Obama's CIA pick unlikely to face Senate challenge

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Obama's CIA pick unlikely to face Senate challenge

By PAMELA HESS and ANNE FLAHERTY – 48 minutes ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Barack Obama is defending his

unexpected CIA nominee Leon Panetta, who faced a surge of skepticism

in Congress on Tuesday but is not expected to draw serious opposition

when his confirmation reaches the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Obama promised that his intelligence team_ led by Panetta and retired

Adm. Dennis Blair, the nominee for national intelligence director —

will break with Bush administration practices that he said tarnished

U.S. intelligence agencies and American foreign policy.

Word of Panetta's selection Monday caught key senators by surprise_

notably California Democrat Dianne Feinstein, the incoming

Intelligence Committee chairwoman.

Obama didn't consult either Feinstein or Sen. D. Rockefeller,

the outgoing chairman, about his unusual choice_ something a

committee official said should have happened both for protocol and

politics. Both Feinstein and Rockefeller also questioned Panetta's

lack of intelligence-gathering experience.

Obama called Feinstein and apologized Tuesday, her office confirmed.

In a separate statement, Feinstein noted that she had been called by

both Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden, but she expressed no

support for Panetta, a fellow California political veteran.

" They have explained to me the reasons why they believe Leon Panetta

is the best candidate for CIA director, " Feinstein said, adding only

that she looked forward to " speaking with Mr. Panetta about the

critical issues facing the intelligence community and his plans to

address them. "

Meeting with reporters in the U.S. Capitol Tuesday, Biden said the

Obama team made a " mistake " in not consulting with top Senate

officials before choosing Panetta. Biden said the lapse was a process

mistake, but he praised the selection of Panetta, calling the

Californian a " strong figure " for the CIA who would " take it on a new

path. "

Senate Democrats on Tuesday were reluctant to identify any missteps

and openly challenge their former colleague's handling of the Panetta

nomination. At the same time, members of the Intelligence Committee —

still smarting from their limited access during Bush's tenure —

seemed to want to put the incoming administration on notice that they

want to be kept in the loop.

" He is the president. He is entitled to make these decisions, " said

Sen. Evan Bayh, of Obama. But having said that, Bayh later

joked, " call me next time. "

Obama was quick to brush off concerns voiced by Feinstein and

Rockefeller about Panetta's lack of intelligence experience. Instead,

Obama focused on Panetta's stints as an administrator during the

Clinton administration, when he served as budget director and later

as White House chief of staff.

" I have the utmost respect for Leon Panetta, " Obama said Tuesday. " I

think that he is one of the finest public servants that we've had. He

brings extraordinary management skills, great political savvy, an

impeccable record of integrity. As chief of staff to the president,

he is somebody who obviously was fully versed in international

affairs crisis management, and had to evaluate intelligence

consistently on a day-to-day basis. "

" We are putting together a top-notch intelligence team " that

will " ensure that I get the best possible intelligence, unvarnished, "

he added.

Obama said Americans will see " a team that is committed to breaking

with some of the past practices and concerns that have, I think,

tarnished the image of the agencies, the intelligence agencies, as

well as U.S. foreign policy. "

He also praised the intelligence officers working at the CIA and in

other agencies, calling them " outstanding. " The comment appears to be

Obama's signal that he is drawing a line between controversial Bush

policies, such as harsh interrogations, extraordinary rendition,

secret prisons, and warrantless wiretapping, and the agencies he

directed to carry them out.

Former CIA director McLaughlin told The Associated Press from

London Monday that he supported Panetta's nomination because of his

management experience, judgment and understanding of Washington,

which he called excellent qualities for a CIA director.

" It's important that he turn to the professionals in the building and

not show up with a coterie of people aiming to turn the place upside

down -- but I think he'll be smart enough to avoid that pitfall, "

McLaughlin said.

Panetta is not an obvious choice for the CIA job. Despite his years

in Congress and in White House posts, Panetta has no intelligence

gathering or analysis experience.

Hours after Panetta's name surfaced Monday, Feinstein expressed

pointed skepticism about Panetta's qualifications. So did Missouri

Sen. Kit Bond, the ranking Republican on the committee.

Feinstein was far more supportive of Obama's selection of Blair to be

national intelligence director and promised in a statement issued

Tuesday to get him a swift confirmation hearing and vote.

Bayh said he has not spoken with anyone on Obama's transition team

about Panetta's nomination. But he said he planned to call Panetta

and recommend that the former politico, if confirmed, keep Steve

Kappes as deputy director of the CIA. Panetta can push for fresh

policy, while Kappes can provide the experience, Bayh said.

Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

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I am not too surprised. Unfortunately the usual pool of eligible

bachelors were somewhat tainted with going around FISA and/or other

" enhanced " practices.