Nov. 17 (Bloomberg) -- Defense Secretary Robert Gates may be closer to being tapped for extended duty by Barack Obama because of the near certainty a Democrat -- possibly Hillary Clinton -- will be named secretary of state and Gates's willingness to accept a new team around him, according to Democratic and Republican experts. (snip)
``It would be a very powerful signal of bipartisanship and continuity,'' said former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, a Georgia Republican who sits on a board that advises Gates on policy issues and favors his being kept on under Obama.
Several Democrats have spoken favorably of keeping Gates, 65, who was appointed two years ago by President George W. Bush. They include Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island.
Reed, a member of the Armed Services Committee, said in an interview that Gates has ``done an extraordinary job.''
``I would hope that in some capacity he could continue to serve,'' he said.
Why not just keep all of them?
Change we can believe in.