The Times, in its lead editorial, December 1, 2017, "Help Wanted: Top Diplomat," is troubled about rumors that CIA director Mike Pompeo may succeed Rex W. Tillerson as secretary of state.  For the Times, Pompeo "may be too chummy" with President Trump.  To boot, he is "a Tea Party conservative and a climate change skeptic."  And more, he is accused of "mixing politics with intelligence"!

Of course, the Times has no difficulty with mixing politics and intelligence when the mix involves former Obama intelligence figures like John Brennan and James Clapper.  After all, isn't "Dossiergate" all about mixing up intelligence with politics for the purpose of forcing President Trump from office?  

The Times editorial also expresses difficulty with the rumored appointment of Sen. Tom Cotton to replace Mr. Pompeo as CIA director.  Among Cotton's faults, as perceived by the Times, he "has mocked the idea that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia in the presidential election."  Perhaps even worse for the Times, Cotton "has also been Congress's most aggressive opponents of the Iran nuclear deal[.]"  That is to say that we have a president who intends to staff his administration with officials who reflect America's legacy of liberty in foreign as well as domestic policy.

And consider this added criticism: the appointments of Pompeo and Cotton "would add two more white men to a cabinet dominated by them[.]"  (It would be more precise, arguably, to note that "white men" would replace, not add to, other white men.)

Behold the desperation of the swamp in its frenzy to retain dominance in U.S. politics: play the Russia card, add innuendo of right-wing extremism, and never forget to hurl the race card as well.  Congressional Republicans should stand with the Trump administration in its commitment to drain the swamp and, thereby, restore to the people our legacy of liberty – and the idea of American greatness.