In a surprise move last week, Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., gave his blessing to the possible appointment of Michele Flournoy as the first-ever woman secretary of defense.
The surprise blessing from stalwart conservative and President Donald Trump ally Inhofe clearly increases the chances that Joe Biden will turn to the centrist Flournoy, 59, rather than a more controversial figure sure to set off a nomination fight — say, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
"She's great," Inhofe told Newsmax. "Michele Flournoy is well qualified to be secretary of defense and I consider her a good, good friend."
The Republican committee chairman got to know Flournoy when she was under secretary of defense for policy under President Barack Obama and appeared frequently before his committee.
Prior to that assignment, Flournoy was deputy assistant secretary of defense for strategy under President Bill Clilnton.
Despite her Democrat credentials, Republican Inhofe considers her "tough on defense" and "someone who could have been secretary of defense in a Republican administration."
Inhofe spoke to us three weeks after winning reelection by a margin of 2-to-1 and one week after celebrating his 86th birthday.
John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.
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