Hayden CIA Nomination Approved by Senate Intel Committee

The Senate Intelligence Committee easily approved Gen. Michael Hayden’s nomination for CIA Director, despite controversy over his involvement in the NSA eavesdropping/datamining operations. CNN reports the vote at 12-3.

Update: Reuters has details.

PHOTO Nominee for CIA director General Michael Hayden (L) meets U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) on Capitol Hill in Washington, May 23, 2006. Hayden, if confirmed, would replace Porter Goss, who was forced to resign as CIA director in May after clashing with U.S. intelligence chief John Negroponte over the U.S. spy agency's future. REUTERS/Jim Young Air Force Gen. Michael Hayden’s nomination as CIA director won the endorsement of the Senate Intelligence Committee on Tuesday in a vote that sets the stage for formal confirmation by the full Senate later this week. The 15-member committee, which Republicans control by a single vote, approved Hayden’s nomination 12-3 after an hour-long closed-door discussion, said Sen. Pat Roberts of Kansas, the panel’s Republican chairman.

While filibuster is of course still possible, it appears that Hayden will make it. Quite interesting given that it looked like there was strong, bipartisan opposition at the outset. Score one for Bush. And the Senate, too. Hayden has too distinguished a career to be the victim of political opportunism.

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James Joyner
About James Joyner
James Joyner is Professor and Department Head of Security Studies at Marine Corps University's Command and Staff College. He's a former Army officer and Desert Storm veteran. Views expressed here are his own. Follow James on Twitter @DrJJoyner.

Comments

  1. anjin-san says:

    Too bad his distinguished career has not included study of the Constitution…

  2. Zelsdorf Ragshaft III says:

    Too bad you don’t study the Constitution Anjin not. Why is it that you idiots on the left raise yourselves up to be judges, which you are not, and think you have the knowledge or ability to decide matters constitutional? Makes me think you must be children of drug addicted parents.

  3. Steven Plunk says:

    While Hayden has probably not studied the constitution there are government lawyers who have studied it and then advised Hayden on it’s application to security issues.

    I disagree with some here but personal insults serve no one. Civility is true sign of intelligence.

  4. Roger says:

    Yes, let’s get over the “idiots” and “children of drug addicted parents” childishness. Wit is always welcome in animated discussion if there’s a satiric point to be made a la Colbert, but the above are examples of boorishness.

  5. anjin-san says:

    >Civility is true sign of intelligence.

    That is true Steven. So is the proper use of the English language.

    🙂