Bush 'the Lamest of All Possible Ducks:' Klein

After 'yearlong drift,' Obama can't keep passing buck to Bush

(NEWSER) - President Obama loves to blame things on George W. Bush, and on Monday he did it again, referring to the “long years of drift in Afghanistan.” He must be trying to “explain away his own, well, yearlong drift on Afghanistan,” writes Charles Krauthammer . In March, Obama solemnly announced a new strategy following what he called a “comprehensive strategy review.” Now, he obviously wants to switch course. More»

Bush administration strives to stop transition period becoming a security weak spot

(NEWSER) - The White House has drawn up more than a dozen contingency plans to help Barack Obama if a crisis erupts early in his presidency, the New York Times reports. The briefings go way beyond what other administrations have prepared and deal with potential threats ranging from a North Korean nuclear explosion to a terrorist attack on overseas US facilities to a cyberattack on US systems. More»

'Done deal' that Bush appointee will stay at least 1 year under Obama

(NEWSER) - Robert Gates will remain in his post as defense secretary at least through the first year of Barack Obama’s administration, reports ABC News. “It’s a done deal,” an anonymous source told the network today. Obama will reportedly unveil his choice of Gates shortly after Thanksgiving, along with a national-security team that includes Hillary Clinton as secretary of state. More»

(NEWSER) - Conventional wisdom has it that Barack Obama will ask Robert Gates to keep his post as Secretary of Defense, but there’s no conventional wisdom about how wise that is. “It has more minuses than pluses,” opines one ex-Pentagon official, but others disagree. Some pros and cons:

• Gates would ensure a smooth wartime transition. (But that’s what the uniformed military leaders who actually run the war are for, and why they’re not appointed.)

Transition moving quickly between president, successor

(NEWSER) - President George W. Bush will meet with Barack Obama early next week to discuss plans for transition, the Washington Post reports. Obama received his first intelligence briefing this morning, and key staffers have been given expedited security clearances. “We face economic challenges that will not pause to let a new president settle in,” the President said, explaining the hasty measures. More»