Robert Gates = Midseason coach
I find it interesting that the new Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates, isn't in the news as much as his predecessor (even Rumsfeld appearance in the Pat Tillman hearing got some ink).
So the question pops in my head: just what kind of guy is Gates? Well, after seeing this post from C&L, I finally get it.
Gates is that mid-season coach you get when your regular coach quits or gets fired. In sports, the MSC's job is to just get by the season unscathed. They're usually saddled with a team that's either too old, too young or too undisciplined (hence the departure of the former coach) and any victory is considered a blessing from on high.
With Gates, there are similarities. First, he has to work with Rumsfeld's playbook (he can make minor adjustments, but in reality he can't remake the Department in his short tenure). Second, he has to deal with the people already in place like Rice (who's fiercely loyal to Bush) and Cheney (who never wanted Rumsfeld to leave in the first place). There's also the important task of boosting troop morale and recruitment.
With all that to consider, Gates has little time for PR. But it's apparent from the C&L clip that he's not willing to be the fall guy for Iraq.
So the question pops in my head: just what kind of guy is Gates? Well, after seeing this post from C&L, I finally get it.
Gates is that mid-season coach you get when your regular coach quits or gets fired. In sports, the MSC's job is to just get by the season unscathed. They're usually saddled with a team that's either too old, too young or too undisciplined (hence the departure of the former coach) and any victory is considered a blessing from on high.
With Gates, there are similarities. First, he has to work with Rumsfeld's playbook (he can make minor adjustments, but in reality he can't remake the Department in his short tenure). Second, he has to deal with the people already in place like Rice (who's fiercely loyal to Bush) and Cheney (who never wanted Rumsfeld to leave in the first place). There's also the important task of boosting troop morale and recruitment.
With all that to consider, Gates has little time for PR. But it's apparent from the C&L clip that he's not willing to be the fall guy for Iraq.
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