President Obama has nominated retired Army general Robert Harding as administrator of the Transportation Security Administration — arguably the administration's most important unfilled post. Among other challenges, the new TSA chief will face immediate pressure to fix airport security gaps in the wake of the failed Christmas Day airliner bomb attack. Obama says Harding's intelligence and experience make him the perfect candidate for that task. But the need for tight security must be balanced with sensitivity toward innocent travelers — is a military man the right candidate for the job? (Watch the announcement of new TSA chief Robert Harding)
Absolutely. The sooner Harding is on the job, the better: Robert Harding's experience in intelligence gathering seems to be a "valuable" asset, say the editors of the Ventura County, Calif., Star. And given how much time has elapsed since Obama took office, it's important to get someone working to fix the TSA. The Senate should confirm Harding, quickly.
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