In response to the Oracle #170 stories about Michael Hayden, I wish to post the following CNN [Fake News] story I had in my files on him from 2018, which I thought might be of interest to our readers:
https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/23/politics/michael-hayden-stroke/index.html
Ex-CIA, NSA chief Hayden suffers stroke
By Zachary Cohen, CNN
Updated 4:10 PM ET, Fri November 23, 2018
(CNN)Michael Hayden, a former director of the CIA and National Security Agency, suffered a stroke earlier this week, his family said Friday.
In a statement, the family said Hayden, 73, suffered the stroke at his home and was hospitalized but did not provide details about the stroke’s severity.
“He is receiving expert medical care for which the family is grateful,” the statement said.
CIA Director Gina Haspel offered wishes on behalf of the agency Friday afternoon for a “speedy recovery.”
“Mike’s long career of public service & commitment to national security continue to be an inspiration to all intelligence officers. Our thoughts are with Mike, Jeanine, & their family,” Haspel said on Twitter.
Hayden, a retired four-star Air Force general who is now a CNN national security analyst, served during both the George W. Bush and Obama administrations. He retired as CIA director in 2009.
Since then, he has been a vocal critic of both the Obama and Trump administrations.
In 2014, he criticized President Barack Obama’s reliance on airstrikes to combat ISIS, saying it showed a lack of commitment, and he said Donald Trump represented a “clear and present danger” during the 2016 campaign.
Since Trump took office, Hayden has remained a vocal critic of the President. In August, he said he “would consider it an honor” if Trump revoked his security clearance following the President’s decision to pull the access of former CIA Director John Brennan, who also has harshly criticized Trump.
He is reported as daring Trump to withdraw his [Hayden’s] clearance in August, 2018 in this NPR story as well:
https://www.npr.org/2018/08/16/639371764/former-cia-director-michael-hayden-weighs-in-on-trump-revoking-security-clearanc
“Former CIA Director Michael Hayden Weighs In On Trump Revoking Security Clearances”
August 16, 20185:02 PM ET
Heard on All Things Considered
Former CIA and NSA director Gen. Michael Hayden talks with NPR’s Mary Louise Kelly about President Trump’s decision to revoke the security clearance for one of Hayden’s successors, John Brennan.
[Following is a transcript excerpt:”
...KELLY: How did you first hear about this - that President Trump was thinking about maybe revoking your clearance?
HAYDEN: So that was about three weeks ago. I was on an airplane flying out to Vancouver, Canada. I had online connectivity, and my Twitter account exploded as the announcement was made in the press room.
KELLY: Yeah, but..
HAYDEN: Now, after that, Mary Louise, I have not heard word one from anyone.
KELLY: So your Twitter feed blew up when the White House first floated this. Then came...
HAYDEN: Right.
KELLY: ...The news yesterday that it was a fait accompli at least where John Brennan is concerned.
HAYDEN: Right.
KELLY: We just heard there from our White House reporter Scott Horsley the explanation for why the president has decided to target John Brennan has shifted. What is your read on what’s going on here?
HAYDEN: The president took John’s clearance away from him as a punitive measure because the president did not like what John was saying about him. And that’s the simple matter, Mary Louise. There is no question that John is competent to hold a clearance. And if saying some iffy things on Twitter were grounds for removing clearances, we’d have a lot of people around town without clearances.
KELLY: Your read - this is pure politics, not a national security question here.
HAYDEN: Oh, it’s not a national security question at all. And it never entered into the calculus. The president doesn’t like what John and several other folks have said. Now, Mary Louise, let me be very candid. I mean, John has said things at a level of personalism when it comes to the president that I as a frequent critic of the president don’t allow myself to say. So I can see why the president responded on a personal level. But, you know, he’s the president. And he’s got a responsibility to preserve the dignity of the office and to show some restraint with the incredible powers of the office. And I think he failed on both counts....