'IT'S GOING TO BE HARD': Members of the Congressional Black Caucus are pressing Biden to select the first Black secretary of Defense, possibly dimming hopes for Michèle Flournoy to become the first woman in the job, POLITICO's Lara Seligman, Tyler Pager, Heather Caygle and Alex Thompson report. "While Flournoy is still the frontrunner, the Biden team, which has promised to be the most diverse U.S. administration in history, is concerned about the optics of the top four Cabinet officials — State, Defense, Treasury and Justice — being white, said one transition official," they write. "At the end of the day I would say that it's going to be hard for Biden not to pick the first female secretary of defense, but Jeh Johnson would be the first Black secretary of defense and there are a lot of white faces," said one former senior defense official. But Johnson, who was the first Black secretary of Homeland Security and is also under consideration for attorney general, would likely upset many liberals. A detailed memo circulated by progressives on Monday criticizes his stances on immigration and goes after his tenure as the Pentagon's top lawyer. "Johnson approved hundreds of drone strikes resulting in more than 150 civilian deaths," the unsigned opposition research document charges. "Johnson approved and defended targeting U.S. citizens with drone strikes." The memo also cites Johnson's ties to the largest Pentagon contractor, referring to reports that he receives $290,000 per year to sit on the board of directors of Lockheed Martin. Another contender for the Pentagon job is retired Army Gen. Lloyd Austin, who is also Black. But news of his consideration has raised questions, not least because he would require a waiver from Congress to become the top civilian leader. He also sits on the board of defense contractor Raytheon Technologies. Meanwhile, we noticed that Flournoy, who has also been heavily scrutinized for her ties to the defense industry, holds another perch that has gone virtually unnoticed: as board member and vice chair of CARE, the global humanitarian group. "She has a unique perspective on international development and humanitarian leadership," Michelle Nunn, the president and CEO of CARE USA, told us when we reached out on Monday. "She has become one of the most powerful ambassadors for the three stools of development, diplomacy and defense, and one of the most eloquent and passionate advocates for investment in long term development." "She combines a set of experiences that are unique," Nunn added. "I sat cross-legged with Michèle on the floor eating with refugees from Syria or farmers in Nepal. That is experience she will bring with her." Related: Biden's delay in picking a Defense secretary opens top contenders to uncomfortable scrutiny, via CNN. And: It's time for a woman to run the Defense Department, via The New York Times. SURGING DEMOCRACY: The Center for American Progress today is issuing a series of recommendations on how the incoming administration can better organize fellow democracies. The left-leaning think tank's blueprint for how Biden can implement his vision of convening a summit of democracies starts with "a small, core set" and building out to a wider group in 2022. Even more important will be identifying the mechanisms "that can sustain the kind of cooperation that the United States hopes to produce." CAP also has a separate plan for "a new multiyear, multibillion-dollar Democratic Strategic Advantage Initiative to help established democracies and emerging democratic states." That will require revamping foreign assistance. "The bulk of America's foreign assistance goes to nondemocratic countries," the plan says, stressing that the U.S. is "privileging its nondemocratic partners over its democratic allies." 'A MONUMENTAL FIRST ACHIEVEMENT': Some 80 antiwar and human rights groups are calling on Biden to immediately end military support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen, as he promised during the campaign. Among their demands: "End all war-related U.S. logistical support, targeting assistance, spare parts transfers, and intel to the Saudi-led coalition" and "stop all sales of weapons to members of the Saudi-led coalition that could be used in the war and encourage U.S. allies and other countries to do the same." "It would be a monumental first achievement for your administration that would be praised by Americans across the ideological spectrum," they added. | 
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