Initial Reactions to Obama's Choice of Panetta to Lead CIA Take Shape

Writing for the New York Times, MARK MAZZETTI notes that: "President-elect Barack Obama and his top aides called lawmakers, deployed surrogates and offered public testimonials on Tuesday as they scrambled to mend a divide in Democratic ranks over the nomination of Leon E. Panetta, a former White House chief of staff, to take over the Central Intelligence Agency. Mr. Obama and his aides were trying to mend damage done on Monday when news of Mr. Panetta’s selection leaked before it had been shared with senior senators, and some Democrats responded with surprise and skepticism because Mr. Panetta lacks much intelligence experience. Speaking for the first time publicly about the choice, Mr. Obama said Tuesday that Mr. Panetta and other members of the new administration would be “committed to breaking with some of the past practices” that had “tarnished the image” of the United States’ intelligence agencies." Perhaps in an effort to mollify the concerns voiced by opponents of Mr Obama's choice of Panetta; "transition officials said Mr. Obama also intended to keep the C.I.A’s No. 2 official, Stephen R. Kappes, a highly regarded former Marine officer and agency veteran... (a move) that could help defuse criticism inside the C.I.A. about Mr. Panetta’s own thin background in intelligence." Particularly critical of the Obama choice of Panetta was voiced by "Senator Dianne Feinstein, a Democrat who is chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and whose career in California politics tracked closely with Mr. Panetta’s for years. After hearing directly from both Mr. Obama and Vice President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. on Tuesday, Mrs. Feinstein seemed to soften her opposition slightly, but she did not indicate whether she would vote to confirm Mr. Panetta." The whole affair proved somewhat damaging to Mr. Obama when several of his aides "conceded that they had mishandled the process, a significant stumble of his otherwise smooth transition. Mr. Biden said it had been a “mistake” not to notify Mrs. Feinstein and others about the decision. Mr. Obama vigorously defended his selection on Tuesday, saying Mr. Panetta was “fully versed in international affairs, crisis management and had to evaluate intelligence consistently on a day-to-day basis” during his two and a half years as chief of staff to President Bill Clinton. The Times Mazzetti further elaborated on statements by Obama's aides that: "In describing the rationale for turning to Mr. Panetta, aides to Mr. Obama said it was important to bring clarity to the division of responsibilities among American intelligence agencies, and in particular to end the current disputes between the offices of the C.I.A. director and the director of national intelligence." Furthermore; "Because Mr. Panetta does not have a C.I.A. background, the aides said, he may be less likely to instinctively defend the C.I.A.’s turf against other spy agencies. They said Dennis Blair, the retired admiral who has been tapped to become director of national intelligence, had played a role in choosing Mr. Panetta, but would have the clear mandate from the White House to set intelligence policy across the 16 intelligence agencies." There is a long and complicated relationship that Feinstein and Panetta have shared over the years. As noted both Feinstein and Panetta "are both considered power brokers in California politics,.. In 1998, for example, Mrs. Feinstein and Mr. Panetta were both considered viable candidates for the Democratic nomination for governor. Mrs. Feinstein eventually declared that she would not run, after which Mr. Panetta reportedly considered a bit more seriously. Ultimately, he too passed. In 2003, some Democrats from the national party considered but then abandoned a plan that would have put either Mr. Panetta or Mrs. Feinstein on the recall ballot to offer state Democrats an alternative to Gray Davis, the embattled governor. Even now, as she takes over the Intelligence Committee and will preside over Mr. Panetta’s confirmation hearings, Mrs. Feinstein is said to be considering a campaign for governor in 2010." In the meantime, several Democrats, including: former Democratic Senator Bob Graham of Florida; Intelligence Committee member from Wisconsin, Democratic Senator Russ Feingold; and Texas Democratic Congressman Silvestre Reyes, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee and several other Congressional Democrats voiced their strong support for Mr. Panetta. It seems like a case of miscommunications led to Mrs. Feinstein's negative remarks and perhaps with time all wounds will heal and Mr. Panetta will be confirmed to the Directorship of the CIA. A position for which I believe he will be well suited for both the moral and direction of the agency and as a valuable advisor to Mr. Obama.