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Klein: Obama's Team of Rivals 'Strong and Wise'

Obama's rumored picks signal preference for diplomacy over militarism: Klein

By Kevin Spak, Newser Staff

Posted Nov 21, 2008 2:19 PM CST

(Newser) – If current rumblings are to be believed, Barack Obama’s national security team would be disparate indeed, consisting of Hillary Clinton at State, retired general Jim Jones as National Security Adviser, and Robert Gates sticking around as defense secretary. It’s an “extremely strong and wise,” team, writes Joe Klein in Time, proving Obama is a “confident fellow,” bent on bipartisan foreign policy.

“Historically luscious” Lincoln parallels aside, Clinton is “the ultimate good soldier ... and a potentially powerful voice overseas.” Jones is “universally respected,” and would instantly displace David Petraeus as the administration’s most important general. Assuming the group gels—Klein recommends they “have a few drinks” together—it will have forged a “new national unity (and sanity)” with “politics stopping at the water’s edge.”

[Images (3)]

[Quotes (2)]

From left: Robert Gates, Jim Jones and Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama's rumored picks for, respectively, Secretary of Defense, national security adviser and Secretary of State. (AP Photos)

Barack Obama's rumored choices for various national-security and diplomatic posts signal that his administration will prefer diplomatic solutions over military ones, Joe Klein writes in Time. (AP Photo)

This Newser combo image shows, from left, Robert Gates, Jim Jones and Hillary Clinton, Obama's rumored picks for Secretary of Defense, National Security Advisor and Secretary of State. (Associated Press)

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This group sends an indelible signal that the President-elect is a confident fellow and absolutely intent on creating a new national unity (and sanity) in foreign policy and security matters.
- Joe Klein

If this is the team, it might be a good idea for Clinton, Gates, Jones, Obama and Biden to go off for a weekend retreat somewhere, have a few drinks and get to know each other. - Joe Klein

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Klein: Obama's Team of Rivals 'Strong and Wise'