Critics: Too many 'Clintonistas' get posts

WASHINGTON, Nov. 19 (UPI) -- Critics from the right and left say too many of U.S. President-elect Barack Obama's choices for top administration posts thus far are Clinton-era retreads.

In fact, more than half of the people named so far to Obama's transition or staff posts have ties to former U.S. President Bill Clinton's administration, CNN reported Wednesday. That has brought out critics who say the choices belie Obama's promises of change.

"I think several individuals are very frustrated to think that President-elect Obama may just cut and paste from some of the Democratic operatives from the Clinton administration and put them into his White House," Leslie Sanchez, a Republican strategist, told CNN.

Meanwhile, liberal author Robert Kuttner told the broadcaster, "It's not as if the only competent people who ever served in government or who are capable are serving in government are veterans of the Clinton administration, so (Obama's) got to be careful how many Clintonistas he appoints to top-level government posts."

But Lanny Davis, Clinton's former special council, says it's not people but policies that will determine real change.

"(Americans) don't care about whether somebody who fills a particular box is from a prior administration," he told CNN.