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UPDATE 12/20, 9 AM
Citing "officials familiar with the selection process," the LA Times has reported that President-elect Barack Obama has chosen Dennis Blair to be his national intelligence director:
If confirmed, Blair would be Obama's point person on an array of highly charged intelligence issues the incoming administration will inherit from President Bush.
Among them are the allocation of resources amid two wars, the operation of secret CIA prisons overseas, and the ongoing wiretapping of e-mails and calls that pass through the United States.
The Washington Post also features a profile of Blaire today, anticipating his selection.
Reuters reports on Adm. Dennis Blair:
President-elect Barack Obama has chosen retired Navy Adm. Dennis Blair as the top U.S. intelligence official and could make an announcement as early as Friday, a source familiar with the nomination said on Thursday.
"We expect the announcement tomorrow," said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Blair would oversee the entire U.S. intelligence apparatus and be responsible for delivering Obama's daily intelligence briefing.
The AP reported Wednesday that Blair's nomination was held up by disagreement over the office:
Blair met with the transition team on Tuesday and there was no hint of trouble at that point, a Democratic Party official familiar with the meeting said.
But the officials said the transition team and Blair appear to be split over who would choose his deputy. They also are said to disagree over the scope and purpose of the national intelligence director's office. The Obama transition is said to be discussing plans to downsize the office.
The American Prospect's Tim Fernholz notes that while Blair is "an interesting character who is considered smart about the possibility of engagement, not conflict, with countries like China, and he has made the right noises on terrorism reduction" he isn't perfect. "It seems that Blair, while serving as head of Pacific Command in 2000, had some unpleasant dealings with Indonesian leaders and displayed some remarkably poor judgment on intelligence about violence in East Timor."
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