White House Set to Fight for Hayden (Specter(R-Scotland)may try to hold up confirmation)

Wash Compost ^

[hipaatwo]

The nomination of Gen. Michael V. Hayden to take over the CIA would trigger a fresh battle over the secret warrantless surveillance program he oversaw on behalf of President Bush, a debate that could help shape the contours of the fall midterm congressional elections, officials in both parties said yesterday.

Barring a change of heart, aides expect Bush to name Hayden tomorrow as his choice to succeed CIA director Porter J. Goss, who resigned under pressure Friday. Hayden, a former director of the National Security Agency and now deputy director of national intelligence, has become the most forceful defender of Bush's eavesdropping program since its disclosure in December.

Rather than steer away from a Hayden nomination because of the controversy, the White House seems ready for a new fight over it, convinced that it has public support and that Democrats opposing Hayden's confirmation would risk looking weak on terrorism. Democrats yesterday began formulating a strategy built around grilling Hayden during hearings and then determining whether any refusal to answer questions provides enough justification to oppose his confirmation.

"By nominating him, they are looking for a confrontation and forcing the Congress to take sides, so I am troubled by this," said Rep. Jane Harman (Calif.), ranking Democrat on the House intelligence committee, who has a close relationship with Hayden and considers him "very professional and dedicated."

[hipaatwo]

Not only Democrats expect to use a Hayden nomination to revisit the legality of the surveillance, however. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), who has held four hearings on the matter, said he may try to hold up Hayden's confirmation if the administration does not provide more information about the eavesdropping. He said he would try to persuade fellow senators to use the confirmation as "leverage."

[hipaatwo]

PING!

[goodnesswins]

WTH..........!!!!!!!!!!!!!?????????????

[Calvinist_Dark_Lord]

Bloody shame that they couldn't save his brain when they took out the tumor.

[hipaatwo]

HE'S MY #%$^$w% SENATOR!

[Perdogg]

If Arlene Spectre wants to be a Richard Cranium, go right ahead, senator. Leave the agency without the head, we'll do all of the spy work in at the Pentagon under the watchful eye of someone who is competent.

[woofie]

mean mean mean

[MaineVoter2002]

With republicans like Specter, who needs democrats.

[hipaatwo]

I have called his office a lot in the past 2 weeks. He doesn't listen. He doesn't care what the voters think.

[Howlin]

Is it any wonder the GOP is in the shape it's in?

We can't fight the Dems for fighting these jerks and the unappeasable purists among us.

[p23185]

He said he would try to persuade fellow senators to use the confirmation as "leverage."

Clearly disgusting IMO. Didn't the FISA Supreme Court rule that President Bush was completely in his right to conduct foreign intel operations when one end was intercepting a domestic target that was on the watch list? FISA judges say Bush within law

AND

President may constitutionally authorize warrantless wiretaps

[Perdogg]

He and the Cape Cod Orca are reasons people support term limits.

[roses of sharon]

Bingo!

[hipaatwo]

I really want his head on a platter. I wish this state would recall him. I'm calling Santorum on Monday AGAIN to tell him to tell Arlen shape up or he's going to help lose him the election.

[potlatch]

Ping

[Darkwolf377]

I wouldn't be surprised if one (not THE but one) of the reasons for this choice is to stick it to Specter. Bush helped him get re-elected and is probably regretting it, esp. on the wiretapping stuff.

I also think a fight like this will get Bush's poll numbers up among Republicans.

[jveritas]

Excellent move by President Bush. Now the hateful democrats and their media will bring back the subject of the NSA and wiretapping of terrorists in the US, and President Bush will have the upper hand again and beat them very hard.

[hipaatwo]

From your mouth to G-d's ears!

[devolve]

[jazusamo]

I have no idea if Specter could be voted out of his chair seat on the Judiciary Committee at this point in time by the other Repubs. If it's possible, I think it would be time to start contacting those other Repubs on the committee to give them an earful on the subject.