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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsPodesta: The best advice I could have given to John Kelly -- Dont do it!
As a former White House chief of staff, the best advice I could have given Gen. John F. Kelly has been overtaken by events: Dont take the job.
Kelly, who has rendered extraordinary service and sacrifice to the nation, just signed up for what may truly be an impossible mission: bringing discipline, order and strategic focus to the chaos that is the Trump White House.
To have any chance of succeeding, he will have to accomplish three extraordinary tasks, all at odds with President Trumps instincts.
First, discipline. Theres no doubt the decision to replace Reince Priebus with Kelly was based on the hope that a former four-star Marine general could get this menagerie in line. You dont have to compare the Trump White House to no-drama Obama or the buttoned-down Bush operations to know there is simply no precedent in modern history for the current White House culture of factionalism, infighting and lack of respect among senior staff members. Of course, most of Trumps team are simply modeling their behavior on that of the boss. His demeaning treatment of Priebus and Attorney General Jeff Sessions signals that there are no boundaries in Trumpland, leading to the unprofessional actions of now-former communications director Anthony Scaramucci. Indeed, press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders informed the public that the president encourages such behavior.
Kelly is walking into a White House that looks more like a cock fight than an episode of The West Wing. (See Mooch, you can use that word without being profane.) The White House culture will have to be shaken to its core. Kelly must be able to fire anyone at will, including to enforce a no-tolerance policy for behavior unbecoming a senior government official. Scaramuccis departure Monday is a good start, but Kelly will have to keep a tight rein on a White House staff that is used to few boundaries. And if there is going to be an exception for Trumps relatives, Kelly should get an explicit commitment that even Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump report through him no end arounds.
The most difficult discipline problem for Kelly, though, will not be the staff but Trump himself. Early signs are not auspicious. The day after appointing Kelly, Trump ranted on Twitter against Senate Republicans for failure to pass their horrific health-care bill, which would have denied care to millions of Americans and raised costs for millions more. I have no doubt that Kelly, unlike Priebus, can say no to power, but whether power will listen is another matter.
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http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/opinion/podesta-the-best-advice-i-could-have-given-to-john-kelly-don%e2%80%99t-do-it/ar-AApdw8Q?li=BBnb7Kz
pangaia
(24,324 posts)A person who agrees with the asshole.
2- Why must It be a GENERAL? Only generals have discipline?
Alice11111
(5,730 posts)To reign him in. Also, DT thinks it makes him look tough.
Mad Dog seems to have maintained an independent mind, but McMaster seems ready to do DTs dirty work.