Compared with his immediate predecessors, not very much.
John Kerry was a Senator for a long time, and was chair of the committee on foreign relations for 4 years immediately prior to becoming SecState. Clinton undertook some foreign initiatives as first lady, but was also a Senator who served on armed services for 6 years immediately prior. She also had help thanks to her husband having been president, and she had relationships with people overseas.
Before her came Condoleezza Rice, a political scientist with a PhD from a school of international relations, who had already served as national security advisor for 4 years before becoming SecState.
Before her came Colin Powell, who had already been national security advisor, chairman of the joint chiefs, and a general of course.
Before him came Madeleine Albright, who served as ambassador to the UN prior to becoming SecState, also had a PhD, and researched Eastern Europe and the like.
So what's the common thread? They've all had some kind of national security, military, or international relations education and training in prior positions before becoming SecState.
Giuliani, by contrast, was an associate attorney general, a US attorney, and a mayor of (still globally connected at least) New York city. The closest I could say he got to foreign policy was the Iraq Study Group formed by Congress. Then again, he resigned from it after he missed all the meetings, so I'm not sure how qualified that really makes him.
Eliot A Cohen@EliotACohen
After exchange w Trump transition team, changed my recommendation: stay away. They're angry, arrogant, screaming "you LOST!" Will be ugly.
national security, military, or international relations education and training in prior positions
i see that hillary is inconspicuously missing from your little list.
tell me, what
oh none.
i guess being the dick ornament of bill clinton is good enough.
if rudy isn't as crooked or corrupt as her it makes him a good choice.
nvm she is there but like i said a senator and first lady isn't as qualified as any of the others listed.
I understand that Giuliani was a source of comfort after 9/11. I was here, so you don't have to send me condescending emails about how I "don't know" what Giuliani did for this city. He had a few good press conferences and was vaguely funny on SNL when we needed it. But Giuliani was never really a hero. Our future Crypt Keeper of State failed to set up an adequate terrorism attack response after the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, even though he crowed endlessly about how much experience he had in dealing with terrorism (he didn't). He stuck the Office of Emergency Management command center on the 23rd floor of 7 World Trade—despite the fact that the World Trade Center was already a proven terrorist target—and did not aid the office in preparing for large scale attacks.
He never established clear-cut protocols for fire and police departments or improved the 911 system, even though he collected tax money to do just that, so on 9/11 dispatchers were telling people who called in to stay put when they should have evacuated. Giuliani was accused, among other things, of failing to provide the World Trade Center's first responders with adequate radios and equipment, which led to a lot of confusion and probably a lot of deaths.
In the aftermath of 9/11, he did not push the Department of Environmental Protection to issue guidelines to test or clean up private buildings contaminated with asbestos, etc. from the collapsed Twin Towers, and he put the unprepared city Department of Design and Construction in control of recovery efforts instead of more able agencies like FEMA and the Army Corps of Engineers. He then spent the next 15 years exploiting a national tragedy for his own political gain.
This is kind of a shit show already. I realize there's been a lot of arguing about whether Trump was really a successful businessman, but I don't understand how he ever made a dime. He can't even put together a decent list of candidates for his cabinet.
This is kind of a shit show already. I realize there's been a lot of arguing about whether Trump was really a successful businessman, but I don't understand how he ever made a dime. He can't even put together a decent list of candidates for his cabinet.
Nobody worth a damn wants to work for him.This is kind of a shit show already. I realize there's been a lot of arguing about whether Trump was really a successful businessman, but I don't understand how he ever made a dime. He can't even put together a decent list of candidates for his cabinet.
John Bolton for me.
Even John Bolton is less abrasive than Giuliani.John Bolton for me.
He rewards loyalty. Well, to a degree anyways. More likely that he's paranoid and only wants his family and most trusted allies with him. He's an idiot that surrounds himself with yes-men. It would be awesome if some of these defectors are actually deep undercover and feeding Trump with info straight from the GOP HQ.
John Bolton for me.
I never liked him but I do understand where he's coming from. He's a purebred American exceptionalist. His message to other world leaders was simply, "Yes, we are special. If you don't like it, get off your complacent asses and lead. Otherwise, sit down, shut up, and let the driver drive."He does have experience doesnt he? Although, even though I dont know much about him, I know there are quite a few bad things said about him.
John Bolton for me.
So why do you think there has been a "Night of Long Knives" style purge of Chris Christie and everyone associated with him from the Trump administration?
There's also something stronger than loyalty for Trump, family. Krispy prosecuted trump's son in law's father, iirc.I hadn't even heard of it until a couple hours ago here at ATPN, and still haven't explored the story because I don't care about what happens to Krispy. "To a degree anyways" was my get-out-of-jail free card. I'd imagine the reason is because Krispy has a ton of dirty laundry and even Trump has his limits.
EDIT: I miss John Bolton, one of my favorite looking politicians in recent history. I hear the name and immediately see a vivid image of his weird, creepy hairstyle, that bushy mustache, and the jag-toothed smile under it. Nothing else to say about him though.