When a President takes possession of a nominee for political purposes it is a form of depersonalization. Yes? It alters the trajectory of a career. It brands a person's career which might limit their ability to actually serve the country in the future.
I find President Obama far more complex a person than a political pawn himself.
The President lets adults decide what they want to do within his administration. I've never really noticed President Obama seeking to use his personnel as pawns in some kind of political game. If Ambassador Rice decided to move out of the fray with the Republicans gaming her, that was her decision. I am sure President Obama gave her every reason to stay; he and Secretary Clinton already had made their position known in regard to their support for Ambassador Rice. It was her decision and to quote the President, "I don't play that game."
By REID J. EPSTEIN
12/14/12 4:39 AM EST
President Barack Obama (click here) was prepared to battle for Susan Rice, but her withdrawal from consideration to be the next secretary of state means he won’t get a fight — over this.
Rice’s decision pre-empts what was expected to be an intense confirmation battle that could have swallowed key first months of the president’s second term – and perhaps big-ticket agenda items along with it....
I actually think if she becomes the director of the National Security Council it will be an advantage given her UN background. Ambassador Rice will then become a Special Council to the President. It seems like a good transition for the President.
The current director of the NSC, Gayle Smith, has extremely versatile credentials including the World Bank. So, the President's new administration may be more than interesting after many members have been exposed to work in the Executive Branch for four years.
