A Message From The Rock For DiFi And Rockefeller

Bloomberg has a good piece up today about President Elect Barack Obama's choice to run the CIA Leon Panetta. Through out the piece you will find wide spread approval of the choice by some pretty reputable people.

A number of other experts in intelligence -- including former Central Intelligence Agency director George Tenet and Lee Hamilton, co-chair of the 9-11 Commission, praised the choice and dismissed the reservations of Feinstein and Rockefeller.

Tenet, CIA director during Bush’s first term, said Panetta was “a great choice.”

“He will bring stature and leadership to the agency,” Tenet said in an interview.

snip

Senator Ron Wyden, a member of the intelligence panel, said Panetta is a “savvy” Washington veteran who can change the agency.

snip

Hamilton, who once headed the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said Panetta’s lack of experience in intelligence gathering operations isn’t a hindrance in running the agency.

“He will bring a very needed perspective, an outside perspective, to the CIA at a critical time in the agency’s history,” Hamilton, now president of the Washington-based Woodrow Wilson International Center, said in an interview.

snip

Milt Bearden, a former CIA official who was the agency’s station chief in Pakistan during the 1980s, said Panetta’s lack of an intelligence background may be a benefit.

Bearden said that, with retired Marine General James Jones serving as Obama’s national security adviser, Panetta would help offset the influence of the military.

“I have nothing against the military, but there’s absolutely nothing wrong with having a civilian balance in the national-security establishment,” he said. During his service in Pakistan, Bearden was in charge of the CIA’s program of supporting and supplying Afghan fighters battling Soviet forces in their country.

So you would think everything would be sunny in Obama land right? Of course not. You see some fellow Democrats namely Senators Diane Feinstein and Jay Rockerfeller are a little pissy about it because nobody bent over to kiss their ass about the appointment.

Senator Dianne Feinstein, who will be head of Select Committee on Intelligence during confirmation hearings for the CIA job, and Senator Jay Rockefeller, the current chairman, said they weren’t informed about the choice of Panetta, a former U.S. representative from California and chief of staff and budget director in President Bill Clinton’s White House.

Feinstein said in a statement she knew “nothing” about the selection of Panetta until media reports yesterday. An aide to Rockefeller who spoke to the senator said the West Virginia Democrat wasn’t consulted. Feinstein said she wants an “intelligence professional” in the post. Rockefeller also expressed concern about Panetta’s lack of experience, his aide said

Mind you these same too goofballs both voted FOR Porter Goss who was an absolute disaster as the head of the CIA but not only that you would be hard pressed to find ANY appointment that President Bush made that they voted against. But instead of keeping their mouth's shut they decide to crap all over the appointment on the day that it is announced. They are all bent out of shape because they weren't "consulted" about the pick. They also would rather have "pro torture" debuty CIA director Steve Kappes to run the agency. Yeah that would be change we could believe in, heh.

This is just another example of Democrats getting in their own way. And if you are wondering, YES I blame Harry Reid for this too because its indicative of how much of a weak leader he is that he can't keep his own party members in line. But I was reminded this morning of a catch phrase one of my favorite wrestlers used to employ. You see Senators Feinstein and Rockefeller, when you become President then you can pick whomever you want to run the CIA, but until then, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOUR NAME IS!