Dennis Blair: Director Of National Intelligence?

Check back for updates


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."

Read more about Dennis Blair, Dennis Blair Intel Chief, Dennis Blair DNI, Dennis Blair Director of National Intelligence.

Comments

[concernvoter]

I hope he was the right choice.

[Mahi Joe]

It has to be better than what we currently have.

[lafrance]

Seems this position is going to be the hardest to fill. With the conservatives in control for 30 years and with the Bushies depleting the gov. of anyone who was not with their ideology, Obama has very, very slim pickings for this post.
This guy seems to be okay but, we will just have to see. It's not really worth getting worked up over. We spend far too much time getting worked up over what might be rather then waiting to see. maybe it's the need for a rush now that the election is over.
Either way, this guy may not be a for sure bet and this is just rumor as Obama left for Hawaii for vacation this morning.

[John Warren Gotsch]

Let's see if Adm Blair has some thoughts and responses to Art Brown's provocative proposals for the CIA in the NYTimes and Herald Tribune?

[theone718]

The Admiral is a Rhodes Scholar who some descirbed as a "Branaiac". You know Obama loves him some competence. Another top notch pick

[Mahi Joe]

Educated people scare the kwap out of the GOP. You know, those damn Elitists!

[Elderlady]

This is the guy who tried to waterski behind a destroyer he was commanding.

This is the same guy who ignored a direct order from his Commander in Chief on Indonesia.

This is the guy who sat on the Board of a company that manufactured the F-22, and voted to give them the contract. And, saw no conflict of interest.

This is not change I believe in.

[MomfromTexas]

Waterskiing behind a destroyer he was commanding? Oh, LOL, that's hysterical. Sounds like a commander a lot of guys and women stuck in the middle of an ocean for a long time would like to have.

[Mahi Joe]

You got that right lol.

[ribe8g]

How about an extravagant waste of fuel and money?! But, hey, it's about the troops so it'll fly in this country that blindly worships anything to do with our warriors.

[schatsie]

thank you for posting.. interesting..

[jmoore79]

I don't care for the word "Czar".... Let's start calling them "Wizards" instead!!

[kotipup]

I second that!

[larry278]

How about the Lizzard of Odds? It's un-American to have a federal entity which makes its business to read the mail of other people & also does much worse things.

[geobushono]

or Grand Poohbah

[KarlaElisa]

Come to hubdub.com and bet on whether Rick Warren will have donuts thrown at him between now and Inauguration Day!

Will Mega Church leader Rick Warren have a donut thrown at him before or on Inauguration Day?
Current forecast: NO, no food is wasted (54% chance)

http://www.hubdub.com/m26104/Will_Mega_Church_leader_Rick_Warren

[vjoseph]

Must be hard for Obama to find any intelligence picks that is not tainted by the BOOSHIE administration!!!!

[ronito6]

Richard Clarke?

[SPQR1775]

I was assigned to Hawaii in the late 90's and remember Dennis well. He did make a poor decision in ref to the Indonesian issue, however he is who we need in charge of Intel! O is smart in that he will downsize the power of the office, I would too since Jones will be head of the NSC. O has enough military leaders in other positions Sinseki, Mullen, Jones, Powell(unofficial) and many more who will offer candid advice. Blaire is OK, not perfect and because of his pass issues, it will allow O the opportunity to pass on him and choose someone else. I support O to not allow Blair to choose his deputy, he would have no such authority in the military, so I don't see why he should be given it now. O is a very smart intellectual scholar we have as President and he is a very powerful politician he is ensuring that if the smartest and brightest in the land cannot get the country right, then we will never get there. I am confident we will, and I am confident that O will choose a female General to become Chairman of the Joint Chiefs within a year or two or to become SecDef. Can you see the Change that O is cooking! I smell it and it looks GREAT! HOOOAH!

[KQuarksSuperKollider]

Sounds like a solid pick. I like the choice of a military intel guy rather than a civilian intel guy in this position because most of the civilians are, well, dir ty.

[SanityForOnce]

Anyone can make a mistake, the critical thing is... did he learn from the error? No candidate is going to be perfect, no matter what the position is.

We need experienced people who are intelligent and open to the facts, not driven by ideology. If Blair fits that description, then he may do just fine. Obama has shown good judgment in the past.

[grata2ude]

OK I can't wait to see what special interest group is against this pick.

[vjoseph]

LOL

[Coinyer101]

redn*cks for obama. we deserve at least one pick who represents us. so far everyone has more than one tooth. i'm outraged.

[ChicagoSuz]

Sarah's busy this week becoming a Grandma...

[MomfromTexas]

You've been outraged for weeks. I'm still not sure who "represents" you since you're never happy.

[usna73]

Can't stand the fact that Dennis is from Maine, can you? Imagine, Yankees in the military. Smart ones, too. LOL

[MajorKong]

Based on his cabinet picks, I think we just elected Bush Sr.

[KQuarksSuperKollider]

That is just an ignorant statement.

Like Bush Sr. would have picked the energy, environmental, labor, education, HUD and most of the foreign policy picks Obama chose.

[theone718]

Actually in foreign policy he would choose some of these people. Unlike some completely moronic partisans Bush Sr.'s foreign policy was the greatest EVER.

[vjoseph]

I have a word yourself, ok buddy?

[JohnSawyer]

Well, Bush Sr.'s foreign policy wasn't "the greatest EVER", but at least it was probably better than Bush Jr's. Bush Sr. let his son have his own fun in office.

[Davwbaird]

Dire times. dire madness. Don't you often think you are losing your mind and afraid you will never
find it. I am.

[olivesforbreakfast]

Uh huh. Yup.

[BadTymin]

I just want him to pick a black person for something dammit

[Ron1951]

What about the Attorney General?

[KQuarksSuperKollider]

And head of EPA Lisa Jackson, head of domestic policy council Melody Barnes, UN ambassador Rice that Obama wants to promote to a cabinet position, senior advisor Valarie Jarret and oh I think you forgot Obama.

[MarieLA]

And his UN Ambassador?

[vjoseph]

WTF

[MomfromTexas]

I guess this means that you haven't been keeping up with whom he's been nominating?