John Kelly’s statement on transitioning

[Axtremus]

https://www.cnn.com/2020/11/13/politics/john-kelly-statement-trump-transition/index.html

Trump’s former White House chief of staff John Kelly issued the following statement:
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The delay in transitioning is an increasing national security and health crisis. It costs the current administration nothing to start to brief Mr. Biden, Ms. Harris, the new chief-of-staff, and ALL identified cabinet members and senior staff as they are identified over the days and weeks ahead. That said, the downside to not doing so could be catastrophic to our people regardless of who they voted for.

Just as important are getting the landing or beachhead teams into the various departments and agencies that protect Americans, our health, and our way of life. In particular are the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Department of Defense (DOD), the Intel Community (IC) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) so they can begin to build the absolutely critical situational awareness essential for a smooth transition of presidents if required.

Also, time is of the essence to commence the SF-86 process that will lead to required high-level security clearances. Hopefully, the incoming administration, be it Biden or Trump, will take security clearances—and who gets them and why—seriously.

All this will allow a Biden Administration, if declared the winner via our Constitutional and rule of law process, to be well on its way to taking the reins to lead and protect the country and our people. It will allow the incoming professionals, if Mr. Biden does indeed win the election, to understand where the current administration is leaving them on incredibly important issues like terrorism, Syria, Afghanistan, China, Iran and Russia, and what our current relationship is with our vital allies and partners particularly in NATO, Japan, South Korea, India, the five eyes, etc.. Just as importantly they will be in a position to develop an effective national strategy to protect all of us against the increasing ravages of the corona virus.

Beginning the transition, even as some claim that a clear winner in the election has not yet been identified, is critically important. The current administration does not have to concede, but it should do the right thing just in case the Constitutional system declares they lost. It is not about the GOP or the Democrat Party. It is not about the president or about Mr. Biden. It is about America and what is best for our people. Mr. Trump should order the transition process begin immediately. It is the right and moral thing to do.
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Yeap, refusing to begin the transition process increases national security risks as well as risk to make the healthcare crisis worse.

[taiwan_girl]

Makes sense. From my uneducated eyes, there is not really a "downside" to starting the process.

However, there does appear to be a "downside" to delaying the process.

[jon-nyc]

No downside? What about Trump’s ego? Surely we need to balance that against national security and the health of the people, right? Don’t act like it’s obvious where that line should be drawn.

[Doctor Phibes]

It strikes me that President Trump has made a lot of enemies in 4 years.

[Larry]

I'm not sure if buying into Leftist ideology makes people stupid, or if it's that stupid people buy into it.

[xenon]

@Larry yeah - regardless of what Kelly says - people forget he’s deep state and he was hired primarily so he could be drained.

[Doctor Phibes]

@Larry said in John Kelly’s statement on transitioning:

I'm not sure if buying into Leftist ideology makes people stupid, or if it's that stupid people buy into it.

John Kelly's a leftist?

Fucking hell.

[Larry]

Thank you guys for proving my point. I wasn't talking about Kelly.

[taiwan_girl]

@Larry said in John Kelly’s statement on transitioning:

Thank you guys for proving my point. I wasn't talking about Kelly.

Okay. But to the original quote by Mr Kelly. Do you agree with what he said or disagree?

[Larry]

@taiwan_girl said in John Kelly’s statement on transitioning:

@Larry said in John Kelly’s statement on transitioning:

Thank you guys for proving my point. I wasn't talking about Kelly.

Okay. But to the original quote by Mr Kelly. Do you agree with what he said or disagree?

I disagree with it. You guys keep talking about Trumps ego, but you're more than willing to ignore Kelly'ego, and his motivation to trash talk Trump.

[taiwan_girl]

@Larry said in John Kelly’s statement on transitioning:

I disagree with it.

Why is that?

[xenon]

@Larry not every message has to be judged by the messenger. You just posted a link to a guy that sells miracle fish oil back pain cures.

[Larry]

@taiwan_girl said in John Kelly’s statement on transitioning:

@Larry said in John Kelly’s statement on transitioning:

I disagree with it.

Why is that?

I already told you part of it. But to go further, there's plenty of time for it, and other transitions have started much later than this.

So I'll ask you - why are you pushing for a transition to begin when he hasn't even been declared the winner yet?

[taiwan_girl]

@Larry said in John Kelly’s statement on transitioning:

So I'll ask you - why are you pushing for a transition to begin when he hasn't even been declared the winner yet?

Because the US and its place in internal and external things is extremely extremely complicated. Changing out the entire management team is not something that can be done in a week or a day, or probably not even in three months.

Starting the transition even now it’s still going to leave some “gaps”.

You are correct the president elect Biden has not officially been declared the winner. But it would be nave to think that it is not probable that he will be. Delaying the transition can only lead to problems. This is not a Democrat/republic issue, but an issue more for the total US.

[Larry]

Well, let me correct you on a few points. First, there has never been a case where the transition has taken place before a winner was officially declared. Second, the date for officially recognizing a president elect is the same this election as it has always been, the transition has never started before that unless the win was decisive, and we have always managed to have a smooth transiti9n.

No, the reason people are pushing to begin the transition now has nothing at all to do with the things you said. The reason there's such a push to start now is for psychological and politicak reasons. And you have fallen for it because of your own bias.

[AndyD]

306 for Biden versus Trumps losing with only 232

And about 7.8 billion people round the world declare 306 to be a decisively winning score.

But what the heck, let's line the two sides up for a tug of war.

[Klaus]

When I read the headline I expected an article where John Kelly presents his new pronouns.

[jon-nyc]

Lol.

[Mik]

No, the transition should be taking place regardless of outcome. To do otherwise is unconscionable.

[Catseye3]

@Mik said in John Kelly’s statement on transitioning:

No, the transition should be taking place regardless of outcome. To do otherwise is unconscionable.

Seems a little drama queeny. And a little premature for such a diatribe. Americans are roiled up enough (not that it takes much) without adding fuel to the flames.