Anyone who thought Barack Obama was taking an overly conservative approach in choosing his cabinet members should sleep easy.  Some on both sides of the aisle cringed at the President-Elects’ request of Robert Gates continued service as Defense-secretary.  Others have praised it as proof of his bi-partisanship.  Few have noted it to be what it actually is; strategic political defense.

It’s easy to understand why Secretary Gates would choose to accept the offer to maintain his current cabinet position.  Maybe slightly less obvious to understand why a democrat who swept the general election, and watched his party go on to dominate both houses, would offer up such an olive branch of bi-partisanship.  CYA is widely believed to be a universal term.  Should there be homeland security mishap or a national defense slip-up in the first year of his presidency, a republican Defense Secretary to throw to the wolves.

There may be some truth to the rumors that the President-elect wanted to give the Secretary of Defense a chance to finish the job he has handled so effectively.  There may even be some truth to his claims of bi-partisanship. But, if his motives truly virtuous It would be the most serendipitous cabinet selection in the history of our country.  He couldn’t have protected himself better if he had dug a moat around himself.  You have to guess that winning a chess match against President-elect Barack Obama is no easy feat.