Reuters:

Republican and Democratic leaders of the U.S. Senate on Friday said Robert Gates should win speedy confirmation to lead the Pentagon as he promised the Iraq war would be a top priority.

[..]Both Republicans and Democrats expressed confidence that Gates would be confirmed easily. Republicans want it done before handing power over to the Democrats early next year.

"Unless something comes up untoward at the hearings, which I don't expect, he should be confirmed," said Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada, a Democrat who will lead the Senate when his party takes charge in January.

"The one thing he has going for him ... is we want the change to take place very quickly. So it's to our interest to have this change at the head of the Defense Department as soon as possible," Reid said after meeting Gates. Read on..