Obama to Meet with McCain on Monday
Amid all the wondering whether or not Hillary Clinton will become the next Secretary of State is this barely discussed report about President-elect Barack Obama meeting with his former rival Senator John McCain on ways that the two can work together following during the next Congress and Presidency. Senator Lindsay Graham and Chief of Staff-designate Rahm Emanuel will also attend the meeting.
This is obviously a good thing. I had no doubts that McCain and Obama would work together, at least on some issues, but meeting this early on in the process of transition will help the two hopefully repair any rough spots that may have developed over the election, but more importantly, find out their common interests. For McCain, I think it’ll be an opportunity for him to perhaps encourage Obama to see his way on some areas, particularly when it comes to foreign policy and Iraq. I think it’ll be a productive meeting overall.
Of course, that’s about as far as the discussion has gone in the few places I’ve seen it actually written about. So, I’ll put forward something else to talk about: will there be any discussion of a position in an Obama administration on Monday? I doubt Defense or State are options if the speculation on retaining Gates and bringing in Clinton are true, but Homeland Security, perhaps?
Or perhaps not a top-level position at all. Why not CIA or FBI? Maybe Director of National Intelligence? I don’t name any other position, like Energy, because I couldn’t see McCain doing anything else like that. Defense and its related areas are his niche, after all.
All of this is idle speculation, of course. I have no knowledge of any serious talks going on for an administration position. Yet, it would be the final piece in a The West Wing precognition machine that seems to be going on this year – the president-elect giving his general election rival a position in the administration.
It may be wishful thinking, but stranger things have happened.
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