That Change Sure Does Sound Familiar

Laura Rozen over at one of the new FP blogs posts a summary of emails she has gotten from folks who are skeptical about the new administrations "Apply Online" approach.

In fact, the extreme secrecy of the process and the stated rationale of seeking the "best and the brightest" is designed to conceal what is actually happening in the foreign policy transition -- a determined and coordinated effort by Hillary Clinton and her team to maximize their power and position in the administration, thereby preventing Obama's people from running the foreign policy side of the government. (Some would call this a power-grab).

Looks like I am not the only one who thinks it smells more like pr than an actual open process to find the best people to fill spots.

In fairness to the Obama people, the point of political appointees is that above all they are loyal to the folks above them. My issue is the way they pretend to be looking at qualifications - "we are looking for the best and the brightest" - as a pr strategy.