Dead Drop: November 18

NAME GAME: We are tempted to dive headlong into the speculation about who will get what job in the Trump administration.  But The Dead Drop comes out just once a week – and the hot names seem to change once an hour. We did note with interest that as of midweek – the Trump transition people seem to have not yet contacted the Pentagon to discuss turnover.  The folks at DoD are all prepared with briefing books, power point presentations and the like – but no one to give them to. There are some reports that other major departments, including Justice, were also sitting by the phone waiting for a call.  Word was that “landing teams” from the Trump crowd might wade ashore at the various departments around November 17^th – nine days after the election. Last week’s leader in the clubhouse for the job of CIA Director, former Congressman Mike Rogers, is now off the transition team. The Weekly Standard speculates that this is because he was viewed as insufficiently strident about perceived Hillary Benghazi sins of the past. Another former House Intelligence Committee Chairman, Peter Hoekstra, has become the flavor of the week – or at least the day – with speculation that he might be picked to run the CIA or DNI.  According to Politico, Hoekstra “previously lobbied on behalf of the Kurdish regional government, a Belarusian potash company and a Libyan organization.”  Must not have been planning on a return to government at the time.

PLAYING BOTH SIDES? The Washington Post on Thursday reported that among the long list of potential National Security Advisors in a Trump administration – was retired General and former CIA Director David Petraeus.  That’s interesting – The Dead Drop is reliably informed that Petraeus was very interested in filling that same position in a Hillary administration.