Bush Pentagon Team Asked to Stay On

Defense Secretary Robert Gates has taken the unusual step of inviting most of President Bush's political appointees to remain at the Pentagon until they are replaced, the Washington Times reports. An undisclosed number will be dismissed, but Gates, keen to avoid a "leadership vacuum" with two wars on, wants to keep the majority of some 250 appointees in place.

Normally a change of parties sees mass resignations of political appointees beginning right after the election, with subordinates left to fill in. In a memo last week, Gates said all who had not been contacted individually would have the option to stay until their successors were chosen. Still, he urged the Pentagon appointees to start planning for future employment, saying he could not provide "more clarity and guidance" on how long they would be wanted. (More Robert Gates stories.)