Panetta Snags Key Sandy 'Socks' Berger Endorsement

Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Samuel R. "Sandy" Berger, Lake's deputy before becoming national security adviser himself, said that Panetta "was part of the decision-making process for every single issue we were dealing with, whether this was in the Oval Office with the president or the Cabinet Room -- the Middle East, Kosovo, China. He was a part of a small group of people who advised the president how to proceed on strategy and substance."

That alone is enough to disqualify him.

If you need further evidence, consider this.

WOULD you ask your accountant to perform brain surgery on your child? That's the closest analogy I can find to the choice of Democratic Party hack Leon Panetta to head the CIA.

Earth to President-elect Obama: Intelligence is serious. And infernally complicated. When we politicize it - as we have for 16 years - we get 9/11. Or, yes, Iraq.

The extreme left, to which Panetta's nomination panders, howled that Bush and Cheney corrupted the intelligence system. Well, I worked in the intel world in the mid 1990s and saw how the Clinton team undermined the system's integrity.

Al Qaeda a serious threat? The Clinton White House didn't want to hear it. Clinton was the pioneer in corrupting intelligence. Bush was just a follow-on homesteader.

Now we've fallen so low that left-wing cadres can applaud the nomination of a CIA chief whose sole qualification is that he's a party loyalist, untainted by experience.

The director's job at the CIA isn't a party favor. This is potentially a matter of life and death for thousands of Americans. But the choice of Panetta tells us all that Barack Obama doesn't take intelligence seriously.

Mark my words: It'll bite him in the butt.

Hot Air links. Thanks!

'Some Are Questioning Leon Panetta's Lack of Intelligence'

Is Barack Obama stepping back from Leon Panetta? Some curious statements at a media briefing this afternoon, as well as an amusing question.

Question: Some are - some are questioning Leon Panetta's lack of intelligence - lack of experience on intelligence matters. Sorry about that. I know this is tricky for you since you haven't announced it yet, but what does he bring to the table for you?

Obama: Well, as you noted, I haven't made - haven't made a formal announcement about my intelligence team.

(cell phone rings)

Obama: That may be him calling now... finding out where it's at.

Obama: I have the utmost respect for Leon Panetta. I think that he is one of the finest public servants that we have. He brings extraordinary management skills, great political savvy, an impeccable record of integrity.

As chief of staff, he is somebody who - to the president - he's somebody who obviously was fully versed in international affairs, crisis management, and had to evaluate intelligence consistently on a day-to-day basis.

Having said all that, I have not made an announcement. When we make the announcement, I think what people will see is, is that we are putting together a top-notch intelligence team that is not only going to assure that I get the best possible intelligence unvarnished, that the intelligence community is no longer geared towards telling the president what they think the president wants to hear, but instead are going to be delivering the information that the president needs to make critical decisions to keep the American people safe.

Still, one can only imagine despite criticism, an announcement is a mere formality, and it's unlikely Panetta will face much, if any, resistance.

Barack Obama and Joe Biden are defending the selection of Leon Panetta to head the CIA.

Members of Congress have voiced surprise and skepticism over the choice, but Panetta isn't expected to face serious opposition when the nomination reaches the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Among those caught by surprise yesterday was the incoming committee chairwoman, California Democrat Dianne Feinstein. After his name surfaced, she expressed skepticism about his qualifications -- as did Kit Bond, the ranking Republican on the committee.

Feinstein's office says Obama called her today and apologized for not keeping her informed on the selection.

Meanwhile, for the second day in a row, Feinstein bucks her own party.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) broke with her party’s leadership Tuesday in calling for Roland Burris to be seated in the Senate once his paperwork is signed by the Illinois secretary of state.

Feinstein, a senior member of the Judiciary Committee, said that not allowing Burris to be seated could broadly undermine future gubernatorial appointments.

“I can’t imagine the secretary of state countermanding a gubernatorial appointment,” Feinstein said. “The question, really, is one in my view of law. And that is, does the governor have the power to make the appointment? And the answer is yes. Is the governor discredited? And the answer is yes.

“Does that affect his appointment power? And the answer is no until certain things happen.”

She added if Burris isn’t seated “it affects gubernatorial appointments all over the country.”

Feinstein’s break with her party’s leadership is the latest headache for congressional leaders, who blocked Burris Tuesday morning from being sworn in because of the cloud surrounding Rod Blagojevich, the Illinois governor arrested last month on accusations of selling Barack Obama’s Senate seat to the highest bidder.

Clinton Retread With Little Intelligence Experience Nominated to Be CIA Director

Is there anyone left from the Clinton administration not on board the Hopenchange Express?

Well, I guess Bill Richardson is underneath it.

Seriously though, Leon Panetta?

President-elect Barack Obama has selected Leon E. Panetta, the former congressman and White House chief of staff, to take over the Central Intelligence Agency, an organization that Mr. Obama criticized during the campaign for using interrogation methods he decried as torture, Democratic officials said Monday.

Mr. Panetta has a reputation in Washington as a competent manager with strong background in budget issues, but has little hands-on intelligence experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he will take control of the agency most directly responsible for hunting senior Al Qaeda leaders around the globe, but one that has been buffeted since the Sept. 11 attacks by leadership changes and morale problems.

If we see Roger Clinton performing at some inaugural event, then we know the Clintons have the goods on Obama.