Kerry on Gates

[ProSense]

The Robert Gates File: Senate's Doubtful Dozen

Washington Dispatch: Kerry, Biden, Levin and 9 other current senators voted against Gates in 1991. Have they changed their minds?

By James Ridgeway with Caroline Dobuzinskis

November 16, 2006

WASHINGTON — In 1991 when Robert Gates underwent confirmation hearings before the Senate Intelligence Committee to be Bush Senior's Director of Central Intelligence, 31 senators voted against him. (The final vote was 64-31, with 5 not voting.) Of those 31, 12 are still in the Senate; Mother Jones asked all of them where they stand today; of the 12, John Kerry was the only one to answer our questions in full.

Snip...

Tom Harkin, D-Iowa: A spokeswoman told Mother Jones: "For now he is reserving judgment and keeping an open mind, but in light of this Administration's track record for politicizing intelligence, and given Gates' background, he is not optimistic this is an ideal choice."

Ted Kennedy, D-Mass (press release): "We thank Secretary Rumsfeld for his service. Clearly now is the time to give our men and women in uniform new leadership and a new policy that is worthy of their enormous sacrifice."

John Kerry, D-Mass., through a spokeswoman, was the only member to fully answer Mother Jones' questions:

Q - What do you think of Robert Gates as the new Secretary of Defense?

A - It was about four years overdue for Don Rumsfeld to go. Where do we go from here? We need honest questions and substantive answers, and I'm going to follow the Gates confirmation hearings very closely to determine his willingness to push and adopt a new strategy in Iraq. Obviously it is encouraging that Robert Gates opposed this war from the beginning, but we need to understand where he thinks the policy needs to go today.

Q - You voted no in 1991, how would you vote today?

A - I had concerns way back then because I'd been so involved in the Iran Contra investigations and the BCCI investigations. I had reservations, and I voted them. He did things as CIA Director that assuaged some of those concerns. That's why I'll follow these hearings closely and with an open mind.

Q - Is this a decision for a lame-duck Congress to make?

A - The question is whether we have a thorough debate and what it reveals. I think people are going to take this confirmation very seriously in light of the kind of mess we've had at DOD the last six years.

more...

[wisteria]

1. Thanks for posting. Somehow I am not surprised no one other than Kerry

responded in full. he is a considerate guy.

[Democrafty]

2. Thanks!

Blogged. This is a good thing to get out there :)

[ginnyinWI]

3. nice thoughtful answers

I think I'd be saying the same things myself if I were asked. Gates is probably not who a Dem president would pick, but you have to weigh it against keeping Rummy there longer and the possibility of a worse nomination if Gates is nixed.