[mrsmith]

It’s not unfair for Spencer to “take the fall” for going behind his superior’s back- and over his head.

You just can’t do that.

As for the nuances of the Gallagher case, they don’t matter. You don’t do that to your boss.

[Zhang Fei]

[It’s not unfair for Spencer to “take the fall” for going behind his superior’s back- and over his head.

You just can’t do that.]

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Esper wanted Gallagher drummed out of the military and his pension revoked. Trump wanted Gallagher’s rank restored. Spencer tried to resolve the tension between these contradictory objectives by going around Esper’s back - he made a public statement in line with Esper’s declaration, while mollifying Trump’s objections by rigging Gallagher’s review so he would be cleared.

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https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2019/11/23/esper-milley-raise-concern-white-house-navy-seal-status-edward-gallagher-nr-vpx.cnn
Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley have raised serious concerns with the White House after President Donald Trump signaled he would block the Navy from ejecting Eddie Gallagher from the SEALs, an administration official told CNN.

[Zhang Fei]

The real bottom line is that Spencer tried to square the circle and failed. The fault lies with Esper, who initiated the review that Spencer tried to rig in Gallagher’s favor so Trump wouldn’t be put out. Spencer should have said he needed to get a clarification from the Secretary of Defense instead of backing Esper up publicly before the press. But even that might have been seen as insubordination vis-a-vis the SecDef, since Esper had said that Gallagher was about to be metaphorically keelhauled. It’s Esper who contradicted Trump. Spencer merely fell in line with his direct boss.

[Zhang Fei]

[It’s not unfair for Spencer to “take the fall” for going behind his superior’s back- and over his head.

You just can’t do that.

As for the nuances of the Gallagher case, they don’t matter. You don’t do that to your boss.]

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The other bottom line is that in the convoluted scheme of power politics, it’s not always the culprits who get curb stomped. Spencer is just a convenient scapegoat. Esper got the review going, but Spencer took the fall.

[BigKahuna]

“It’s not unfair for Spencer to “take the fall” for going behind his superior’s back- and over his head.

You just can’t do that.

As for the nuances of the Gallagher case, they don’t matter. You don’t do that to your boss.”

SECNAV should have had the good sense to fall on his sword after the debacle he created in trying to have it both ways (run Chief Gallagher through a SEAL suitability review board, but engineer him keeping his Budweiser after all was said and done). But he had to be fired, which makes things worse. Also, if he disagreed with his boss all along he should have resigned in protest and gone to the press or written a book or whatever.

Spencer way, way over-thought this one, and got caught in a lie as a result. He should have had the good sense to just shut his suck, salute smartly and say “Aye, aye Mister President!” and execute the directive he knew he’d been given. Self-inflicted gunshot wound on Spencer’s part all the way.