The eighth and perhaps the most influential Secretary of Defense, Robert McNamara has passed away. McNamara served as Defense Secretary for Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson from 1961 to 1968. He was the architect of the Vietnam War, instituted policy analysis, expanded the influence of the Defense Department, and played a large role in the Kennedy Administration's handling of the Cuban Missile Crisis. He was 93.

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Ball point pen on the morning newsprint

With two wars to fight, President-Elect Obama has elected not to switch horses in midstream and has asked Robert Gates to continue serving as Secretary of Defense. Gates earned a BA in European History from the College of William and Mary, an MA in History from Indiana University, and a Ph.D in Russian/Soviet History from Georgetown University. He has spent most of his career in the defense and intelligence agencies including serving as Director of the CIA, Assistant to the president and Deputy National Security Adviser, Chairman of the National Intelligence Council and Deputy Director of Intelligence.

Doodle note: This morning I did this warm up doodle on the back of a piece of scrap paper complete with coffee mug stain. Peaking through the back side is a Clinton doodle and my note to self is coming out his right ear. When drawing with ball point pen on newspaper the results are spontaneous. I only get one shot on the article but today I think I captured him better over the coffee stained scrap... so I posted it.

Ball point pen on coffee stained scrap paper

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