Should Obama keep Petraeus and Bernanke on the payroll?

[kentuck]

Both were appointed by George W Bush and owe their loyalties to the Republican Party. If he keeps them on, they will have to accept some responsibility if things turn from bad to worse militarily and economically. It was reported on MSNBC that Petraeus wants to be joints Chief of Staff. Bernanke wants to remain at the Fed. Should he let both of them go and get someone new? And while he is thinking of that possibility, should he start looking for a new Secretary of the Treasury also? It is the banks and the economy that will doom this Administration if he does not change course. He should be listening more to folks like Robert Reich, instead of these Wall Street insiders, in my opinion.

[ananda]

1. Obama needs to get rid of Geithner and Summers for sure..

. and it wouldn't hurt to get rid of all
the Bush holdovers.

[xchrom]

2. no. nt

[MADem]

3. Petraus got a few promotions out of Clinton. He serves at the pleasure of the

President--if Obama is pleased, he stays.

Bernanke has a fixed term, so no firing will happen there.

[kentuck]

4. Yes, their terms will be up next year...

I believe they said?

[MADem]

5. Petraus can be assigned to another duty, if Obama wants to keep him.

He doesn't have to go home, if Obama offers, and he takes another job. At that paygrade, though, it's really your SECDEF chatting with your President about future assignments. Sometimes, JCS will weigh in too, but often not.