ARTICLE: “In Gates We Trust: The ideal Pentagon boss is already on the job,” by Nancy Soderberg and Brian Katulis, Washington Post National Weekly Edition, 20-26 October 2008.

One of many recent articles fantasizing about Gates, who allegedly carries countdown clock in his briefcase detailing the minutes 'til the end of the administration. Too bad, because in response to Shelton question today, I said that the number one thing I’d demand with a new Obama administration is to keep Gates two more years, because that’s enough, I think, to lock in the SysAdmin’s emergence vis-à-vis the Leviathan’s committed resistance. 24 more months of Gates cracking the whip and then Petraeus coming home to roost (another demand of mine) would seal the Green-v-Blue struggle in the former’s favor. Back-up? Hagel. Hagel, in my mind, is way too rough for State, and since Lugar’s out of consideration (his call—smart), then I say Kerry for State (we’ve had his careful foreign policy for the last two Bush years anyway, so sensible continuity with more brains and gravitas than Rice) and Hagel in the Pentagon, where his ground-pounder sensibility will be more than enough to keep things real.