LOS ANGELES - The police chief and sheriff of Los Angeles could be candidates to become the next secretary of homeland security, outgoing secretary Tom Ridge says but both men say they're not interested in the job.Posted on 12/16/2004 8:24:28 PM PST by crushelits
LOS ANGELES - The police chief and sheriff of Los Angeles could be candidates to become the next secretary of homeland security, outgoing secretary Tom Ridge says but both men say they're not interested in the job.
Ridge praised Police Chief William Bratton and Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca, saying they understand how to protect large cities from terrorism.
"These two are doing this for their entire careers, so it's no surprise that their names are being publicly mentioned and maybe even privately discussed," Ridge said Wednesday at a news conference to announce $282 million in homeland-security money for California.
Ridge declined to comment on whether the White House has seriously considered either man.
Bratton, a former New York City police commissioner, said in an interview on KNX-AM of Los Angeles that he doesn't want the job.
"At this particular time in my life, I'm enjoying what I'm doing and I've got three years to go on the first term," Bratton said. "These stories take off like a missile, so I figure I'd shoot it down very quickly."
He was more receptive to the idea in an earlier interview with the Los Angeles Daily News, saying, "If the president comes knocking on your door, you naturally have to take him seriously."
Baca dismissed the reports as "rumors" and said he was not interested.
"I have the greatest job of anybody in law enforcement," Baca said. "The president is not going to nominate me, so let's not even ask the question."
Speculation about Ridge's replacement has been intense since President Bush (news - web sites)'s first choice, Bernard Kerik, withdrew from consideration. Kerik, also a former New York City police commissioner, admitted briefly employing an illegal immigrant as a housekeeper and nanny.
Ridge announced his resignation Nov. 30. He plans to remain in the job until Feb. 1, unless the Senate confirms his successor earlier.
I believe both of these men when they say they don't want the job. It's also been rumored that Joe Lieberman turned it down. Is President Bush going to be able to find anyone that wants it and is a solid pick? What's Joe Albaugh doing these days? : )
Bratton? So instead of Kerik, we'll choose his predecessor?
RIDGE = Know nothing mumbo jumbo. Doesn't Tommy Idiota Ridge know that HOMELAND SECURITY starts at our borders. Not only that, RIDGE wants to legalize all the illegal aliens in our country.
These two suggestions are what I'd expect from Ridge. Like O.J., big head, small brain, and dangerous. O.J., dangerous to stupid white chicks with big breasts, and Ridge, dangerous to the right to keep and bear arms as guaranteed by the Second Amendment. BOTH of big head's suggestions are full-on anti-gun WHACKO's from the People's Republic of Kalifornia. Especially Bratton, who was the point man and poster boy for the Brady Bunch and their ilk in the fight to extend and expand the Clinton semi-auto ban recently. In his disgusting and revolting liberal New England-NAZI accent, he said, at the time, that if the Assault Weapons Ban was allowed to sunset, that there would be CAN-AGE (carnage to you and I) in the streets. He, OR the liberal-Kalifornia-politician boot-licker Baca, would be an outright DISASTER for our republic. Big head Ridge, fade away please, and STFU.
=== Is President Bush going to be able to find anyone that wants it and is a solid pick?
It's not like Der Homeland Intel Czar's the President or sumpin'.
Bush should hand the reins over to one of the former Soviets or former Stasi already working the department.
Given the catbird seat that is having worked both sides of the War on Terrorism, any of those cats oughta do a bang-up job for us.
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