After a trial of 2-1/2 years of keeping G. Bush's left-overs in high places, some of whom have been

[Cal33]

found with not being exactly spectacular in their job efficiency, is Mr. Obama now more
willing to appoint a few Democrats to fill in their places?

Leon Panetta has been apppointed Defense Secretary.

Elizabeth Warren's appointment is still up in the air, since the GOP will do their best to
prevent a recess appointment. There is an article in Huffington by David Arkush, claiming
(with citations from The Constitution) that the GOP House does not have the authority to
interfere in the President's choices of appointees, and the confirmation of his appointees
is a function of the Senate only, not of the House.

The quotes of Mr. Arkush do sound definitive. I'm no Constitution scholar, but Pres. Obama
was teaching Constitution Law at one time. He should know.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-arkush/republicans-do-not-have-t_b_880968.html

Sure hope Elizabeth Warren will get the job. We need someone like her to keep the greedy
and rapacious Corporate America in check!

[Honeycombe8]

1. Party affiliation sometimes isn't the whole pic. Gates - good. Holder?- not so good.

Gates = Republican. Holder = Democrat.

Sometimes it's the person, not the party.

[Cal33]

2. True. To that you can add Emmanuel : not so good. Both he and Holder probably were DLC

Democrats. I hear the DLC is no longer in existence. But what makes you think Gates was good
-- for the Republicans, maybe? Could he and others like him have been steering Obama in
the direction of appeasing the GOP? It was an impossible task. Nothing could satisfy them.
Their motto is to "have it all - nothing less."

[Honeycombe8]

3. I think Gates did a good job. He didn't seem to "steer" anything...

he served at the request of the President, and seemed to do the jobs that were given to him. He was no Rummy or other Defense Secretaries who make speeches, urging this and urging that.

And both sides of the aisle seemed to respect him and not attack him, which is a pretty good sign he's just someone doing the job given him and not being political.

You may disagree, but I think he did a good job.

I have been repeatedly disappointed in Holder, though.

[Cal33]

8. As "Defendandprotect" has pointed out in Reply #7 on this thread, I can't imagine that Gates, as

sec'y of defense holdover from the Bush Administration, did not influence Obama
to continue the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. A quiet and soft-spoken person
could be just as effective and deadly as a lip-flapping loud-mouth, don't you
think?

Of course, the fact remains that it was Obama who had chosen him. My guess is
that Obama wanted to show that he was bi-partisan and tried to obtain the goodwill
of the Republicans. It has become apparent to me that bi-partisanship has become
an obsession with Obama. I say "OBSESSION" because he seems to be unable to get
away from that idea -- even though the present-day so-called Republican leadership
has shown every sign of being incapable of becoming a trusted partner and ally.

Would you want to have an Al Capone for a business partner? Of course not. But
Obama seems to think it's okay. And, I imagine, Gates was there to encourage
him in that futile pursuit.

[LiberalFighter]

4. DLC just changed their name. I think Third Wave.

[calimary]

5. Eric Holder. Another DUer recently referred to him as being off in the Bermuda Trianble somewhere.

Couldn't be more accurate. Has he done ANYTHING worthwhile since he's been in office? Has he done anything AT ALL since he's been in office, except harass marijuana dispensaries and protect war criminals? Damn, could anyone be more USELESS??????

[defendandprotect]

7. As filthy as Gates is, hasn't even he signaled he's tired of these wars?

[former9thward]

6. Mr. Arkush is incorrect as President Obama knows.

The "adjournment" referred to in the Constitution is when Congress adjourns at the end of a session (every two years). It has nothing to do with temporary recesses during a session of Congress.

[Cal33]

9. Well, I learned something today. I didn't know.