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I believe Honore is a hard-nosed, "git-er'-done" military commander. In the field, where aggressiveness is a virtue, he's the man for the job. But in the glare of the press, with the military coming under fire from hacks and flacks, the last thing the administration needs is a man swatting the beehive. Vice Admiral Allen is just as no-nonsense as Honore, but far more well-spoken and smooth. He doesn't tolerate any more BS than the General, but he halts it with a little more finesse.

In the same vein, I saw Chertoff slap down a reporter the other day when the boob pressed him about the FEMA director's reassignment. His response was basically "I just got done explaining that as clearly as I could in English. I'm not going to do it again." Then he went on to the next question.

What I'm saying is that these men should be free to do what they do best. Gen. Honore's best work is NOT on the podium, but in the trenches.

I agree, I think the first interview with Honore where he got upset witht he media was needed at that time now the approach of Allen is probably better just as hard but more used to the media and their questions. I saw the Chertoff press conference as well he was great.

Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Michael Brown, left, listens as Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff speaks at a news conference Friday, Sept. 9, 2005, in Baton Rouge, La., as Coast Guard Vice Adm Thad W. Allen, listens at right