Change We Can Believe In?

By Ken Silverstein

Via Kevin Alexander Gray:

Obama campaign announces “Senior Working Group on National Security”

–Secretary of State Madeleine Albright

–Senator David Boren, former Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence

–Secretary of State Warren Christopher

–Greg Craig, former director of the State Department Office of Policy Planning

–Secretary of the Navy Richard Danzig

–Representative Lee Hamilton, former Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee

–Deputy Attorney General Eric Holder

–Dr. Tony Lake, former National Security Advisor

–Senator Sam Nunn, former Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

–Secretary of Defense William Perry

–Dr. Susan Rice, former Assistant Secretary of State

–Representative Tim Roemer, 9/11 Commissioner

–Jim Steinberg, former Deputy National Security Advisor

This is what happens when names are vetted by a campaign that is fearful of opposition research or offending anyone. The problem is that when you pick people on the basis of their being most likely to escape the attack dogs (including the pundit class), you’re not likely to get much in the way of “change.”

And a reader writes in, “Who is the person on that list with a strong human rights/civil liberties background? Hasn’t a fundamental debate over the last eight years been that rights have suffered greatly in pursuit of national security imperatives? Who stands out on the new team to address that problem? Shouldn’t that aspect of national security policy be front and center for this team since fixing the US’s reputation and standing is central to this campaign?”