MORNING READ

President-elect Barack Obama’s decision to keep Robert Gates on as Defense secretary is getting decidedly mixed reviews in the blogosphere. Some liberal bloggers worry about having yet another Republican head the Pentagon, while others argue that the Gates pick will give Obama cover and more political capital. Some conservative bloggers praise Obama for yet another centrist Cabinet pick, while others note that the Obama’s Cabinet is still stocked with liberals.

Keeping Gates, who will become the second Republican Defense secretary in as many Democratic administrations, sends the message that Democrats themselves don’t trust Democrats to run the military, writes Open Left’s Chris Bowers. Gates and most of Obama’s national security team weren’t with him during the campaign and could thus squeeze out the younger policy operatives from the mid-level administration jobs that could define the future of liberal national security thinking, writes Matthew Yglesias.

But Gates will allow Obama to conduct a troop withdrawal from Iraq that won’t be taken as a slight by the military, writes Spencer Ackerman. Choosing Gates allows Obama to keep his promise of having a multi-partisan Cabinet and will thus allow him to build political capital for the rest of his agenda, writes MyDD’s Todd Beeton.

To conservative Max Boot, Obama has chosen a team of national security and economic advisers that is “stunning in its moderation” and has already helped him exceed expectations. Of course, choosing Gates goes against the message of “change” that Obama ran on as a candidate, notes Michelle Malkin. And while other conservatives are pleased with Obama’s choices, Power Line’s Paul Mirengoff notes that Obama’s picks, especially Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) for secretary of State, are still further to the left than most conservatives.

FROM THE BLOGS:
The Debate Over Gates – Chris Bowers, Open Left
The New Team – Matthew Yglesias
Gestures – Spencer Ackerman, Attackerman
The Cabinet Comes Into View – Hilzoy, Political Animal
The Pros and Cons of Keeping Gates – Todd Beeton, MyDD
Obama’s Picks Stunning in Moderation – Max Boot, Contentions
Obushma – Don Surber
Obama Keeps Bush’s Defense Secretary – Michelle Malkin
Unhappy With Clinton – Paul Mirengoff, Power Line

OTHER NEWS SOURCES:
U.S. Moves to Revive Consumer Lending – Washington Post
Obama Plans to Retain Gates at Defense – New York Times
‘Recovery’ Is In; ‘Stimulus’ Is So Seven Months Ago – NY Times