Obama Appointments Leave Little for GOP to Knock

Barack Obama’s Cabinet picks leave Republicans with few lines of attack, Politico reports. In contrast to campaign rhetoric that painted Obama as a radical leftist, the retention of Robert Gates and selection of McCain buddy Jim Jones has won praise from GOP stalwarts. Karl Rove himself said Obama’s brainy, centrist economic appointments “provided surprisingly positive clarity.”

So far, the Republican National Committee’s response has sidestepped the personnel, sticking with criticisms of “burdensome” new spending and the possibility of meeting foreign dictators without preconditions. Still, one Republican strategist sees opportunity. The appointments signal “Obama’s real fight will be with the hard left of his own party. We should stand with him when he breaks with the left.” (More President Obama stories.)