The Obama foreign policy working group:
- Secretary of State Madeleine Albright
- Senator David Boren, former Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence
- Secretary of State Warren Christopher
- Greg Craig, former director of the State Department Office of Policy Planning
- Secretary of the Navy Richard Danzig
- Representative Lee Hamilton, former Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee
- Deputy Attorney General Eric Holder
- Dr. Tony Lake, former National Security Advisor
- Senator Sam Nunn, former Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
- Secretary of Defense William Perry
- Dr. Susan Rice, former Assistant Secretary of State
- Representative Tim Roemer, 9/11 Commissioner
- Jim Steinberg, former Deputy National Security Advisor
Some names not on the list: Brzezinski, Holbrooke, Wes Clark. Some Obama people are going to no doubt be disappointed that these names don't seem especially, shall we say, "fresh." I'm not particularly cheered either.
Why are David Boren and Sam Nunn on the list? Yes, I know they're considered serious foreign policy heads around Washington, but the only reason they're considered august and noteworthy is because they were among the few out-and-out "hawks" in the Democratic Party. (Being a "hawk" marks you as a Serious Person in some establishment quarters.) In fact, if I remember correctly, Boren and Nunn were last seen flirting with Michael Bloomberg, and, before that, double-crossing Bill Clinton.
On the more positive side, there are some new names here--Steinberg and Danzig, for example. Yet another consideration: These are the people who won't be in the cabinet. Will they have real influence, or are they being "kicked upstairs" soon to be ignored?
It's also disappointing to see Lee Hamilton on the list. Where is Scott Reed, where are the people who were RIGHT on WMDs?
--Ron
Posted by: Ron Robertson | June 18, 2008 at 04:16 PM
I'm hoping that this is kind of a "mis-direction" and that the REAL foreign policy team will be a bit different.
Posted by: John Petty | June 19, 2008 at 01:32 PM
Change we can believe in. Sam Nunn. Incredible. I think I’m going to enjoy the coming months, as the Obama lefties choke down whatever dainties of compromise the Hope of the Nation elects to serve them.
I expect Samantha Power will be back eventually, not that I would regard that as wonderful news. Robert Malley is probably gone for good.
Posted by: Hypatia | June 19, 2008 at 01:36 PM
They did throw in Madeline Albright, I'd imagine as a sop to Clinton supporters.
Posted by: lillianjane | June 19, 2008 at 07:08 PM
There were a couple of other Clinton-ites on the list too. Of course, considering that there's only been one Democratic administration in the past 28 years, there would just about have to be a few.
Posted by: John Petty | June 20, 2008 at 10:29 AM
I'm not familiar with Malley, nor a couple of the others. Some say they're the best of the bunch.
I've never seen the attraction with Sam Nunn, or Boren either. Plus, they've both been out of office for years.
Posted by: John Petty | June 21, 2008 at 11:33 AM