Neocons for Panetta, Dems not so much

Posted By Joshua Keating Tuesday, January 6, 2009 - 11:49 AM Share

Richard Perle and Doug Feith think Leon Panetta, a Democratic insider if there ever was one, is just the man to clean up the CIA:

Panetta is "a very smart, very capable guy with a lot of experience - I think he's the right sort of person to take a shot at improving the place," said Perle, an agency critic who, as chairman of President Bush's Defense Policy Board, was an architect of the Iraq war, and called the quality of the CIA's analysis "appalling."

"It's going to take somebody from outside to right that ship, if it can be done," Perle said. [...]

"One possible implication of appointing somebody from the outside is that the president recognizes that there are serious problems at the CIA and he wants somebody who is not a part of those problems," said Feith, who was Bush's Undersecretary of Defense for Policy.

Senate Democrats aren't so thrilled, particularly Intelligence Committee chair Diane Feinstein, who will oversee Panetta's confirmation process and believes that "the agency is best-served by having an intelligence professional in charge."

Panetta may have been an "any port in a storm" pick as time ran out for the transition, but may in the end turn out to be a great one for an agency in dire need of a fresh set of eyes. That said, this clumsy leak is certainly not the way Obama wanted his outside-the-box pick rolled out. As Ezra Klein notes:

It doesn't look good that the worst leak of the Obama administration came in its spymaster.

EXPLORE:INTELLIGENCE, OBAMA ADMINISTRATION

(4)

HIDE COMMENTS LOGIN OR REGISTER REPORT ABUSE

RAREBIT

4:13 PM ET

January 6, 2009

What about Feingold and Holt?

Some Democrats seem very pleased with the pick. "Senate Demorats" aren't peeved so much as "Senate Democrats with turf" are peeved.

ROBERTD

9:50 PM ET

January 6, 2009

Am I the only one who thinks

Am I the only one who thinks the leaks may be intentional? What better way to float a name and see what comes up without formally nominating that person?

LA SALLE

10:20 PM ET

January 6, 2009

No I do not think the leak

No I do not think the leak was intentional. I AM NOT A FAN OF THE PRESDENT ELECT! However I feel this was a example of a newly formed leadership team that made a mistake. It over reached and assumed that all of Washington will support its every decision without question.
Obama feels that he is untouchable - and that is dangerous he will eventually over extended and we will have to see how this play out in 2010.

RILEY

2:13 AM ET

January 7, 2009

Feinstein doesn't represent Dems on this issue

Dianne Feinstein has broken with the Democratic base on any number of issues, but especially domestic surveillance and torture. Because of that, it's silly to use her an an index of Democratic opinion on the Panetta nomination.

Furthermore, the article which is linked under the text "Senate Democrats aren't so thrilled" actually only quotes two Democratic senators, and the one who isn't Diane Feinstein -- Ron Wyden of Oregon -- is generous in his praise of Panetta.

FP Passport is not usually this sloppy.

Passport, FP’s flagship blog, brings you news and hidden angles on the biggest stories of the day, as well as insights and under-the-radar gems from around the world.