Posted on 11/25/2014 2:25:01 PM PST by jazusamo
Michèle Flournoy, a former Pentagon official who was viewed as a front-runner to replace outgoing Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, has taken herself out of contention for the Cabinet post.
Flournoy on Tuesday sent a letter to the board of directors for the Center for a New American Security saying she plans to remain in her position as the think tank’s chief executive officer,Foreign Policy reported.
Flournoy had previously served as undersecretary of Defense for policy from 2009 to 2012, working under both Robert Gates and Leon Panetta. She was viewed as a possible replacement for Panetta when he announced his retirement in 2012.
She has long been seen as a prime candidate to become the first female Defense secretary in U.S. history.
Flournoy might have another shot at the top Defense job, as she has been widely rumored to be a top candidate to join Hillary Clinton’s national security team, should the former secretary of State make a bid for the White House in 2016.
Her decision to pass up the important national security post leaves Obama with a thinning bench of possible candidates: Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), who through a spokesman has said he is not interested in the job; Rep. Adam Smith (Wash.), the top Democrat on House Armed Services; and Ashton Carter, a former deputy secretary of Defense.
In a strange bit of timing, Flournoy will testify before the House Armed Services Committee next week.
She will appear on Dec. 2 to discuss the Pentagon’s Quadrennial Defense Review, according to a hearing schedule the panel released on Tuesday. The nuts-to-bolts examination guides Pentagon spending over the long term, prioritizing any shifts of military assets or attention to growing capabilities, such as cyber and special operations.
Smart move on her part.
At least we know she is not a complete idiot.
Me, too. I mean, it comes with a nice office, decent salary & benefits and some prestige, but I just can’t work for that idiot. Sorry.
Fully agree.
She seems to be brighter than I had thought.
Zippy doesn’t understand any of that gobbledy goop, he just needs somebody to fire when he screws things up.
No one wants to work for King Baraq.
I don’t think any of the qualifieds and motivated want to undergo Senate grilling right now. They probably want to wait to serve under CINC Cruz.
So we’ll the the dregs or outright Traitors applying for the job.
Agree...Go Ted Cruz!
uh....pretty sure she was PUSHED UNDER THE BUS!!!
‘First you win the argument, then you win the vote’ - M. Thatcher
Precisely...she was the best on a mediocre-to-average list of contenders. Look for someone with the “qualifications” of a Tom Donilon or Jeh Johnson to get the job. That is to say, a political hack whose marching orders will be simple: stay on message with the White House and hack the Pentagon budget to the bone—and beyond.
She doesn’t even have the job yet, why would he “push her under the bus”? She was high on his previous list before he determined that a “Republican” would help his “manly” image more.
I suggest bill ayers for the job. He’s a Clown Prince nobama confidant and supporter from day one. Also, he has some sort of perverted “affinity” for the Pentagon.
I think your “sane” observation is the crux of matter as it appears some career ‘Rats are figuring out that joining up with the One is not career-enhancing.
Exactly...Don’t think there are many that want to sacrifice for his last two years tyranny.
What an awful job. Micromanaged by the idiots in the White House while presiding over the dismantling of our military capability. Basically, you job is to be the scapegoat.
The opposition research was about to come out. Charles Johnson of Gotnews.com had said he had some good stuff on her.
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