Update from Colin: Two sources told me they believe Richard Danzig will be named Deputy Defense Secretary. He will choose the new faces to man the Pentagon, ensuring the Obama people get folks who are loyal to them and reflect their policy inclinations. Apparently, Danzig will hold that slot for up to a year. Then, if all goes well, he will replace Gates.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates has agreed to stay on for at least the first year of the Obama administration, and perhaps longer, ABC’s Martha Raddatz and Jake Tapper first reported today. President-elect Obama will introduce his national security team to the public early next week, a seasoned team that will include: Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY), as Secretary of State; retired Marine Gen. Jim Jones as National Security Adviser; retired Adm. Dennis Blair as Director of National Intelligence; and Susan Rice as Ambassador to the United Nations. Reportedly, Gates will retain a small personal staff while Obama will name a Democrat as deputy defense secretary who will fill in the political appointee positions at the Pentagon.
