Former Navy Secretary Richard Danzig, a top Obama campaign advisor many people imagined as defense secretary--until Robert Gates was tapped to stay--will become chairman of the board at the Center for a New American Security, says the hardheaded Democratic national security think tank whose ranks have recently been depleted by Obama appointments.
Last week the LA Times wrote this about Danzig:
One of the most prominent members of the Obama national security team was Richard Danzig, a Navy secretary during the Clinton administration. He was a senior member of Obama's advisor corps, traveled with Obama and was widely expected to be either Defense secretary or deputy Defense secretary.
Instead, Obama tapped Gates. Danzig said in an interview that he talked to officials about positions below that of deputy Defense secretary, but has passed for now."Some excellent other jobs were raised with me, so I don't feel at all undervalued," Danzig said. "But I decided as a personal matter not to go into the administration, at least for now."
CNAS co-founder and former president Michele Flournoy recently took over as undersecretary of defense for policy.
--Michael Crowley