[GonzoGOP]

It makes me wonder what's behind that loyalty -- is it that he's genuinely defensive of his agency?

Paneta would not be defending the CIA against Pelosi unless Obama told him to. That he is gong after her in such unambiguous terms means that Obama wants her gone. Pelosi was more dangerous to Obama than the GOP. She had real power as speaker, and she had the Kook California power base that was independent of Obama. She owed Obama nothing and he had little to offer her.

Tyrants will not put up with anyone who has power not being completely under their control. Stalin eliminated Trotsky and Castro disposed of Che. Like them Pelosi helped Obama into power, but when she refued to do what he wanted on the budget it was just a matter of time before she had to be rendered harmless. He may allow her to keep her house seat, but she will not be allowed to be speaker.

By using this scandal to be rid of her Obama doesn't have to get his hands dirty. She will simply be pushed aside and replaced by someone who has no power except for that which comes from Obama. Its the Chicago way.

[mainepatsfan]

Paneta would not be defending the CIA against Pelosi unless Obama told him to.

Yup. Just one more person Obama has thrown under the bus (it's getting pretty crowded under there).

[r9etb]

Paneta would not be defending the CIA against Pelosi unless Obama told him to. That he is gong after her in such unambiguous terms means that Obama wants her gone.

Perhaps -- it's a definite possibility. It would require more than just Panetta being a complete Obama hack, however; this response has more of an agency-wide flavor to it.

Panetta could simply be taking advantage of CIA's innate institutional survival instinct, which has become pretty acute over the past 30 years or so, with it's bad experiences under Carter and then Clinton. Obama's presidency would certainly trigger all of the CIA's bad institutional memories.

More interesting, though, is what if Panetta is not merely a complete Obama hack? I don't credit Obama's team with being canny enough to take sugh good advantage of the CIA's reflexes ... nor do I think Panetta is canny enough to just conjure up the destruction of Pelosi without prior support from within the agency.

I think he's developed "loyalty" of a sort; I just don't know why.

[mojitojoe]

BINGO!!!