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Leon Panetta to Head CIA
The Latest on Air America — According to a Democratic official President-elect Barack Obama will name former California congressman Leon Panetta to become CIA director and retired Navy Admiral Dennis Blair as national intelligence director. Politico has more : The selection pairs a top military man with a quintessential Washington insider. The surprise choice of Panetta brings one of the more colorful Clinton administration figures back to Washington in one of the nation’s most sensitive jobs. The nation’s two top intelligence posts were the two biggest appointments left to be made by the ...

Panetta's Experience
democracyarsenal.org — ... One thing to remember about Leon Panetta, if he is confirmed as CIA Director, is that he’ll bring an interesting asset to the intel community. He knows how brains work inside the West Wing because he was there as White House Chief of Staff, and therefore will know how to provide information that gets attention in the way it should. Personally, I think this will give the IC a big advantage in terms of getting their point of view across in the Oval. Panetta will know how to be subtle, but also how to sound alarm bells as needed. ...

Obama Picks Top Spies
Truthdig: Drilling Beneath the Headlines — ... Politico: President-elect Barack Obama is naming Leon Panetta, a former congressman from California and chief of staff to President Bill Clinton, to be CIA director. Obama also has picked retired Navy Admiral Dennis Blair to be director of national intelligence, overseeing all the nation’s spy agencies, a Democratic official said. The selection pairs a top military man with a quintessential Washington insider. Read more READ THE WHOLE ITEMRelated Entries ...

Barack Obama Announces Top Intel Picks
PoliGazette — ... President-Elect Barack Obama announced Monday that Leon Panetta, former congressman from California and chief of staff to President Bill Clinton, will be CIA chief in Obama’s administration. Navy Admiral Dennis Blair will be the country’s highest intelligence officer; he will head the national intelligence, which oversees all the nation’s spy agencies. ...

President-elect Obama picks Leon Panetta to head the CIA
Sister Toldjah — ... , and shortly after that, picked two people with virtually no intelligence experience (save a year) as the head of the CIA and director of national intelligence respectively. Sounds like Blair has had a distinguished military career, but just one year experience in the CIA? ...

Leon Panetta For DCI?
RedState: Conservative News and Community — That’s the story. There are, however, some problems to consider: President-elect Barack Obama is naming Leon Panetta, a former congressman from California and chief of staff to President Bill Clinton, to be CIA director. Obama also has picked retired Navy Admiral Dennis Blair to be director of national intelligence, overseeing all the nation’s spy agencies, a Democratic official said. The selection pairs a top military man with a quintessential Washington insider - but that combination appeared to irk some key Senate Democrats, who expressed ...

Newspaper Roundup for Jan. 6, 2009
CNSNews.com Headlines — Home News National CNSNews.com Newspaper Roundup for Jan. 6, 2009 Tuesday, January 06, 2009 By Susan Jones Washington Times: Obama's Justice pick draws fire of pro-lifers Politico.com: Senate grumbles about Panetta pick Politico.com: Biden weirdness on the economy: 'We're at war' Fox News: Bipartisan Group May Launch Dingell-for-Speaker Protest Vote Tuesday Editor & Publisher: 'NYT' Sells First Front-Page Ads St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Missouri unemployment fund needs loan to stay solvent Atlanta Journal-Constitution: ...

Leon Panetta For DCI?
A Chequer-Board of Nights and Days — That's the story . There are, however, some problems to consider: President-elect Barack Obama is naming Leon Panetta, a former congressman from California and chief of staff to President Bill Clinton, to be CIA director. Obama also has picked retired Navy Admiral Dennis Blair to be director of national intelligence, overseeing all the nation's spy agencies, a Democratic official said. The selection pairs a top military man with a quintessential Washington insider - but that combination appeared to irk some key Senate Democrats, who expressed concern that Panetta does not ...

Democrats Pissed At Obama For Lack Of Intelligent Intelligence Choices, Leaving Americans At Risk
Pat Dollard | Young Americans — ... praised the selection as “a superb appointment. I don’t know anyone with broader experience in both legislative and executive branches.” Mr. Hamilton, a Democrat, added that Mr. Panetta is “highly intelligent, very constructive and searches for common ground.” As White House chief of staff, Mr. Panetta received intelligence briefings along with the president and participated in detailed policymaking concerning the intelligence community. Politico: Senate Democrats Grumble About Panetta Pick ...

Blogtalk: The Panetta Surprise
The Caucus — ... . Several key Democratic lawmakers openly expressed their displeasure . And the commentary in the blogosphere about President-elect Barack Obama’s ...