Does Bob Gates count as a Republican?
U.S. President-elect Barack Obama has indicated that he wants to appoint Republicans to his cabinet, and rumor has it negotiations are underway to keep current Secretary of Defense Robert Gates in office past January 20. But would Gates really count as a bipartisan pick if he’s technically not a Republican? Below is an exchange between ...
U.S. President-elect Barack Obama has indicated that he wants to appoint Republicans to his cabinet, and rumor has it negotiations are underway to keep current Secretary of Defense Robert Gates in office past January 20. But would Gates really count as a bipartisan pick if he's technically not a Republican?
U.S. President-elect Barack Obama has indicated that he wants to appoint Republicans to his cabinet, and rumor has it negotiations are underway to keep current Secretary of Defense Robert Gates in office past January 20. But would Gates really count as a bipartisan pick if he’s technically not a Republican?
Below is an exchange between CNN’s John King and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid from Sunday’s Late Editon:
KING: There’s been some talk of keeping Secretary Gates on for some time. Is that acceptable to you?
REID: Sure. I think we need a good transition there. I am confident that Senator Obama has somebody in mind for secretary of defense but Gates — you know, it’s interesting, my conversation with Secretary Gates, he’s not even a Republican. Why wouldn’t we want to keep him? He’s never been a registered Republican.
Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images
Blake Hounshell is a former managing editor of Foreign Policy.
More from Foreign Policy

Chinese Hospitals Are Housing Another Deadly Outbreak
Authorities are covering up the spread of antibiotic-resistant pneumonia.

Henry Kissinger, Colossus on the World Stage
The late statesman was a master of realpolitik—whom some regarded as a war criminal.

The West’s False Choice in Ukraine
The crossroads is not between war and compromise, but between victory and defeat.

The Masterminds
Washington wants to get tough on China, and the leaders of the House China Committee are in the driver’s seat.