Posted on 01/06/2009 9:56:51 PM PST by advance_copy
Vice-president-elect Joseph Biden admitted today the Obama transition team made a "mistake" in not notifying top Senate officials of the selection of Leon Panetta as director of the Central Intelligence Agency, defending the former Clinton White House chief of staff as a nominee would take the CIA on "new path."
Biden told reporters in the Capitol that the Senate Intelligence Committee should have been consulted in advance of the Panetta nomination, which resulted in criticism from the panel's top Democrats. The incoming chair, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), and outgoing chairman, Sen. John "Jay" Rockefeller III (D-W. Va.), questioned the Panetta selection because of his lack of experience in the intelligence community.
"I'm still a Senate man. I always think this way. It's always good to talk to the requisite members of Congress. I think it was just a mistake," Biden said after being sworn in today for another Senate term (he will resign his seat in advance of the Jan. 20 inauguration).
(Excerpt) Read more at voices.washingtonpost.com ...
He has zip, zero, nada experience in both intelligence and foreign affairs. And the nomination isn't going to help Obama's standing with Dianne Fienstein, who is Chairman of the Senate Intelligence committee that will be handling Panetta's confirmation. And whether Obama knows it or not, Feinstein is also the most powerful California Democrat in the country.
No matter that the press tries to spin it the other way around, Panetta put the kabash on Fienstein's 1998 aspirations to be Governor of California.
Back in the day, people were talking about the possibility of Fienstein taking over as Governor and then using that post to launch a campaign to be the first woman President of the United States. But she had to drop out of the 1998 campaign because Panetta put and kept his hat in the ring.
Today, the press tries to spin it the other way around, asserting that Feinstein kept the oxygen out of Panetta's aspirations to be governor. But she got out of the race first, two weeks before Panetta did. And no one in California really knew Leon Panetta, though everybody in the golden state knew/knows Di-Fi. So, I think Panetta, whether he intended this or not, kept Feinstein from running for Governor. The spitting match between the two left California with Governor Gray Davis.
The Panetta nomination itself is a mistake even more than how it has been handled. Obama is likely trying to show Feinstein, who is just about the only Democrat Senator to support Hillary Clinton during the 2008 primary, who is the boss.
But Obama should pick his battles carefully. What possible value could there be in making an enemy out of Di-Fi? None.
Finally, I think Panetta is a mistake because he was White House Chief of Staff when Monica Lewinsky was doing tawdry things with the President of the United States in the Oval Office. That is a HUGE failure on his part and I cannot imagine the damage that such incompetence could do to the country when it is in charge of the CIA.
The gift that keeps on giving.
crumblling before our eyes.
This choice only demonstrates how little Obama cares for the CIA and intelligence gathering in general.
We all know what happens when a president doesn’t take intelligence seriously....
Joe Blurt
Folks - we're in BIG TROUBLE with these certifiable a$$holes in charge...
It appears we're to witness the internally caused collapse of the United States... When the lights go out here -- the darkness will be chaotic.
You mean the Banana Republic of the United States.....
I believe Obama will tell him in straight terms who the boss is. It also may be an advanced ploy to show that Obama crosses his own party line to bring America together. It smells. (I am not in favor of Panetta, but the griping from the inside is suspect to me)
I agree with you. My question to these idiots who are going to get us killed or hurt very badly is where the hell are they going to hide when the stuff hits the fan. Do they think they are not going to suffer the consequences? Or do they have an escape plan?
Obviously, Panetta is truly a ludicrous candidate for CIA head, but you really have to wonder, when the high-level conversations tossing his name back and forth were taking place, what were these numbnuts thinking, and why on earth didn’t they realize how badly such an absurd choice would be received? Seriously, I don’t see how even team Obama got here.
Hang on to your seat. It will get worse before it gets better.
Obama and intelligence in the same sentence is an oxymron if you think about it.
Bart.
0 is a Puppet on a string being manipulated by a bunch of idiots hoping their on the job training doesn’t fall apart before they get to read the next chapter in the manual.
Turned out I was wrong about Hillary never giving up to be elected last year. She lost.......Check so many of my pre-election posts if you wish.
But........ I was (unfortunately for this nation) 100% right in principle as this entire Obama team is nothing but Clintons and Clinton c**ks**kers.
G*dd*m Bill and Hillary Clinton and all they stand for and all the evil they’ve created.....
Totally agree, this is one scary bunch. Even worse is the knowledge that the electorate is so ignorant.
Their escape plan is the MSM!
....how many mistakes does plasticdude get to make before he is sworn in?
MS-ObamaBC had one of their flunkies attacking Rockefeller and Feinstein for daring to go after the chosen one.
Team Obama got here because the media made sure the people knew Obama was perfect in every way. The people don’t know Panetta is a bad choice, and they never will unless the media tells them, since the average person does not actually work to get real information.
Wonder why they are letting Biden take the wrap on this?
How many more times is zero going to get shanked in the back before he gives him something he can handle without embarassing the new administration. How about DC transit czar?
They don't have the guts to do what needs to be done. The Senate is full of giiiirly men. They're chicken. Bwaaaak-bwak-bwak-bwak...
I see 0bama’s not relying on his wise and wonderful veep selection for good counsel. Just wait until Zero really gets into this “commander-in-chief” thing! Biden will be crying in his cups and talking to hard-nosed investigative journalists like Dr. Phil, and spilling his guts to Letterman. I fully expect 0bama to be the subject of a special prosecutor’s probe within two years, and Joe Biden will have much to gain by taking one FROM the team.
Hillary Clinton to the Green Room please.
By accepting the position, Panetta indicated he is not qualified. He is so happy to get back to DC he will take a job turned down by others.
The appointment of Panetta clearly indicates the Messiah’s Bush League roots
All perfectly true. By “got here”, I meant this particular decision. Oh well, Harriet Myers redux.
We are so far beyond screwed with this guy and in particular his toadies. It’s depressing.
The average American is going to be paying "tuition" for the next four years, and beyond. The subject: American Civics, and Why Senators Make Lousy Presidents (and Vice Presidents).
Liberal historians look back fondly on LBJ, JFK, and Harry Truman. Their record is mixed at best.
>>Totally agree, this is one scary bunch. Even worse is the knowledge that the electorate is so ignorant.
Their escape plan is the MSM!<<
No, I mean an actual escape from physical danger.
They must have some havens to escape to in the South Pacific or somewhere like that.
Why am I getting the sense that Biden won’t finish out his four years of VeePdom? Heck, I’m starting to think he won’t even make it until Inauguration Day.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.