Democrats to Cabinet picks: Save us from Trump

Senate Democrats have a request for President-elect Trump's Cabinet nominees: please save us from your boss.

It's a common theme in the confirmation hearings of nominees who have good reputations in their fields or with whom the senators have relationships. They are regularly asked to disavow controversial things Trump has said and to stand up to him once in office.

And frequently, they are complying.

The latest example is Rep. Mike Pompeo, R-Kan., Trump's nominee for director of the Central Intelligence Agency. Pompeo was asked Wednesday to contradict the president-elect's campaign rhetoric on Russia, torture, the targeting of civilians in warfare and the impartiality of an intelligence community that has released reports Trump has criticized.

Pompeo was also asked if he would stand up to, even disobey, the president on some of these issues when conscience and law required.