Obama's first failed appointment

[Happy Monkey]

Originally Posted by Beestie

Both. The rank and file are well-intended folk who will screw up if not managed by competent leadership. But, like any group, they will screw up in a different way if they feel their leader does not represent or understand them.

The premise of the first quote wasn't incompetence; it was a lack of respect for an outsider. If the rank and file let their resentment for an outsider cause "huge problems", then they are not "doing what is right". If he proves incompetent later, that's on him.

The fact that other people who were also not obvious choices did a good job as an argument in support of Panetta is utterly devoid of merit.

Correct. It is not an argument in support of Panetta. It is a counterexample to one of the arguments against Panetta.