Tuesday, May 09, 2006

The Good, the bad and the UGLIES


Today a Richmond Times-Dispatch story describes the sentiments of Virginia legislators and Democratic Senate hopefuls about Gen. Michael Hayden's appointment to head the CIA.

There are a few folks, including some GOPers who don't like Bush's choice; some who support the choice; some who do with a predicate; and some who have to wait and take the political temperature first. Here is what a few have to say on the subject:

John W. Warner, "a nonvoting member of the Senate Intelligence Committee...has a positive view of Hayden and his work," according to his aide John Ullyot.

George Allen said in a statement he was "inclined to support" the nominee, but wants to review Hayden's "attributes and capabilities to lead the CIA."

Rep. Thelma Drake, R-2nd, issued a statement commending Hayden's "long and distinguished career as an intelligence officer." She hoped, she said, that amid the war on terror, "Election year politics will be put aside and that the focus [of hearings] will be on the qualifications, background and experience that make him qualified to serve in this critically important role."



[...]

Rep. Jo Ann Davis, a 1st District Republican who chairs a key panel of the House Intelligence Committee, said she did not believe the CIA ought to be headed by a general.

[...]

Democrat Harris Miller, who is seeking his party's nomination June 13 to challenge Allen...said in a statement that with Hayden's military background, the CIA "would, in effect, be placed under military control."

James Webb, a former Navy secretary, also is seeking the Democratic Senate nomination. His spokeswoman said Webb knows only what he has read in the newspaper about Hayden and said Webb believes that once a member of the military is asked to fill such an appointive position in charge of a civilian agency, he should retire from the military.

Well typical of George Allen, no commitment until he sees which way the wind is blowing; and characteristic of Miller, a dose of histrionics.

This will probably comes as a shock to my readers --whoever he, she or they may be - but Howling Latina believes a president should have the exclusive right to nominate any person he/she wishes to serve in their administration; and after the Peter Goss disaster, Hayden appears to be a move in the right direction, especially if he follows through and brings back Stephen Kappes. All Hayden needs to do is resign from his military commission.

And once again, HL is in full accord with James Webb, the good.

Darth Allen, of course, is the bad; and the rest of the opportunists are the "uglies."

Comments:
I saw something on RawStory saying that if Hayden took over he'd place CIA operations under pentagon control. NOT what I had in mind.
 
Well that's some of the buzz; but...if the guy is bringing back an old spook who quit rather than cave in to Goss, that bodes well in my book.

We'll just have to wait and see; with Speaker Hastern going after him, I'm beginning to think this guy is no lackey for GOPers.
 
http://www.eyeonbooks.com/gallery/webb.jpg
 
Post a Comment



<< Home

This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?