Wednesday 3 December 2008

After The Chambliss Shambles

Obama is to blame.

By keeping on Robert Gates while appointing Jim Jones and, especially, Hillary Clinton, he has betrayed the economically populist, morally and socially conservative foreign policy realists who elected him.

A primary challenge should already be very well-organised, the challenger to function as the grit in Obama's oyster from Day One.

There are several possibilities, although, alas, the totally pro-life stand of Ben Nelson or Bob Casey probably rules him out at this point. And in any case, it probably needs to be a Southerner.

Either Mark Warner or Jim Webb would be a real contender. Both backed Obama against Clinton from the start. And Obama owes Virginia in a major way.

The passing over of Warner is understandable, since he has only just won his Senate seat. But the treatment of Webb is outrageous. Secretary of State? No, that'll be Clinton, of all people. National Security Advisor? No, that'll be one of John McCain's mates. Secretary of Defense? No, that'll be Robert Gates kept on.

Anyway, he and Warner will have to sort out between then who it’s going to be. Or it might be someone else. But there must be someone. There simply has to be.

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