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Trump's secretary of state drama is down to the final 4 candidates
Business Insider ^ | 11/30/2016 | Allan Smith

Posted on 11/30/2016 10:15:55 AM PST by SeekAndFind

President-elect Donald Trump is down to his final four candidates in what has been a drama-filled search for his secretary of state.

Republican National Committee communications director Sean Spicer told reporters during a Wednesday morning press call that Trump was down to four candidates for the administration post. Spicer said no additional appointments are expected this week.

On Tuesday, Bloomberg reported that the search was down to five candidates: 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Bob Corker, former CIA Director David Petraeus, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, and retired Marine Corps Gen. John Kelly. Trump is meeting with Kelly on Wednesday.

It's not clear which of the four is out of the running. Romney, Corker, and Petraeus all met recently with Trump to discuss the post. Giuliani, an early favorite, has seemingly fallen out of favor over the past few weeks.

After a high-profile dinner with Trump last night, Romney told reporters he has "increasing hope" the president-elect can lead the US to a "better future."

(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: corker; johnkelly; petraeus; romney2016; rudy; secretaryofstate; trump; trumpcabinet; trumptransition
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To: Innovative
My guess is Petraeus, though he isn’t my favorite candidate.

Surely DJT knows that Petraeus is diametrically opposed to nearly everything Trump ran on.

21 posted on 11/30/2016 10:34:12 AM PST by pgkdan (The Silent Majority Stands With TRUMP!)
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To: Innovative
Romney is probably the #1 or #2 candidate on this list -- but only because the list is filled with flawed candidates.

1. Petraeus is a convicted criminal.

2. Corker has been an Obama flack in the Senate for years.

3. I don't think a military guy is well suited for this role, especially when the top goal of the Trump administration should be changing gears on the military interventionism that has dominated U.S. foreign policy for 25 years.

22 posted on 11/30/2016 10:35:05 AM PST by Alberta's Child ("Yo, bartender -- Jobu needs a refill!")
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To: Alberta's Child

P.S. — I would not be shocked if Trump’s nominee for Secretary of State is someone who hasn’t even been mentioned in these media stories.


23 posted on 11/30/2016 10:37:19 AM PST by Alberta's Child ("Yo, bartender -- Jobu needs a refill!")
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To: SeekAndFind

What about Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s favorite, Forrest Gump?


24 posted on 11/30/2016 10:37:33 AM PST by BwanaNdege
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To: All
Romney is lip-syncing braindead Obama's looney tunes:
“Don’t be blaming Islam for Ohio...." Islam is not a violent faith.

As one savvy FReeper put it: 12 people carrying "GOD HATES FAGS" signs represent global Christianity......

But the thousands of Muslims murdering Christians every year have NOTHING to do with Islam.

25 posted on 11/30/2016 10:37:42 AM PST by Liz
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To: catbertz
Looks a bit like Al Haig.
26 posted on 11/30/2016 10:38:01 AM PST by ConservativeMind ("Humane" = "Don't pen up pets or eat meat, but allow infanticides, abortion, and euthanasia.")
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To: Mr. K
JOHN BOLTON!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Some people think he is too much of a neocon/interventionist sort for Trump. That's that most common speculation I've heard.

27 posted on 11/30/2016 10:38:28 AM PST by Will88
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To: SeekAndFind

I say Rudy with Romney as Under Secretary. Then after a couple years when Romney has his mind right he can take over from Rudy.


28 posted on 11/30/2016 10:40:02 AM PST by Rennes Templar (Sea levels are rising- from liberal tears.)
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To: pgkdan

I don’t know if he does. Petraeus would be a bad pick.


29 posted on 11/30/2016 10:40:36 AM PST by Girlene
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To: Will88

Exactly. Over the last 25 years, Bolton never met a U.S. military campaign that he didn’t want someone else to fight.


30 posted on 11/30/2016 10:41:03 AM PST by Alberta's Child ("Yo, bartender -- Jobu needs a refill!")
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To: Alberta's Child

Bingo. This is all misdirection


31 posted on 11/30/2016 10:41:29 AM PST by Spruce
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To: Alberta's Child

The Generals are usually much less eager for military interventions (and especially nation building) that the politicians.


32 posted on 11/30/2016 10:41:39 AM PST by neocon1984
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To: HarleyLady27

Rudy would actually be excellent at State. SecState can’t simply fire all the disloyal lefties. You need someone to do at State what Rudy did in NY: get who you need on board on board, get what you need to get done done,

However, abortion, global warming, gender, religious freedom are all key issues for SecState. Anyone know the generals’ positions on such issues?


33 posted on 11/30/2016 10:41:55 AM PST by dangus
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To: neocon1984
That's a valid point, but this is really a diplomatic role -- so the ideal candidate would more likely be a seasoned political figure who is well-versed in a wide range of foreign affairs. I don't know if senior military people really have the background for this position.

One other interesting point is that I'm starting to wonder if this is really a crappy job that doesn't attract the best and brightest the U.S. has to offer. A look back over the last 40 years shows very few people who I would consider real "winners" in any sense.

This makes me wonder if someone like Romney really even wants the job. For all his flaws, he would look like a demigod of history compared to a lot of those losers.

34 posted on 11/30/2016 10:45:23 AM PST by Alberta's Child ("Yo, bartender -- Jobu needs a refill!")
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To: faithhopecharity

I know what you mean. The number of Islamists writing taxpayer fund checks and auditing the check-writing is astounding. It used to be just corrupt kleptocrats getting filling their Swiss bank accounts. Now it is America’s greatest enemies.


35 posted on 11/30/2016 10:49:58 AM PST by palmer (turn into nonpaper w no identifying heading and send nonsecure)
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To: SeekAndFind

Here’s maybe a twist?

Jack Posobiec’s twitter within the hour:

“Pence in DC meeting with Condoleezza Rice today”


36 posted on 11/30/2016 10:50:23 AM PST by plushaye (Welcomed to Heaven by His friend and Savior Jesus - Prophet Kim Clement (1956-2016))
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To: Innovative

We’re seeing how tough Secretary of State is. I’m still a PotatoEHead. Why not Dan Quayle? He was a skilled diplomat dealing with foreign affairs as VP. By all indications, he’s kept up on world affairs.


37 posted on 11/30/2016 10:51:24 AM PST by grania
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To: HarleyLady27

Anybody but Romney. Incrediblely, he believes Islam is a religion of peace, and we do not want a delusional SOS.


38 posted on 11/30/2016 10:53:10 AM PST by txrefugee
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To: SeekAndFind

Romney - no!!!
Corker - no!!
Petraeus - no!

General Kelly, yes by default. Don’t know anything about him.


39 posted on 11/30/2016 10:55:59 AM PST by RatRipper (The biggest threat to US national security is our government and those in it.)
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To: Mr. K

John Bolton is sort of a neocon war monger


40 posted on 11/30/2016 11:00:44 AM PST by Rebel2016
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