You're fired, Obama style

WASHINGTON: In his first six months as president, Barack Obama has not flinched at cutting people loose.

The message - you're outta here - comes through loud and clear, though typically not face-to-face from Obama himself. In that regard, he's not like real estate mogul Donald Trump who told contestants on his reality TV show: "You're fired."

Those who have made a swift exit include Afghan war commander General David McKiernan, White House Military Office Director Louis Caldera, and - in a maneuver stretching all the way to Detroit - General Motors Corp CEO Rick Wagoner.