HALELUJAH! GREAT PICK!

The wisdom of the Obama-Biden transition team continues to impress. Obama not only picked a very smart man, but he help vindicate an honorable man for "telling it like it is". Halelujah!!!

May GOD Bless the United States of America!
May GOD Bless the Obama-Biden Leadership Team!

Such a great choice. We've never had a president put together a team this impressive before, and the strong choices he's placed at positions like commerce secretary and the VA show how much emphasis he's placing on these offices that are often ignored.

GREAT CHOICE!!! He warned Bush and Rumsfeld about the out of control in Iraq after the U.S took over in 2003, and guess what he got….losing his job for speaking the truth!!! This is an honorable man who really cares about our VETS.

On the Pearl Harbor Day? The thought of Japanese-American taking care of American vets will bring tears to many eyes. Absolutely brilliant pick!. West Point and Duke graduate. I wish the Bush Adm. had listened to Gen. Shinseki. This whole surge crab would not have been an issue. Thanks God. The man is vindicated. Congrats to both of you PE Obama and Gen. Shinseki.

One good decision after another. I'm so proud to have cast my vote for Obama!!!

Great choice. To bad he was BUSHED like the rest of us.

Take that Navarette!

Good move! My son a now former vet, in these wars, thought highly of him. A minority man in charge of a now mainly minority army. This man had the balls to stand up to Bush.

If only Bush and his administration would've listened to him Sooo many things today would be different

GREAT CHOICE for the POSITION

its actually smart to pick a general or a military person for veterans affairs when you think about it.

I was hoping that he was chose for a position in the Obama administration. Every individual that disagreed with Bush was ousted and called names.
The major problem with being a Dem or a Rep,,, you aren't a "individual" with individual thoughts and opinions.

For those who chose not to go along and were mistreated by the Bush admin are truly strong because the were strong enough to "disagree".

Good Job Obama

I think Gen. Shinseki will be a fine choice,I'm sure he will help all of us Veterans!!!! The question he answered was relevant to POST VICTORY Iraq,that really has nothing to do with the increase of troops needed during the war going on now,including the SURGE policy.

DAV

GREAT CHOICE OBAMA!!!!

If my memory serves me well; Shinseki was the man who testified that Cheney made the call for our fighter jets to stand down from shooting down the "plane" that hit the pentagon on 911.

Shinseki is an honorable man in my book for speaking the truth no matter how much Bush, Cheney, Rummy, Rove, and the rest of the rethuglican gang didn't like it.

Another great choice! I admired this man for sticking up for himself when everyone else was bowing to Rummy and Wolfie. I'm so impressed with President-Elect Obama's good choices.

And the hits just keep on coming, folks! Pick after pick of competent, intelligent, principled people to help Obama govern.

As we remember the anniversary of "Pearl Harbor" on Dec. 7, it seems fitting that Obama will announce the appointment of Gen. Shinseki as Veteran's Affairs Secretary. I pray that the VA will now be able to truly serve all who have served.

For my dad and my son and all who have served and will serve I await for the full funding of the VA that Obama has promised. That we have reached the end of the era of 'deny, delay and defend' the poor service that our Vets have been subject to.

Another Great American who understands the constitution. Thanks BO

I am absolutely impressed by this choice. Brilliant!

This is an excellent choice by President Obama!

The people of this country are on pins and needle waiting for the new President, while the old one seems to be on vacation, or having a mental relapse. We are expecting great things from Obama, since Bush has trash us. I hope he can accomplish at least some of the most necessary things early on in office. Of course, I do see the Republicans putting in road blocks just like they did to Clinton. The Republicans love to see our country on its knees. The is where they put us. It's going to take the support of every American citizens to rebuild our nation. Let's help as much as we can. Those that throw up road blocks, let trample them down.

Is there no end to the great selections President-elect Obama is making for his Cabinet? This is one wounded Vietnam veteran who loudly applauds the selection of General Shinseki to the post of Secretary of VA. President-elect Obama's selections have all been bright, experienced and strong-willed individuals. Has all the makings of a great Administration. We should all be optimistic about the next four–no, make that eight–years!

Great Pick

Amazing, Wonderful Choice. This is Obama's way, elegantly giving bush/cheny/rumsfeld the finger for all the heart ache and truama they have inflicted on our veterans.

great, another war-monger

some change we are getting..

why did i vote for obama?

It is great to see a good person that was treated so disrespectfully by the Bush administration being apart of a government he served so honorably.

I read an article that attributed a statement to General Shinseki that I believe makes him uniquely qualified for this position. I am not sure its true but if it is he is absolutely the right person for the Secretary of Veteran Affairs. The statement was: "You must love those you lead before you can be an effective leader." With this being said, our veterans will be in good hands!

THIS IS GREAT CHOICE. GEN.ERIC SHINSEKI I TRUST OBAMA HE'S GREAT MAN…. AND WE ALL LOVE OUT TROOPS

OOps! My last entry was meant for the "Bush hanging" article. Oh well. Pertaining to this article, Obama is astounding in filling his cabinet!!!

LQQKs pretty good! Almost real! Maybe it will keep the mice out of the White House. You can be rich, but, still be a POOR man. Bless his soul…

so far no mistake .president-elect obama pick Gen.Erick Shinseki as veterans affairs secretary is one of best,best……….best choise.

Once again President Elect Obama hits a home run. Looking forward to January 21 when this great team starts its first full day of work.

Excellent choice and another sign of the foresight of President-Elect Obama….

A transition team loaded with lobbyists, a cabinet loaded with entrenched Washington politicians…yep, change you can believe in.

W goes around giving the medal of honor to the CIA Director, Benet, so Obama should go around elevating people who gives good judgement to the war.

It looks like he wants to fill his positions with people with judgement. It's a start for a new beginning.

Thank you from the mother of a soldier in this war for the second time. I am gratefull for someone who cares about the soldiers. Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld are totally without a soul or a brain. I hope they rot. And what is encouraging is that what goes around comes around -ala OJ-0 can't wait for Bush to get his!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!

Wow! I have always wanted to know who voiced the opinion and finally I get to see and read about the man. It looks like Obama wants his administration to be filled with people with judgement. May the best and brightest, serve our country.

I believe he truly has the welfare of veterans on his mind.

President-elect Obama pick Gen. Eric Shinseki to be as veterans affairs secretary is a great choice. And the General will do the best for the American veterans. All the veterans should deserved the best care and respect.

Obama's choice of General Eric Skinseki as Sec. of Veterans Affairs is a repudiation of George Bush and his failed Iraq policies. Skinseki was probably asked to resign, simply because he disagreed with the president. This is a typical example of a failed leader who refuses to listen to all viewpoints. Being a former infantry soldier, I always felt Bush and his failed military strategy in Iraq was largely due to a lack of troops on the ground.

As a mormon independent who voted for Obama, I seem to be liking a lot of his picks, especially Geithner. This gentlemen Shinseki, if he really will be head of the VA, will add to the diversity of the next cabinet. I'm still waiting to hear if Sebelius will be nominated for a position, maybe energy secretary. It seems Obama is really picking a cabinet that will reflect America's diversity. Shinseki looks like the type of straight shooter who has a great amount of integrity and loyalty to his superiors but who is also willing to speak out if he disagrees. Great pick!

he should have een defense secretary

Great appointment; I wonder what Rumsfield thinks of it…

Great Choice!

Thanks, Obama

The Army chief of staff is "not in the chain of command, and play[ed] no direct role in drawing up the war plans?" What's the point of having a general staff, let alone a chief fo staff, if not to have them advise on war plans? That can't be right. Wait, that was the Bush Pentagon, of course it could.

Good choice…goood mannn…keep going Obama…God Belss America and God Bless you and ur family.

For far too long the VA has been a backwater for party hacks and contributors who have little or no knowledge about the special requirements of thos who depend upon this department not only for life sustenance, but for basic health maintenance. The general should be a veritable improvement over anyone that has held this position for a very long time. I would hope that he would appoint other retired medical officers to head the sub-departments for which their training qualifies them.

I am a veteran with several service connected physical problems. There are two main problems that plague former service members. They are the initial disability qualification process, which for far too long has been an argumentive process where non-medically qualified bureaucrats can completely ignore competent medical expertise in the interpretation of what qualifies as a disabling injury and the level of compensation it deserves. I had to appeal my original rating and prove that I deserved greater compensation, then a bureaucrat eliminated coverage for two injuries, that though they were rated at zero percent, they were expected to be upgraded, due to aging, at a later evaluation.

I sincerely hope that the general and congress can come up with a compensatory program that is at least better than the barely adequate coverage now experienced by veterans who have been injured in the service of their country, whether they were injured during combat or injured during peace time service. My contention is that all service is dangerous and that training for combat should be given the same credit for compensation as those wounded in combat or in combat zones.

Another excellent choice!

very nice

Bout dang time. Maybe if they would have listened to him in the first place we wouldn't be where we are now.

Sounds like the Best Choice To Me. Too bad Bush didn't take General Shinseki's advice, the history books may have had a very different story to tell.

Congratulations Sir!
May all go well with you in this wonderful administration. Please do all you can for our troops and our veterans. They have been overlooked and under-cared for too long! Thank you!

nice!
the most diverse staff ever
!

Good, now our soldiers and veterans can get everything they need and deserve.

If this man managed to infuriate some Bush administration officials, he must be telling it like it is…not like the republicans/neocons wanted to hear. I'll take a chance on him as Veterans Affairs Secretary. as long as he helps our veterans, not like McCain, who voted against giving our veterans any well deserved help.

Excellent choice. Once again, BO has shown that he will surround himself with the best qualified people to lead this country.

I think Gen. Shinseki will be a fine choice,I'm sure he will help all of us Veterans !!!! The question he answered was relevant to POST VICTORY Iraq,that really has nothing to do with the increase of troops needed during the war going on now,including the SURGE policy.

DAV

I am so proud of President elect Obama. This just proves to America how much Obama wants his cabinet to reflect ALL of America not just the white 'pro-American' small town parts of America (like Palin says).

The Democrats embrace diversity (white, black, Asian, Latino, etc.) and the Republicans reflect old white racist males who hate diversity.

Obama/Biden!!! Yes we did!!!

Way to go Mr. President .

Dang, I thought Obama was against the surge. The guy is all over the place with some of these nominations and appointments. Daggone!

Shineski's a good choice

They asked him his opinion of the number of troops that would be needed and he gave HIS opinion and was probably forced to retire. It's that way in the private sector too. Many at the top pose questions to others with the expectation they will hear what they want to hear and when they do not then that person then becomes a non participating member of the team is is replaced with a YES MAN/WOMAN.

Now he is back as the top person in Vet affairs. I truly hope he will listen and respect the responses he gets when he ask questions of his people.

Great Choice, as usual…

Good choice – if he'd been listened to instead of "W"s friend Rummy, life would be a lot different for all of us at this time. Google him and his recommendations for Iraq —————— just saying.

Conservativess were mad at Shinseki, who was right, and they were mad at the French, who also were right. Never trust people who shout down the truth.

Sounds like another good appt….Another example of that fine Bush administration that the crew is out harping on now.

IT will take a miracle to change the attitude and foot-dragging culture of the VA.

I think the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, should be an retired or disabled Enlisted Veteran not an Officer. The Enlisted are the backbone of the Military and they should be Represented at The Va not the Officers

Retired General Eric Shinseki is the former Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army. He has continually communicated an incredible sense of pride in the young men and women who are the backbone of the Army. He has shown no interest in the trappings of power that come with being a four-star general. In fact, he sees the status and perks that come with being a general as major obstacles to overcome. His voice fills with emotion when he discusses the sacrifices of the brave soldiers who are risking their lives for our country. In short, General Shinseki is a soldier’s soldier.

January 20, 2009 cannot come soon enough!