Democrats: Gen. Kelly ‘A Man Of Steady Leadership’

‘I’m A Huge Fan,’ He ‘Has Served Our Country With Distinction’

Gen. John F. Kelly

Gen. John Kelly “…a seasoned commander with personal experience of the costs of war in charge of protecting the nation’s borders. Blunt-spoken and popular with military personnel, General Kelly, 66, rose to run the United States Southern Command, which… exposed him to immigration, drug trafficking and other cross-border problems over a sprawling area that encompasses 32 countries in the Caribbean, Central America and South America.” (“Donald Trump Picks John Kelly, Retired General, To Lead Homeland Security,” The New York Times, 12/7/16)

• “Less focused on combat than other regional military commands, Southern Command has a reputation for emphasizing ‘soft power’ over hard military might. It gets deeply involved in issues such as migration, organized crime and disaster relief, as well as programs to train local militaries. ‘A lot of the work we do with countries in our hemisphere focuses on transnational threats, like crime and drugs,’ said Jeremy B. Bash, a onetime chief of staff to a former defense secretary, Leon E. Panetta, who worked closely with General Kelly at the Pentagon. ‘It is an excellent preparation for someone whose job it is to protect the border.’” (“Donald Trump Picks John Kelly, Retired General, To Lead Homeland Security,” The New York Times, 12/7/16)

“The former head of US Southern Command, Kelly was previously responsible for managing security threats posed by criminal drug networks based in South and Central America -- an issue that Trump highlighted in his campaign, and to which Kelly would bring unique experience.” (“Trump Picks Retired Gen. John Kelly To Lead DHS,” CNN, 12/12/16)

DEMS: Kelly ‘A Man Of Steady Leadership,’ ‘A Fine General,’ Who ‘Has Served Our Country With Distinction,’ ‘Has Enormous Credibility’
SEN. TOM CARPER (D-DE): “I sincerely congratulate my friend General Kelly on his selection to be the next secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. General Kelly is a man of steady leadership who has years of experience working with our neighbors in Latin America as commander of U.S. Southern Command. Having worked with General Kelly personally on efforts to address the root causes of the surge in migration of children and families to our southern border, I am encouraged by his ability to build relationships with our partners in the region.” (Sen. Carper, Press Release, 12/7/16)

• CARPER: “I’m a huge fan of General Kelly.” (“McCaskill Mum On Trump’s Expected Homeland Security Pick,” Morning Consult, 12/7/16)

SEN. MAGGIE HASSAN (D-NH): “As a Gold Star father, General Kelly has a deep, personal understanding of the dangers that our servicemen and women encounter every day. He has served our country with distinction, and I look forward to continuing our conversation throughout the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs hearing process.” (Sen. Hassan, Facebook Post, 1/6/17)

SEN. CLAIRE McCASKILL (D-MO): “I'm familiar with General Kelly because of my work on the Armed Services Committee. I think he is a fine general…” (ABC News’ “This Week,” 12/11/16)

FORMER - REP. JANE HARMAN (D-CA), Director, Woodrow Wilson Center: “I’m positive about it… He’s highly regarded in the military and worked his way up.” ‘“I’m positive about it,’ said former Congresswoman Jane Harman who now directs the Woodrow Wilson Center. ‘He’s highly regarded in the military and worked his way up. He has a close personal relationships with [Homeland Security Secretary] Jeh Johnson.’” (“Is The Department Of Homeland Security Too Tough For A General To Manage?,” The Daily Beast, 12/8/16)

• HARMAN: “I think this guy has enormous credibility that he will get the lead assignment on the border.” (“Is The Department Of Homeland Security Too Tough For A General To Manage?,” The Daily Beast, 12/8/16)

FORMER-DEFENSE SECRETARY PANETTA: An ‘Excellent Choice’
FORMER-DEFENSE SECRETARY GATES: ‘An Asset’
“General Kelly served as the senior military assistant to both Mr. Panetta and his predecessor, Robert M. Gates. He forged close ties to Jeh Johnson, who was then the Pentagon’s general counsel and later became secretary of Homeland Security.” (“Donald Trump Picks John Kelly, Retired General, To Lead Homeland Security,” The New York Times, 12/7/16)

• FORMER-DEFENSE SECRETARY LEON PANETTA: Kelly an “excellent choice,” he “understands what it takes to keep our nation safe.” “On Wednesday, Mr. Panetta endorsed General Kelly, calling him an ‘excellent choice’ and urging the Senate to confirm him. ‘He has led our women and men in uniform and understands what it takes to keep our nation safe,’ Mr. Panetta said in a statement.” (“Donald Trump Picks John Kelly, Retired General, To Lead Homeland Security,” The New York Times, 12/7/16)
• FORMER-DEFENSE SECRETARY ROBERT GATES: His ‘candidness was an asset’ when they worked together at the Pentagon. “Former Defense Secretary Robert Gates, for whom Kelly worked as a senior military adviser in 2011, told Military Times that the general’s candidness was an asset at the Pentagon. The pair worked together for about four months, from the first days after Kelly's son was killed, through the Navy SEAL raid on Osama bin Laden's compound in Pakistan and early implementation of several budgetary moves designed to rein in wartime spending.” (“Donald Trump Could Tap This Tough-Talking General To Secure America's Borders,” Military Times, 11/27/16)

Gen. Kelly Has Been Confirmed Unanimously By The U.S. Senate On Five Separate Occasions
In 2002 Kelly was confirmed to the rank of Brigadier General by the United States Senate via unanimous consent. (“Congressional Record — Senate,” U.S. Senate, S.8860, 9/18/02)

In 2007 Kelly was confirmed to the rank of Major General by the United States Senate via unanimous consent. (“Congressional Record — Senate,” U.S. Senate, S.11459, 9/11/07)

In 2009 Kelly was confirmed to the rank of Lieutenant General by the United States Senate via unanimous consent. (“Congressional Record — Senate,” U.S. Senate, S.9890, 9/25/09)

In 2011 Kelly was confirmed to the rank of Lieutenant General by the United States Senate via unanimous consent. (“Congressional Record — Senate,” U.S. Senate, S.1767, 3/16/11)

In 2012 Kelly was confirmed to the rank of General by the United States Senate via unanimous consent. (“Congressional Record — Senate,” U.S. Senate, S.5623, 7/26/12)
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