Report: Obama Team Pushed Out Controversial CIA Contender

NPR:

Was he pushed?

Former CIA official John Brennan, once considered the top choice to serve as CIA director in President-elect Barack Obama's administration, was pressured by the Obama transition team to pull his name from consideration, according to friends and former intelligence associates.

Brennan's withdrawal, offered in a Nov. 25 letter to Obama, came after liberal bloggers mounted an opposition campaign against his possible appointment. They charged he was tainted by his service in the CIA at a time when the agency was employing coercive interrogation methods, including "waterboarding," on detainees.

Read the whole story: NPR

Comments

[sawdustinhershoes]

I have a feeling that Mr. Brennan had fears about being openly vetted through public discourse. I'd imagine his hands are also "bloody". It appears that he and George Tenet have more skeletons than they'd like to admit. The CIA was screwed over by Bush, but George just stood around and took it until he'd been out of the job for several years. There's just no use allowing these people new positions of power, they've shown they really aren't ready to speak out to the public when they know their country is being run illegally and immorally.

I say use the man's expertise, but always consider his background and never trust him completely.

[S1m0n]

Telling someone: "You're not going to get picked. You might want to withdraw your name before we announce this to save face" is tact, not pressure.

[edwcorey]

The only way to protest the Bush/CIA methods effectively was to resign. Had he and Powell and all the other so-called ethical people in the administration done so, we'd not be in this situation. Who'd want to live in the kind of country they feel "patriotic" about?

[Grunty1]

We'd have still gotten there. Bush would have kept appointing yes-men until one of them said "Sure, torture's good!" Brennan would have saved his own name by resigning, but he could have saved the country by bringing it to light!

[bygollymissmolly]

You know, I don't ever remember Obama saying he was considering this guy for the top CIA post. All I remember was rumors to that affect.

Since they lost, it looks like the Republicans are going to try to bring Obama down by rumor. It's really pathetic.

[Owltree]

It was really liberal bloggers who kidnapped the Lindbergh baby and bombed Pearl Harbor, too.......

[Grunty1]

You should come up with more contemporary examples. Even the tr0lls will realize your sarcasm, since the internet didn't exist in the 1940s :-)

[texanna]

Good. Now can we move on to people that didn't advance and/or condone the Bushie Torture Policy? And, if we are going to be all about using the Iraq Judgement Yardstick, why not consider Richard Clarke?

[Eidolas]

This is a mistake. John Brennan is infinitely more qualified (and respected by both parties) than any neophyte they could bring in.

[Grunty1]

Respect from you equals scorn from everyone else.

[PATina]

hahahahaha­hahahahaha­ha... this is hilarious !!! Last week, when Brennan blamed left wing bloggers..­. liberals got beat on in the comment section for not letting Obama pick who he feels is best for the job. Oh but now... it can't be !! Surely President Obama wouldn't take advice from those whacked out flaming liberals. It has to be something in his past to prevent him from properly being vetted.

hahahahaha­hahahahaha­... gotta love this place !!!!!

[dayala]

good to know we/us bloggers have so much POWER!

[sawdustinhershoes]

Yeah. Now if they'd just listen to us about convicting Rove, Bush, Cheney, et al.

[TheGuide]

The citizens have spoken and Obama and team listened. So far so good.

[roshni]

This guy is a whiner and blamed th bloggers. Good riddance!

[LightSword]

You guys are crazy. coercive interrogation methods such as waterboarding is NECESSARY in this day and age!!!

[scooperss]

How can you say this with a straight face unless you've been water boarded?
I'm serious here, let's try it on you and see what we can get you to confess to. I bet that by the end , we could convict you for something.

[JuergenHartl]

We could convict him of ANYTHING we dream up.

[lemekid]

Who said its necessary? Not in an illegal war (invasion) such as Iraq.

[BoVandy]

despite the numerous studies showing it's counterproductive. Oh Donny Rumsfeld, will you never learn?

[Grunty1]

Anyone who claims that torture is necessary is the crazy one.

[sawdustinhershoes]

Perhaps if you'd said "are" necessary, I might give you credit for simply having a counter opinion. But, your statement clearly shows how qualified you are to provide intelligent input.

[dyspeptic]

It's a lame attempt at spin. That's all. Slamming "bloggers' sounds more adult than slamming "human rights activists" or "civil rights activists" or "activists interested in restoring US compliance with the Geneva Accords" or "advocates of habeus corpus"...­all of which are more accurate. Anyone who couldn't renounce torture needs to be purged, not promoted. End of story.

[whit4brains]

Well no matter who it was who caused his name to be removed from consideration, I for one am glad it happened.

[sawdustinhershoes]

Agreed!

[myangeldog1]

Who's in the running now...anyo­ne know?

[Eidolas]

Someone with little experience. I feel better already.

[BoVandy]

yes, because we've all seen the "unqualified" people Obama has appointed so far.......­.......(ey­e roll)

Unlike Bush, Obama will appoint people well qualified, a guy who is in favor of breaking international and US laws not being in the running anymore doesn't mean we're going to bet another "Brownie"

[Grunty1]

You always feel better when failure is in the White House, i've noticed.
No wonder Obama terrifies you so.