The Link It's a good sign that the President-Elect is serving out olive branches right now, but what would the purpose be beyond some good pub? Unless Obama wants to bestow some title on McCain like Chairperson of Efficiency of Gov't Spending or something like that (which doesn't do much for McCain's legacy), I'm unsure why they're meeting formally.
Some think that Obama may ask McCain to carry the water in the Senate on a comprehensive immigration plan.
Without a fillibuster proof senate, Obama needs allies if he wants to push through the justice nominees he's likely to tap. McCain's background of being willing to cross the aisles to avoid gridlock is crucial to Obama, so no surprise he would want to mend this relationship.
McCain does not hold grudges. There is a stretch and only my idea: McCain, Department of Defense, gives up his Senator seat, Democratic Governor, very popular, appoints a Dem as Senator. You have an American with Military cred that will shoot him straight, bi-partisian, and you get another seat in the Senate. McCain has taken a shotgun to many a military projects and this will also give PE BO some cred with the Joint Chiefs. Again just my thoughts.
Wouldn't foreign policy be more of the State Department, I was referring to the Department of Defense.
I mean foreign policy as it relates to military actions in Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Korea, etc... If their actual differences in military policy, however, are more superficial than substantive, McCain could be a possible DOD choice as long as he understood whose policy he was following.
I had the same idea about McCain at Defense earlier and it got shot down for the same valid reasons. McCain is against pulling out of Iraq, I doubt he could oversee that in good conscience. Maybe after we're out of Iraq, McCain could be appointed if the first secretary wants to retire. I saw that Sam Nunn was helping Obama with the transition. He was a defense specialist in the Senate. I don't know if he'd be a good reformer though.
I think Gates stays on at Defense at least for a time. It could pave the way for McCain later or possibly even Petraeus.
Petraeus is an impressive figure. I usually don't get caught up in the hype about a general like Schwartzkopf or even Franks. They were crushing pinned enemies who had no air support. Petraeus has done what seemed to be just about impossible. Quell (even if only temporarily and with bribes as well as guns) an indigenous insurgency. Seems to have a powerful and adaptive mind. Would have made a good Roman general.
I'd like to see Powell as Sec of Defense if Gates steps down. He'd be great at it and could rebuild his legacy that was tarnished during his terms under Bush.
also McCain voted against the new G.I. bill. He's been on record as opposing just about all of Obama's military positions. BTW, did the new G.I. bill pass?
Headlilne News said they weren't going to discuss a post in the Obama administration. They're going to talk about cooperation.
I said it would be a stretch and I think any and every politician would like to get out of Iraq, the question becomes when? PE BO's rhetoric after the debates changed to more of when the job is done in Iraq and it is safe, he also has backed off his 18 months everybody will be home. Not saying anything wrong, or bashing, that is just how quick things can change when the tides of war change. I know it won't happen but John McCain is one of the most qualified to do that job in this country.
