Roberts fine with Panetta pick

Barack Obama’s puzzling pick of Leon Panetta to be CIA director has top lawmakers expressing concern about the former Clinton chief of staff’s lack of hands-on experience in intelligence matters. But only three recent CIA chiefs (including Robert Gates in George H.W. Bush’s administration) have previously held senior intelligence posts. And Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., a former chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, offered some bipartisan praise. “This is an important appointment at a critical time in our nation’s history,” Roberts said. “I have had a longtime personal and professional relationship with Leon Panetta dating back to our service together in the House. He has wide and diverse experience in government that will serve him well as director of the CIA.” Roberts told the TPM Election Central blog: “Leon is a fast study.”

8 Comments

  1. Political_mama
    Posted January 7, 2009 at 6:21 am | Permalink

    The fact that Roberts supports him gives me pause.

  2. writerdog
    Posted January 7, 2009 at 7:51 am | Permalink

    This is from count-down the suspension is that both Rockefeller and Feinstein the two top Democrats on the Intelligence committee were bypassed and the third rating Democrat was inform of the pick. Because both Rockefeller and Feinstein was too eager to sign off on the torture and ease-dropping spying on Americans.
    This assumption makes them non-actors in this and irrelevant.

    But the head of the CIA is a temp job, the real running of the agency is the career officers. Other then taking some organizational skills and being able to read. The head is more a face to tell the President what the career officers are saying. I would hope that he also has some common sense too.

  3. lindainks55
    Posted January 7, 2009 at 8:47 am | Permalink

    I think his all-around experience will prove valuable. He knows how ‘A’ affects ‘B.’ That is a component I think has value. Remember those who came forward after 911 and told us their reports were stymied, not passed along? If that roadblock can be eased, that’s progress.

    Plus, Obama trusts him. Another valuable component in getting facts vs what someone decided you might want to hear.

  4. Regular
    Posted January 7, 2009 at 8:55 am | Permalink

    I have no problem with Panetta. The only question is he willingly to listen to the career CIA employees as Panetta has no viable experience in the intelligence field.

  5. ksfarmgrrl
    Posted January 7, 2009 at 9:42 am | Permalink

    Panetta is a good pick. He’s a competent person, and was a great congress critter and chief of staff. He’s much more valuable and needed at CIA than at Commerce.

    Commerce is an empty shell, a way to throw a bone at small business without REALLY doing anything. Witness the SBA and SBDC’s.

    I’m glad he’s not wasting his talent at Commerce.

    And the fact that DiFi and Jay are both upset makes me think it’s a good pick. How does it feel to have a guy you supported pee on your head?

    Welcome to lgbt world….

  6. ksfarmgrrl
    Posted January 7, 2009 at 9:43 am | Permalink

    But like Pmom, it gives me pause that patsy roberts thinks it’s a good pick. I guess he thinks it will only be democrats who get caught up in justice here? I mean, since obama is kissing up so hard to the right, he must feel pretty safe.

  7. brian_nuevo
    Posted January 7, 2009 at 11:09 am | Permalink

    So disappointing…
    I thought this threat was about pancetta

  8. Phantom
    Posted January 7, 2009 at 11:15 am | Permalink

    He’ll tell Obama what the career officers Really think, not what he thinks matches the pres. biases. Refreshing change. Course, he might not get a Medal of Freedom.