Obama's National Security Team: Bold and Risky

Ultimately, the top level cabinet members and advisers are almost always difficult to predict each of their effectiveness. Colin Powell was seen as President Bush's strongest pick and once in office he never meshed with the rest of the team. Donald Rumsfeld was generally viewed as a solid pick and then turned into one of his most controversial choices. Both Paul O'Neill and Scott

were both picks that weren't seen as remarkable and both wrote virulent anti Bush picks out of office.



As such, whatever analysis of Obama's cabinet picks we have, they are all likely to turn out in ways that no one can predict. The picks can be viewed one of two ways, bold or risky. Barack Obama put the past behind him and chose Hillary Clinton as his Secretary of State. He put party and partisanship behind him by keeping on Robert Gates as Defense Secretary. Eric Holder brings years of experience near the top of justice to the Attorney General's seat. Janet Napolitano has governed a border state and brings that to Homeland Security.



Here is a more cynical view of the cabinet. Hillary Clinton has no foreign policy accomplishments to speak of that are entirely her own. Eric Holder was involved in some of the most corrupt pardons (Rich, FALN, etc.) in history and was also intimately involved in the debacle that allowed armed U.S. agents to snatch Elian Gonzales from his relatives and force him to Communist Cuba. Janet Napolitano's record on illegal immigration is shoddy at best and she has no record to speak of in fighting terrorism period.



Certainly, the most solid pick is General James Jones for National Security Council chairman. There is someone with an extremely impressive resume. The most inconsequential pick was Susan Rice for UN Ambassador. It's not that Rice is inconsequential but rather that the UN ambassador is inconsequential. Conservatives love John Bolton but even Bolton was handcuffed by the position he held.



Clearly, the most risky pick was Clinton. Several reporters asked about the tension with Clinton and Obama downplayed by calling such questions fodder for reporters. Yet, if there becomes tension or if this pick blows up, these questions won't become whispers, but rather they will become the subject of endless speculation. Obama was either trying to be inclusive in his cabinet, or uncomfortable with his own knowledge, or he might just be out of his mind by picking Clinton. For my money, I would have been fine with a bitter rival if she were more qualified. Clinton really isn't at all qualified. Obama said she has spent time on the Foreign Relations committe but lots of Senators are on that committee. She really has no foreign policy accomplishments to speak of. If this blows up,