Christmas tree of warning lights': Atlantic writer sounds alarm

[struggle4progress]

President-elect Trump’s choices for national security roles within his Cabinet have brought anxiety to intelligence circles. The Atlantic staff writer Tom Nichols explains why some of these picks aren’t qualified for their roles and the risks that could come with their potential Senate confirmations.

[struggle4progress]

1. Gabbard made a career defending America's enemies

Former CIA Director, John Brennan joins Nicolle Wallace on Deadline White House with reaction to the nomination of Tulsi Gabbard by Donald Trump to serve as Director of National Intelligence who has spent her career defending autocrats and dictations, has parroted Russian propaganda, and is setting off alarm bells in the American intelligence community ...

[Solly Mack]

2. K&R

[struggle4progress]

3. Congresswoman raises alarm

Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-VA., former CIA officer and House Intelligence Committee member, joins Morning Joe to discuss President-elect Trump’s pick of Tulsi Gabbard for Director of National Intelligence, arguing that Gabbard’s past defense of authoritarian leaders like Vladimir Putin and Bashar al-Assad poses a serious threat to U.S. intelligence. …

[struggle4progress]

4. Wasserman Schultz says Gabbard likely a Russian asset

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., says Donald Trump's pick for Director of National Intelligence, fmr. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, is "likely a Russian asset". Rep. Wasserman Schultz also slams Trump's pick of fmr. Rep. Matt Gaetz as Attorney General, saying "most parents wouldn't trust Matt Gaetz with their teenager, nevermind with our entire system of justice."

[struggle4progress]

5. Nomination of Gabbard

... Gabbard has no intelligence experience and is accused of defending dictators and parroting disinformation. Geoff Bennett discussed more with Michael Leiter, former director of the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center

[The Roux Comes First]

6. There Are Young Rabbits in My Neighborhood Who Have More Qualifications Than Tulsi Gabbard

But, come to think of it, there are also squirrels in my neighborhood who can be trusted more than our felon!

[trusty elf]

7. Scary Christmas

[Kid Berwyn]

9. Elf, that is a deja vu of awesomely accurate.

[Amishman]

8. I suspect a few of the worst ones are intentionally terrible

A good strategist will know that a Republican Senate won't shoot down every pick. In the interest of party solidarity, they are limited to rejecting a select few. The optimum strategy would be to intentionally make a few spectacularly bad selections as sacrificial candidates, to shield the otherwise controversial picks he actually wants.