Gates

By Creature

Battles must be chosen when it comes to Obama's picks. Putting a torture-and-rendition enabler in a top spot, a fight worth having. Robert Gates staying on as Defense Secretary, not so much. It's clear continuity is needed. It's clear, with two active wars, that these are not normal times (though maybe Orwell would disagree). I'm not thrilled, but I'm not angry either. What I'll be watching for is how many of Gates' underlings get to stay (and if they were holdovers from the Rumsfeld regime). That will tell me far more about the deal Obama struck with Gates than the Gates pick itself.

For more on Gates, see Michael's, not as accepting, post below.

(Cross-posted at State of the Day.)