I know the military well enough to know I don't want military types in charge of anything, the military itself above all.

And yes, I get to choose. It's called democracy. You get to choose your elites. In the end, that's what democracy is about. Picking which elites you like best or, at least, dislike least.

When it goes right, you get someone like Gore.

Though, when it goes wrong, you get Bush. That's when you know your democracy is fucked...