Posted on 05/05/2006 11:33:14 PM PDT by smoothsailing
Goss quits as CIA chief
By Joseph Curl and Bill Gertz
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Published May 6, 2006
CIA Director Porter J. Goss resigned abruptly yesterday, leaving a post he held for less than two years and becoming the latest high-level administration official to be ensnared in a White House shake-up.
Mr. Goss, widely unpopular among senior officials in the intelligence community and blamed for repeated leaks in recent months, called President Bush yesterday morning to offer his resignation. "I've accepted it," the president said.
Yesterday's announcement was hastily arranged, with the two men speaking briefly to reporters in the Oval Office, just before Mr. Bush departed for an afternoon bike ride.
Mr. Bush dodged questions about a possible successor, but Time magazine reported on its Web site late last night that the president planned to name Air Force Gen. Michael Hayden to the post, possibly as soon as Monday.
Gen. Hayden, the principal deputy director of national intelligence, previously served as director of the National Security Agency and was one of the chief architects of the Bush administration's warrantless wiretap program.
Among others mentioned as possible replacements were Richard Armitage, the former deputy secretary of state who administration officials say has been lobbying for the job; Frances Fragos Townsend, Mr. Bush's homeland security adviser; David Shedd, chief of staff to Director of National Intelligence John D. Negroponte; and Mary Margaret Graham, Mr. Negroponte's deputy for intelligence collection.
The president yesterday praised the departing CIA director for his service.
"I appreciate his integrity. ... Porter's tenure at the CIA was one of transition, where he's helped this agency become integrated into the intelligence community. And that was a tough job, and he's led ably," Mr. Bush said. "He honors the proud history of the CIA.....
(Excerpt) Read more at washtimes.com ...
Yikes. A smart man, who seems pretty down-to-Earth, but the last thing the CIA needs is more of a State Dept. flavor.
Goss's resignation may have been "abrupt" (sprung out of the blue) but some people think that this was part of the plan all along. Goss helped set the stage for Necroponte's takeover of CIA Directorate responsibilities (with Goss's blessing).
I happen to believe that Patrick Kennedy's debacle made the announcement of Goss's resignation even more abrupt, as Bush saw an opportunity to split the news cycle with the Kennedy story. Smart. In fact, listening to the radio as I do most of the day (in my car), it was clear that the Kennedy story dominated the programming (including Rush and Hannity) even after the announcement. Coincidences like this do not happen in politics.
I was scratching my head this afternoon with the emphasis on the Kennedy story, knowing that without it, the LSM would have been hyping the Goss story and predicting the final gloom and doom of the failed Bush presidency.
I wonder if Tony Snow said; "Mr. President, let's do this!".
Thanks, Lancey, you got me thinking! :)
Could this have anything to do with Able Danger and Clinton having Curt Weldon voted out of a job??????
Works for me, and Porter is an untouchable asset. Damn clever. W never ceases to amaze.
But if I were Bush, I would appoint Darth Vader to the CIA.
How about Tomás de Torquemada?
I actually submitted a resume to the Bush Admin back in 2001 for an IG position. Who better to clean up the messes before they hit the front page of the NYT? Thanks for the vote of confidence.
Exactly -- how I see it too.
I'm not sure I understand what you mean by this, could you explain please?
Isn't Richard Armitage the leaker in the Plame Game?
I thought about that after I posted; It just seems odd that Goss would just 'quit' like that....I wonder if we will ever know what has really taken place....
An intelligence agency should be free from political pressures and should be able to present facts as they are.
.....Porter's tenure at the CIA was one of transition.....
I believe this is the crux of the matter. He was never intended to remain forever. His job was to upset the applecart so the real head would not have all that baggage when he took over.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.