"it is possible" - wow, that sure is a sign of determined intent! (4.00 / 3)

Ok, seriously now, this is a rumour spread by an anonymous intelligence official! That's as if you ask an anonymous VP office staffer if Obama intents to keep Cheney! Imho that's a total joke.

However, progressive should bring some candidates into play, that's for sure. Any candidates who have both knowledge about intelligence matters and stand for more liberal policies? Silvestre Reyes?

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by: Gray @ Mon Dec 08, 2008 at 17:29:48 PM UTC

It's a real possibility (4.00 / 2)

Obama may very well keep Hayden on. It only makes sense, since Sen. Obama voted against confirming him in the first place. It's completely logical. I'm glad people are taking this seriously.

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by: Mithras Invicti @ Mon Dec 08, 2008 at 18:32:25 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

um (4.00 / 1)

Imho that's a total joke.

No, it's not a joke, but it's not coming from Obama.  CIA operatives are lobbying for Hayden after Brennan was passed over, and that's worth taking seriously.

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by: Matt Stoller @ Mon Dec 08, 2008 at 19:30:17 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I guess this ties in with the rather inflammatory (0.00 / 0)

but nevertheless useful page that disappeared.  Where you hacked?

This guy has no understanding of the 4th Amendments proscription of illegal search and seizure and should be thrown to the curb ASAP; yet another data point in Obama's eminently "pragmatic" anti-left governing style.  

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by: wobbly @ Mon Dec 08, 2008 at 17:36:08 PM UTC

"page that disappeared" (0.00 / 0)

Thx for confirming this, Wobbly. I already thought I somehow got into another blog. Wonder how that story got onto the frontpage. However, the idea wasn't all that bad...

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by: Gray @ Mon Dec 08, 2008 at 17:39:47 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Don't worry (0.00 / 0)

The post shows up in the RSS feed. Everyone who uses a feed reader is seeing it (which is a lot of people). I particularly enjoyed the sexist, racist insults.  

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by: Mithras Invicti @ Mon Dec 08, 2008 at 18:06:44 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

from ThinkProgress (4.00 / 1)

(I am sure we can get a Hildebrand justification for this.)

The Hayden Record: Condoning Torture, Destroying Evidence, Misleading Congress»

haydenh.jpg U.S. News is speculating that President-elect Barack Obama "might ask CIA Director Mike Hayden to stay on for a while." CIA officials are advocating on his behalf:

   "It's unfair to blame Hayden for things that occurred long before he took the job. But he deserves credit for standing up for the folks over there at CIA, even though a lot of the stuff he has dealt with didn't happen on his watch," said an intelligence official.

Former CIA analyst John Brennan was compelled to withdraw his name from consideration, after a number of bloggers, led by Glenn Greenwald, raised concerns that he had supported Bush's interrogation policies. Hayden did one better than Brennan - he carried them out, defended them, and in some cases, lied about them.

On waterboarding, Hayden acknowledged to Congress that "it is not certain that that technique would be considered to be lawful under current statute." And yet, he has refused to label the technique "torture," dismissing it as an uninteresting "legal term":

   Well, first of all, we're not talking about torture, all right? I mean, torture is a legal term. Now, there are some things that are illegal that are not, that are not torture. And so we cloud the debate when, when we throw the word torture out there, I think, in a far too casual way.

In 2004, CIA Inspector General John L. Helgerson issued a report warning "that some C.I.A.-approved interrogation procedures appeared to constitute cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, as defined by the international Convention Against Torture." In October 2007, Hayden "ordered an unusual internal inquiry" into Helgerson's office, focusing on complaints that Helgerson was on "a crusade against those who have participated in controversial detention programs."

When it was revealed that the CIA had destroyed tapes showing interrogations taking place, Hayden claimed that it was done to protect the identities of CIA interrogators. "You'd have to burn every document at the CIA that has the identity of an agent on it under that theory," said Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI) of Hayden's excuse. Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA) called the incident a "mockery of the rule of law." Most disturbingly, Hayden claimed that videotaping of interrogations had stopped in 2002, even though evidence later came out suggesting that taping had continued.

Before arriving at the CIA, Hayden was director of the National Security Agency. In that position, he misled Congress about Bush's warrantless wiretapping program. He told a committee investigating the 9/11 attacks that any surveillance of persons in the United States was done consistent with FISA. Of course, at the time, Hayden was operating an illegal spying program.
Update

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by: VLaszlo @ Mon Dec 08, 2008 at 17:44:41 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Ugh (4.00 / 3)

Jesus Christ, who would be an unacceptable pick for the CIA? Himmler?

Doesn't sound at all like Obama, to be honest. Seems more like Hayden trying to force Obama to let him stay. But that the idea could be taken seriously is pretty repugnant.

Forgotten Countries - a foreign policy-focused blog

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by: Englishlefty @ Mon Dec 08, 2008 at 17:52:58 PM UTC

I'm sure that it's a deliberate, made up, leak by CIA officials. (4.00 / 2)

Just like the phony complaints about liberal blogs "unfairly" and "foolishly" pressuring Obama not to make John Brennan CIA Director:
http://www.salon.com/opinion/g...  

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by: Gray @ Mon Dec 08, 2008 at 17:59:52 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Yes, Keep him.... (4.00 / 8)

in a cell pending trial.



This is a Test of the Emergency Free Speech System. This is only a Test. In an actual Free Speech Emergency, I'll be locked up.

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by: Ben Masel @ Mon Dec 08, 2008 at 17:57:59 PM UTC

Will I be Obama's 1st political prisoner? (4.00 / 3)

Free Speech Zoning the Inaugural?

In June, during the FISA battle, I expressed my intention to bring a large "STOP GOVERNMENT SPYING" banner to the Inaugural Parade, setting up in front of the J. Edgar Hoover FBI Building. (NW corner of 9th and Pennsylvsania)

Calling the National Capitol parks HQ, I was initially told I could bring nothing larger than "a piece of paper." "You mean 8 1/2 x 11?" "Yes."

I called back after I dug through the relevant section of the Code of Federal Regulations (36 CFR 7.96) pointing to language specifying that groups under 25 don't need a permit, and that the lack of a permit does not impede the carrying of signs or banners. At the time of this call, they admitted this stretch of sidewalk was open to the public, and not reserved.

Six hours later, they call me, claiming that it was indeed reserved, for a group called "Change we can Believe."

Banners along the Parade route was litigated in 2001, the ruling allowed banners, but not poles. I can live with that.

Go ahead, arrest me assholes, see you in court.

This is a Test of the Emergency Free Speech System. This is only a Test. In an actual Free Speech Emergency, I'll be locked up.

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by: Ben Masel @ Mon Dec 08, 2008 at 18:07:28 PM UTC

What are the motives for CIA officials to spread that crap? (0.00 / 0)

Imho it's obvious: With Hayden at the top, any serious investigation of torture and illegal actions would be very unlikely.

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by: Gray @ Mon Dec 08, 2008 at 19:03:50 PM UTC

other possible candidates (4.00 / 1)

Many intelligence analysts have spoken out against torture these past few years, primarily in letters to Congress.

Maybe Obama should consider appointing one of the military intelligence analysts who signed a 2005 letter to John McCain in support of a ban on torture,  or who signed a 2006 letter to the Senate Intelligence Committee asking them to oppose the U.S. torture policy, or who signed a letter opposing Mukasey's nomination as attorney general on the grounds of torture.  

There are some impressive names on those lists.

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by: CaptCT @ Mon Dec 08, 2008 at 19:20:17 PM UTC

Btw, what about Valerie Plame? (0.00 / 0)

She sure knows the agency, she certainly has some factually based ideas about the problems, and as far as I remember she has leadership skills. Also, she has no reasons to support the rethugs, which probably was a problem with Tenet. Certainly deserves a closer look.  

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by: Gray @ Mon Dec 08, 2008 at 22:06:56 PM UTC

Here's someone who shouldn't be considered: (0.00 / 0)

DDNI division director David Shedd. Apparently, he talks too much!
http://www.davidcorn.com/archi...

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by: Gray @ Mon Dec 08, 2008 at 22:18:26 PM UTC

A much more interesting officer: (0.00 / 0)

DDNI director of aquisition Alden V. Munson supported Obama with $2300!
http://fundrace.huffingtonpost...

Sadly, he seems to come from the technical field and thus may be not the leadership personality the spooks would need.

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by: Gray @ Mon Dec 08, 2008 at 22:25:06 PM UTC