt

[IndianaGreen]

16. Clark would make a good VP, particularly if the unthinkable happens to President Obama

The only one that can be as good as Clark, would be Biden.

[anonymous171]

20. VP, fuck the GOP and the media.

[Dinger]

21. That Would Fuck Them Up, Wouldn't It?

heh heh:evilgrin: