[Goose]

Yeah, it doesn’t help perceptions when our mediator is coaching the Russian side on how to get what it wants from the President.

https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/whit..._permalink

Bad enough that several Republican lawmakers are calling for Witkoff to be fired.

BC

This administration has been very concerned about the "loyalty" to the president of those appointed to serve him. However, the nature of the job is to advise the president, or at least provide feedback. Under those conditions the personal agenda of the appointee will of necessity be involved. With the best will in the world the appointees will steer the president in the direction they want him to go. That is why appointees require actual qualifications. They are all "biased" to some degree but it is very necessary their opinions be well informed. It isn't even enough to be "very smart". We have had several SecDefs that were very smart but gave bad advice because they edited the information with a very biased filter.
 
The president may think these people are "loyal", and in a way they are. However, they are trying to lead him in specific directions. I fear the president often doesn't recognize that and accepts whatever the last person he spoke with said as "the truth". It is starting to appear that the administration, and even the president to some extent, realizes that Hegseth isn't competent. He clearly doesn't leave the impression he is either "very smart" or well-informed among his peers. Instead, the administration is leaning more towards Secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll for advice. Driscoll is undoubtedly much better qualified to be SecDef than Hegseth is. His role in the Ukraine negotiations is becoming clear. https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/meet-dan...ks-9702742.
 
I am concerned that Driscoll has the chops to actually influence the president. So far, Rubio has been able to continually "right the ship", partly because he is at least minimally competent. Driscoll is too, or at least can act the part somewhat convincingly. IMO that could be quite dangerous to Ukraine.

[Goose]

Yeah, it doesn’t help perceptions when our mediator is coaching the Russian side on how to get what it wants from the President.

https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/whit..._permalink

Bad enough that several Republican lawmakers are calling for Witkoff to be fired.

BC

This administration has been very concerned about the "loyalty" to the president of those appointed to serve him. However, the nature of the job is to advise the president, or at least provide feedback. Under those conditions the personal agenda of the appointee will of necessity be involved. With the best will in the world the appointees will steer the president in the direction they want him to go. That is why appointees require actual qualifications. They are all "biased" to some degree but it is very necessary their opinions be well informed. It isn't even enough to be "very smart". We have had several SecDefs that were very smart but gave bad advice because they edited the information with a very biased filter.
 
The president may think these people are "loyal", and in a way they are. However, they are trying to lead him in specific directions. I fear the president often doesn't recognize that and accepts whatever the last person he spoke with said as "the truth". It is starting to appear that the administration, and even the president to some extent, realizes that Hegseth isn't competent. He clearly doesn't leave the impression he is either "very smart" or well-informed among his peers. Instead, the administration is leaning more towards Secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll for advice. Driscoll is undoubtedly much better qualified to be SecDef than Hegseth is. His role in the Ukraine negotiations is becoming clear. https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/meet-dan...ks-9702742.
 
I am concerned that Driscoll has the chops to actually influence the president. So far, Rubio has been able to continually "right the ship", partly because he is at least minimally competent. Driscoll is too, or at least can act the part somewhat convincingly. IMO that could be quite dangerous to Ukraine.