http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16036036/

He looks like a no-nonsense kinda guy to me, and he's got great experience. Hope this guys pans out...

12/5/2006 4:48:44 PM

That scared me for a second, but then I realized that I was thinking about Daryl Gates.

12/5/2006 4:50:49 PM

Well I guess we should go from a no-sense guy to a no-nonsense guy.

12/5/2006 5:04:13 PM

So far I have a favorable opinion about him.. way too early to judge though

12/5/2006 5:49:11 PM

i liked most of his responses today

12/5/2006 5:50:47 PM

He was confirmed unanimously, so the Senate must have saw something in him. That, or their standards are pretty damn low following the previous Secretary of Defense.

12/6/2006 9:35:48 AM

Interesting the Editors at the Times don't share a rosy opinion:

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/06/opinion/06wed1.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

Quote :

"The nearly universal (and bipartisan) relief at the departure of Donald Rumsfeld ensured that Robert Gates would have an easy confirmation hearing. And Mr. Gates played the role of the un-Rumsfeld masterfully yesterday. He offered just enough candor and conciliation to persuade most senators that he plans to be a very different sort of defense secretary, while deftly holding back any real information about how he plans to clean up President Bush’s mess in Iraq."

Quote :

"He was less accommodating when asked to share his prescriptions for Iraq, saying only that he was open to all ideas. Given both President Bush’s and Mr. Rumsfeld’s unrelenting denials of Iraq’s disastrous reality — and their refusal to accept the advice of others — even statements of the obvious and a pledge to keep an open mind sound good. But Iraq is unraveling so fast that Mr. Gates will have to come up with opinions quickly, and be willing to express them to the president forcefully."

There is some truth in there.. I've become so callous over anyone in the White House that I was certainly willing to welcome with open arms anyone willing to admit obvious facts. Still, I don't think it's quite fair to say that because he didn't throw out any immediate ideas/solutions that that is an indication he will not come up with any once he's had just alittle time in the actual post of Defense Secretary.

12/6/2006 10:56:32 AM

Shouldn't they rename the position to Secretary of Offense?

12/6/2006 11:07:22 AM

ICE

BURN

12/6/2006 11:11:02 AM