October 8, 2010
NO CONDI, HE:
Why James Jones Quit (The Daily Beast, 10/08/10)
Jones didn’t even know Obama.The 64-year-old retired general got his start in the White House on very weak footing. Obama, perversely, wanted Jones as national security adviser because they had no previous relationship. The president-elect seemed to think that this would somehow give Jones some leverage when confronting the generals. In the end, Jones’ independence left him out in the cold when major decision-making happened—sidelined and undermined by a variety of Obama intimates.
Jones never wanted the job.
He told the president he would be better as secretary of state. “What I can do is set up an organization of the best people to help you as president,” as secretary of state, Jones told Obama. “I wasn’t very good” at being an aide, Jones added, meaning he didn’t think he would be very good in the national security adviser position. [...]
Jones never got along with Obama’s closest aides.
The former NATO commander thought it wise to insult political operatives in the White House like David Axelrod and Rahm Emanuel. In private, he had a host of names for the group, which included press secretary Robert Gibbs and Denis McDonough at the National Security Council. He called them “the water bugs,” the “Poliburo,” the “Mafia,” and the “campaign set.”
Even if one were inclined to give the UR the benefit of the doubt for the ineptitude of his staff, the problem is that everyone knew they were a disaster when he hired them or shortly thereafter.
