Among the most troubling Obama appointments is Dawn Johnsen, a radical leftist ideologue in an office chartered with dispensing scholarly and untainted legal direction for the federal government. A very sobering cautionary piece by Andy McCarthy on the Johnsen appointment appeared in the current NR, and then Johnsen lamely tried to back away from her own well-documented words and arguments. Andy answers her here.
Consider too the naming of John P. Holdren as chief Science Advisor to the White House. As accomplished as he may be in academia, his scientific predictions have consistently proven to be based on unfounded pessimism and crisis mentality, something not exactly in short supply already in the Obama administration. Call it "The Doomsday Bias". Here's more on Holdren from Ben Johnson at FPM.
But the naming of Charles Freeman to head the National Intelligence Council has caused the most consternation in center-right and center-left circles. Freeman is at best hopelessly compromised by the Saudi cash in his pockets, plus his track record of open contempt for Israel, but he gets called a lot worse by respectable, thoughtful pundits of both parties. This pick is just terribly bad news for Israel, and it's another clear indication of the ideological bent of the Obama team. Start with Gabriel Schoenfeld at the WSJ, and then check out the rest of the roundup.
The Cable, at ForeignPolicy.com
Nothing for me to add, except to echo the recommendation of Mark Steyn...
Being on the House of Saud's payroll, directly or indirectly, should render one ineligible for subsequent government service.Posted by dan at February 27, 2009 11:19 PM