White House, Candidates Plan Smooth Transfer of Power
This one come from Homeland Security themselves!- WR
http://hstoday.us/content/view/4093/195/
by Wall Street Journal
Thursday, 03 July 2008

The Bush administration and the two major presidential campaigns are beginning an unprecedented attempt to prevent the transfer of power in January from disrupting defense and counterterrorism efforts.

The Obama and McCain campaigns are working to compile lists of potential nominees for dozens of national-security and counterterrorism positions so would-be policy makers can be vetted and confirmed as quickly as possible.

Given the inevitable gaps, Defense Secretary Robert Gates has asked senior Pentagon officials to be prepared to stay in their jobs for the first few months of 2009. The Obama campaign has endorsed the idea. Obama aides say the Illinois senator is considering asking Mr. Gates to stay as defense chief if he is elected.

At the Department of Homeland Security, career officials have been assigned to the No. 2 posts in critical areas so they can step in when political appointees leave. Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell is forming a transition office and some of his senior aides have talked privately about staying on temporarily if requested.

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