Is Leon Panetta Winning Over His Republican Opponents?

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta meets with Japanese Defense Minister Yasuo Ichikawa in Tokyo, Oct. 25, 2011. DOD photo by U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jacob N. Bailey

Leon Panetta Won Republicans Over With Sass, Drones -- New York Magazine

After running the CIA for President Obama, Leon Panetta is now the Defense secretary, despite decades in politics that included neither intelligence training nor experience fighting wars. But the former liberal dove who wanted the Bush administration investigated for torture is not only the first Democrat to serve as Defense secretary since 1997 — he was confirmed 100 to 0. How did he do it? It helps that he uses bad words and laughs a lot, the New York Times reports today. A longtime aide boiled down the strategy into the Five Rules of Panetta:

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My Comment: Talk about puff pieces. He may be favored now .... but Washington politics is politics .... and with budget cuts, the possibility of Iraq and Afghanistan spiraling out of control, and the election season starting now .... trust me .... Panetta is going to be fair game by those same politicians that are heaping praise on him today.

Of his 5 rules of negotiation .... I like #5.