Projo Politics Blog

WASHINGTON -- As President-elect Barack Obama assembles his national security and foreign policy team, Jack Reed seems to be getting his wish to serve the new administration from the slot to which he was reelected Nov. 4.

Democratic Senator Reed of Rhode Island has receded as a ``mentionee'' for service in the Obama cabinet, while solidifying his role as a backstage adviser who will be a key congressional ally on defense issues.

Reed, one of the first prominent Democrats to endorse President Bush's nomination of Defense Secretary Robert Gates after the 2006 elections, has quietly supported Obama's consideration of keeping Gates in charge at the Pentagon.

``My hope is that he would continue to serve,'' Reed said of Gates in an interview yesterday with Andrea Mitchell of MSNBC news. ``Bob Gates has done a remarkable job. And he's established not only policies that make sense, but a -- a tone in the building of respect for the military forces, a thoughtful reaching out to all sides.''

Characteristically, Reed did not confirm Mitchell's suggestion that he has served as a go-between for Obama and Gates. But he did not steer her away from that conclusion either.

Reed's association with Gates -- an experienced national security hand who was a CIA director under President George H.W. Bush -- dates to their work together at gatherings of the Aspen Institute, a foreign policy organization, during the 1990s.

Reed, who stayed out of last year's Democratic nomination fight between Senate colleagues Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton, also gave a hearty endorsement of the New York senator as a prospective Secretary of State.

Reed has long been among the colleagues upon whom Obama relied for guidance on defense issues. That relationship deepened last summer when the Democratic presidential candidate asked Reed (along with Republlican Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska) to join him on a fact-finding visit to Iraq and Afghanistan.

 Tags  gates national security obama reed

Comments

william F Horan said:

We must first determine if OBAMA is actually going to take office. Yes, while not reported by the forth estate our press the Highest court in the land on Dec 05, 2008 is scheduled to take up an examination of the qualifications for ALL three 2008 presidential candidates Vs the US Constitution Natural Born Citizen requirement.
This issue is much different than the several misinformation BLOGS launched into cyber space on the web. The question is will our constitution prevail or will those that control the countries wealth and their hired client Pols prevail?
http://origin.www.supremecourtus.gov/docket/08a407.htm

Link | December 1, 2008 2:56 PM
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