Why Obama passed over Jane Harman for CIA

by Steven J. Rosen  •  Jan 7, 2009 at 6:11 pm

http://www.meforum.org/blog/obama-mideast-monitor/2009/01/why-obama-passed-over-jane-harman-for-cia

Why did Obama pass over Rep. Jane Harman, who had been ranking member on the House intelligence Committee and a respected figure on intelligence matters, in favor of Leon Panetta, a former member of the House of Representatives, who had no specific experience on intelligence matters? I am told that it is because Panetta also had executive branch experience as White House Chief of Staff. Representative Porter Goss is remembered by Democrats as having been a disaster as Bush's CIA director, so Obama decided from the outset to exclude "politicians" as candidates . Hence, Panetta yes, Harman no.

Related Topics:  Steven J. Rosen receive the latest by email: subscribe to the free mef mailing list This text may be reposted or forwarded so long as it is presented as an integral whole with complete information provided about its author, date, place of publication, and original URL.