As I have long argued, the behavior of politicians is driven far more by the dynamics of power structures than by ideology. The Democrats were not uniquely spineless during the Bush years. They behaved the way they did largely because their cost/benefit analysis led them to limit their fire in battles they knew they could not win. This isn't an apology for the Democrats, it's just an observation about human nature. If the Republicans had the votes to kill Hillary Clinton's appointment, they might very well go after her with everything from today's AP piece to the 'murder' of Vince Foster. But, without the votes, it's all about how great she is, how smart she is, and how fantastic it will be to work with her.I'm gonna say this is wishful thinking right there. I'll believe this when I see much more progressive members of Obama's cabinet get confirmed without a hitch. Hillary on the other hand is exactly the person the GOP want as Obama's SecState to the point she might as well be a Republican. On everything that matters to them, Iran and Israel especially, she's a blood red hawk.This is just a small example of a larger point. The sheer numbers of Democrats on the Hill creates a power dynamic that it is impossible for the old GOP to navigate using their old tactics. They cannot maintain unity and discipline while in the minority, nor can they bully through the terms of the debate. For the foreseeable future they will be weak and ineffective. (emphasis mine)
The combination of Robert Gates and Hillary Clinton assures there will be no real deviation in our foreign policy in the Middle East other than the excuses Obama gives to why it's failing. The GOP is more than happy to have Hillary around because it means continuity on GOP policy. Why would they object?
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