I agree, Steve. Good Post!

I'm sure Obama picked him for very good, solid reasons. I trust that. He wouldn't be so stupid as to pick someone he didn't think would serve out his vision well.

I think this is all much ado about nothing. Once again.

Panetta has such a long resume that the early parts of it are usually lopped off. He began as a liberal-moderate Republican, with a marquee list of employers of that stripe: Calif. politicians Tom Kuchel and Robert Finch, and New York Mayor John Lindsay.

He later became a liberal-moderate Democrat.

At his graduation, he wore an ROTC uniform under his robes and immediately left to become an Army Intelligence Officer and thus has held top security clearances his entire life.

Feinstein embarrasses herself. There is no appointment that belongs more exclusively to the president that the CIA head, whose loyalty to the president is, and must be, absolute.

Most of the agency's iniquities during the past eight year should be attributed to the man who signed the orders authorizing them==G.W. Bush.

I believe that the best (and hence most closed-mouthed) CIA officers will privately welcome this appointment.

iFeinstein and Rockefeller feel snubbed? Given their recent track record, I don't much care.a

An excellent summation. I would like to think it was a shot across their collective bows as these two have really been twits. That would make me like the P. E. even more.

Feinstein just broke with her Dem Senate colleagues -- she now wants Burris seated if he gets the stamp from the IL Sec. of State.

Who put the burr in her shorts?

It's great if Obama deliberately took Feinstein down a peg -- she's very deserving.

This choice is consistent with Obama's picks of Emmanuel, LaHood, and Clinton/Biden/Salazar. It's a safe bet they will be able to learn what they need to know about their new agency or position. What they bring is the ability to act as liaisons between their new departments and their old colleagues (House -both Dems and Reps, Senate, and executive branch).

Time for Ms. Ego to either get with the team or go back to Cali.

Tired of these adults who act like babies if not asked about something. OUr country is dying and they're crying over tivial things.

There is no appointment that belongs more exclusively to the president that the CIA head, whose loyalty to the president is, and must be, absolute. - Steve High

Aside from the potential Sarah Taylor/ Monica Goodling interpretation, I agree. You don't want another Louie Freeh-type mole, who was more beholden to the Republicans in Congress than the constitution.

Yep, anyone who approved Bush's appointments, and did next to nothing to fight his illegal wiretapping and torture, deserves to be snubbed and shunned.
But I'm starting to get scared about how often I agree with Sullivan these days.

Odd part of it is that Feinstein should know Panetta and his competencies very well as they are both from the SF Bay Area.

I'm sure she knows Panetta well, but I don't think that's the problem for her. He's not an intelligence insider and not part of the "go along to get along" crowd.
I'm about sick of these politicians and their precious feelings. Like others have said, the issues are too serious right now.

Whatever happens with Panetta, Obama does not need another appointment problem after the Richardson fiasco.

I don't have anything against Panetta, and thinks he brings good qualifications to the table.. That said, I have no doubt Obama deliberately threw a sharp elbow at Sen. Betty Crocker. Whether that's a good or a bad idea in the long run remains to be seen.

Feinstein should keep her head down before someone notices how much of a stupid tool she is. She'd likely vote to confirm scatterbrained Alberto Gonzales to headthe CIA, so long as she got a heads up at a private circle jerk with the presnit. Those days are over lady.

Both Feinstein and Rockefeller deserve a public flogging for their Bush-enabling behavior during the last Congress. Feinstein in particular is tied into the Military-Industrial-Intelligence cabal through her husband and did nothing that would have jeopardized his many, and lucrative, military contracts by speaking out against the unconstitutional and illegal behavior of the Bush regime. She was a DINO, and isn't so far from Lieberman in my book.

If Obama is sending her a message then good for him.

I has not taken long for Madam Chairman to feel the surge of power that comes with the position.
Now as a right coaster I don't have an ear to the ground for the details of left coast dirt. But is there not a lot of rumor about mr. feinstein and his ties to the Intelligence-Military-Industrial Combine?
Of course that Combine is a source of great wealth and power to the Right. Briefly during the Cummingham stuff the lid of the cesspool was raised but then lowered again. It was obvious that there was a lot more corruption in the California-dominated House committees. But the lid got shut tight again. I am doubtful that the Californian Speaker will do anything.
So the best bet is in the Senate.
So it would be most useful for the Blogosphere to start nosing about the Feinsteins. And her conflicts of interest.

As an aside, Madam Speaker is pushing through a rule allowing unlimited tenure for committee chairmen. There is nmo reason for this. But again no noise from you guys.
At least stamp your feet.
I actually think that the less power House and Senate Chairmen have, the easier it will be for Obama to get his agenda through.
As they said at Shea: MAKE NOISE

Feinstien is a pathetic little woman guarding her turf out of mindless fear, in a world she no longer understands or has much of a place in.

Rockefeller is merely a DINO.

The head of the CIA should come from within the agency? At least six recent CIA chiefs didn't.

Until Bush-I appointed Bob Gates, the DCI routinely came from outside the agency. And frankly, 'intel insiders' are way too prone to curry favor with the White House by telling them what they want to hear. Bob Gates was widely thought to be slanting intelligence to suit the Bush WH, a tradition that has continued to this day.

A powerful outsider (Admiral Stansfield Turner notwithstanding) is far more likely to keep the careerists in check and serve the President by telling him what he NEEDS to hear, not what he wants to hear.

Added thought.
I think it fair to say that added power should be accompanied by added responsibility and added accountability.
Now I am a bit old-fashioned but I do believe in the equality of power between the Congress and the Executive. I am in favor of a strong oversight by the relevant Committees of House and Senate. But I would want the accountability of the Chairs of these Committees to increased.
Now although the election to Congress is up to the States, the appointment of Chairs is a matter of the policy of that House.
So I would like to see the vetting of Chairs to be a part of their appointment.
The added disclosures that Sen. Clinton had to go through to get her nomination as Secy State was hugh. And this was to forestall questions that her Senate Committee would demand.

I think it only fair that the Chairs of that committee go through a similar disclosure (hahaha)
How many Senators would ask for a Chair then?
I know this is like hoping pigs can fly. But it is a result to go toward

The Left can put demands on the Democrats that they could not put on the Republicans. It can be used to forward specific agenda items, or to improve the level of accountability of the Congress through transparency.

MNpundit.
Old Irish Street Ballad
THE WOMEN ARE WORSE THAN THE MEN

Now there was an old man lived at Kellyburn braes
And he had a wife was he plague of his days.

The divil he came to the man at the plough,
Saying, "One of your family I must take now."

Said he, "My good man, I've come for your wife,
For I hear she's the plague and torment of your life,"

So the divil he hoisted her up on his back,
And landed at Hell's hall-door with a crack,

There were two little divils a playing with chains,
She upp'd with her stick, and knocked out their brains.

There were two other divils looked over the wall
They said,"Take her away or she'll murder us all."

So the divil he hoisted her up on his back,
And back to the old man hurried the pack.

They were seven years going and nine coming back,
Yet she asked for the scrapings she left in the pot.

Said he, "My good man, here's your wife back again,
For she wouldn't be kept, not even in Hell!

Now, I've been a divil the most of my life,
But I ne'er was in Hell till I met with your wife,"

So it's true that the women are worse than the men,
For they went down to Hell and were threw out again.

Irish Street Ballads
Colm O' Lochlainn,
Three Candles,Dublin,1952.
Child #278
@devil @marriage @Irish
filename[ DEVLWIF5
XX
oct99

Feinstein is a smart street fighter, not a meekie

Feinstein and Rockefeller need to understand that they are part of the PROBLEM, not part of the SOLUTION. They should be more concerned about their atrocious oversight during the Bush years than whether they get a say in who gets selected.

If they're lucky, they won't be subjected to congressional investigation, but I hope that's not the case.

Feinstein and Rockefeller just feel slighted - their egos got dinged. Of course Feinstein being the incoming chair would like prefer the CIA to be someone who doesn't know that game as well which would theoritically give her the advantage.

Feinstein is a great Senator and I usually agree with her about 90% of the time. I think she should have been notified. I mean she is the chairwoman of the relevant committee here. Biden said they made a mistake by not notifying her and he is right. She will get behind the new DCI. And Senator Feinstein, if you are reading this, thank you very much for the inauguration tickets. You will always have my vote.

Rich @2:08 p.m.: "If Obama is sending her a message then good for him."

Damn straight.

Patrick, I think Biden is right. it would not have taken much for the Obama team to have made a phone call to Feinstein. In DC, you have to do those niceties if you want to get along. But it seems like every new adminstration has to learn that the hard way.

Here is another take on this:
http://www.blueoregon.com/2009/01/obamas-chooses.html

And Dan Froomkin weighs in:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/linkset/2005/04/11/LI2005041100879.html

Have to agree with those who are not impressed with DiFi and Rockefeller and their inaction over Bush policies.

Since Feinstein's husband, Richard Blum, has profited from the Iraq war through his significant holdings in defense contracting companies, perhaps she should recuse herself from this matter, anyway.

Obama was just supplanting her integrity and our outrage.

Feinstein should keep her head down before someone notices how much of a stupid tool she is.

Too late.

On my way home from work I heard someone (a so called important Democratic insider who's name I do not recall, or care to remember) on NPR news who agrees with Feinstein on thinking that Panetta has no intelligence experience and therefor unfit.

This dingbat used a typical Republican tactic in explaining his view. He asked the rhetorical question: "Would you ask your dentist to perform open heart surgery?" Implying that Panetta is a dentist and shouldn't do open heart surgery (CIA)

My answer to that is as follows:

1) Heart surgeons do NOT perform open heart surgeries on a daily basis.
2) Panetta as Chief of Staff, sat in on the Daily intelligence briefings for the President that came from the CIA.
3) Surgeons become a respected heart surgeon by observing many other heart surgeons before they even attempt one on their own, and even then under supervision.
4) Panetta probably 'observed' many more CIA briefings than a surgeon observing open heart surgeries before being in charge of their very first open heart surgery.
5) Logical conclusion: Panetta is highly skilled in being the head of the CIA.

Does that make sense? Probably not, but it certainly isn't any worse than the BS from Feinstein and her fellow detractors' reason to oppose him.

Is she 5 years old?

Patrick, @15:29

You're an "easy buy", ain't ya? Though, I think, the English is "cheap date".

I still don't understand how CA could have produced -- as a Senator -- someone as scrappy as Boxer on the one hand and someone as sleazy as Feinstein on the other...

Panetta is not from the Bay Area, unless the bay is Monterey! I doubt Dianne Feinstein, whom I actually rather like, got any closer to Italian dirt farmers than being queen of the rodeo -- in San Francisco, not Salinas.

Panetta did, however, attend the school attached to what claims to be the oldest Catholic church in the US in active, and that seems to show in his statement on torture. I have no idea whether or not Panetta considers himself Catholic, as I no longer do myself, but maybe a creditable guy like this might sneak into the This Day in God snark on this blog.