September 22, 2001

8:38 PM

Potential missile defense system stronger or weaker?In different days the creation of a cabinet post called "Director of the Office of Homeland Security" would make a lot of people nervous. The choice of Tom Ridge (former Governor of Pennsylvania) could be worse. He served in Vietnam and is known as being "tough on crime". An interesting note is that while in Congress he "led repeated fights against the anti-missile system nicknamed Star Wars." Meanwhile, would you want this guys job?
posted by jeremias (5 comments total)

This seems odd:

"In the House and as governor, Ridge also split with GOP orthodoxy as an advocate of legalized abortion. Many political analysts say abortion was the main factor in Bush's turning away from Ridge and toward Dick Cheney as the GOP 2000 vice presidential nominee."

Or, could it be that Dubya is actually ignoring political implications because Ridge is actually the best choice for the job?
posted by sharksandwich at 9:45 PM on September 22, 2001

Would I want his job? Sure, it's not like there's accountability. (None in the CIA or FBI either)

But seriously, how would you measure whether or not this office is successful?
posted by joemaller at 11:52 PM on September 22, 2001

"Office of Homeland Security"? Jeezus, do these people have no irony detectors at all1? Hm- or, more frighteningly, is it not irony after all? After all, didn't Bush's grandfather Prescott Bush engage in out-and-out money laundering for the Nazi's for 8 years? I wonder how much of Poppy & Son's family money comes from that little shenanigan? And I won't even begin to talk about how Bush and Cheney have profited mightily from some of those oil deals involving key countries in the middle east... ;)
posted by hincandenza at 11:59 PM on September 22, 2001

"In different days," huh? So we don't have to feel nervous now? Oh good. Why yes, I do have my papers right here.
posted by Allen Varney at 12:54 AM on September 23, 2001

Director of the Office of Homeland Security, Tom Ridge, is looking for a few good Homeland Security Officers

dP
posted by darkpony at 3:01 AM on September 23, 2001