Senators question Obama's choice of Clapper as national intelligence director

[alp227]

Source: The Washington Post

President Obama plans to nominate retired Air Force Lt. Gen. James R. Clapper Jr. as his next director of national intelligence, officials said Friday. The announcement is expected to come during a Rose Garden event on Saturday.

Clapper emerged as the front-runner immediately after the last director, retired Adm. Dennis C. Blair, stepped aside last month following a rocky tenure. Some lawmakers, though, have expressed resistance to the selection of another intelligence chief with a military background.

As news of Clapper's nomination broke on Friday, the ranking Republican on the Senate intelligence committee said he was "not inclined to support" the nominee.

"Unfortunately, with his pick in Jim Clapper as the next DNI, the president has ensured our terror-fighting strategy will continue to be run out of the Department of Justice and White House," Sen. Christopher S. Bond (R-Mo.) said. "While Jim has served our nation well, he lacks the necessary clout with the president, has proven to be less than forthcoming with Congress and has recently blocked our efforts to empower the DNI."

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/04/AR2010060404067.html

[napi21]

1. AH yes, what the hell could Obama do to please a Pub!

I checked the ys bio when I first read about this nmination. I can't say that I was thrilled with the choice because he had been prefiously chosen by Shru to be an assist. in the Intelligence agy, but I figured Obama chose him to avoid yet another fight. He does have a good background for the job, and I wouldn't fight this choice. But OF COURSE the Pbs have to object. I think they'd fight JeasusChrist if Obama naminated HIM! I'm really getting sick &ired of all this obstructionism!!!

[old mark]

2. Some in both parties don't like Clapper-they say he does not give

Congress his first priority - that he is biased toward the military rather than civilian segment of the intelligence agencies. BUT - he has many years of experience in various agencies and various civilian candidates for the job did not want it-it evidently involves a lot of territorial contests with the CIA.

mark

[atreides1]

5. I don't have a problem with that

Personally fuck Congress, they have a history of sticking their noses into places where they don't belong, and it usually ends up in cluster fuck, because some Senator or Representative goes on a power trip, and people they don't know end up dying.

Don't get me wrong, I believe in a civilian governemnt, but the civilian intel people have always been territorial to a point that you could say that they are a threat to "National Security". But they've been allowed to continue this childish practice of "mine, mine, mine" for too many years.

If the president would allow the DNI a little leeway when dealing with the CIA, NSA, and the rest, maybe something better will happen.

[chill_wind]

6. Wew! I feel like I've just read something from Doug Feith's or Dick Cheney's desk. n/t

[old mark]

8. I think he will work out well-given the idiots in Congress, it's better

they don't know what's going on....they don't anyway.

mark

[REP]

3. Clapper?

[Wizard777]

4. Exactly! Intelligence: Clap on and clap off.

:rofl:

Maybe Biden should go tell those opposed to go clap off. Because Clapper is on Intelligence.

[chill_wind]

7. Well I see we've got this LBN *news* in negative rec territory already

from the news monitors, but I'll kick.