Leon Panetta – News Stories About Leon Panetta - Page 7

Feb 12, 2009 9:47 PM CST

Senate Confirms Panetta as CIA Chief

(Newser) - The Senate confirmed Leon Panetta as director of the CIA tonight, placing the nation's top spy agency in the hands of a government veteran valued for his skills as a lawmaker and policy manager rather than an expert at intelligence-gathering and analysis. The Senate approved President Obama's choice on a...

CIA Hopeful Panetta Retracts Torture Remarks

Feb 6, 2009 1:15 PM CST

CIA Hopeful Panetta Retracts Torture Remarks

Backs off accusations that US deliberately sent suspects abroad

(Newser) - Leon Panetta today backed off on comments he made accusing the Bush administration of deliberately sending terror suspects abroad to be tortured, CQ Politics reports. "It's news to me," Sen Christopher Bond told the nominee to run the CIA. Panetta responded that he was referring to widely publicized...

$700K in Fees Could Bring Panetta Scrutiny

Feb 4, 2009 4:03 PM CST

$700K in Fees Could Bring Panetta Scrutiny

CIA nom got speaking, consulting money from troubled banks

(Newser) - President Obama’s nominee to head the CIA could be the next to come under scrutiny after the Wall Street Journal reported today that Leon Panetta has made more than $700,000 in the past year in speaking and consulting fees—with some coming from troubled banks and an investment...

Obama More Popular Than Ever

Jan 19, 2009 10:08 AM CST

Obama More Popular Than Ever

Despite Richardson, Geithner, Panetta flaps, 84% approve of transition

(Newser) - Barack Obama’s popularity is at an all-time high, a CNN poll finds, with 84% approving of his transition—up 2% from December despite Bill Richardson’s resignation, Timothy Geithner’s tax issues, and the widely panned Leon Panetta pick. “You know the country is in the middle of...

Ex-CIA Chief, McCain Man Praises Panetta Pick

Jan 13, 2009 3:23 PM CST

Ex-CIA Chief, McCain Man Praises Panetta Pick

Leon Panetta's 'breadth of experience' will serve him, US well: Woolsey

(Newser) - James Woolsey, a former CIA director and adviser to John McCain, tells the Huffington Post he’s “impressed overall by the quality” of Barack Obama’s national-security picks, dismissing criticism that Leon Panetta is a poor fit for his former job. Though an intelligence novice, Panetta is amply qualified,...

Obama Camp
Bruises Egos
on the Hill

Jan 12, 2009 10:00 AM CST

Obama Camp Bruises Egos on the Hill

Dust-ups show Senate Dems flexing muscle defending turf

(Newser) - You might expect Barack Obama, former senator, to know how to handle Capitol Hill, but in the past week the president-elect has twice incited near-revolt from his fellow Democrats, the LA Times notes. Legislators publicly criticized Obama’s proposed tax cuts and choice for CIA director. Obama’s team put...

Obama Unveils Intelligence Team

Jan 9, 2009 10:16 AM CST

Obama Unveils Intelligence Team

Panetta, Blair, and Brennan an unusual, controversial crew

(Newser) - Barack Obama rounded out his national security team today, tapping Leon Panetta to head the CIA and Dennis Blair as his national intelligence director. Obama defended the choice of Panetta, which has drawn criticism because of his lack of intelligence experience, calling him "one of the finest public servants...

Panetta Pick Raises
Intel Hackles

Jan 7, 2009 10:47 AM CST

Panetta Pick Raises Intel Hackles

Obama defends CIA choice from critics who call him inexperienced

(Newser) - Barack Obama’s choice of former Clinton White House chief of staff Leon Panetta to run the CIA is catching some flak from intelligence professionals, the Washington Post reports. Panetta has no direct experience with intelligence-gathering; says an anonymous official who worked with Bill Clinton’s national-security team while Panetta...

Seat Burris, Says Rogue
Sen. Feinstein

Jan 7, 2009 9:28 AM CST

Seat Burris, Says Rogue Sen. Feinstein

Calif. Dem's dissent follows on heels of Panetta CIA complaint

(Newser) - Dianne Feinstein is breaking Democratic ranks on the issue of of seating Roland Burris as the replacement for Barack Obama, reports the LA Times. “If you don't seat Mr. Burris, it has ramifications for gubernatorial appointments all over America,” the California senator warned yesterday. Majority Leader Harry Reid...

Biden: Handling of
Panetta a 'Mistake'

Jan 6, 2009 6:04 PM CST

Biden: Handling of Panetta a 'Mistake'

(Newser) - Joe Biden defended the pick of Leon Panetta to head the CIA but offered an apology of sorts for the way it was handled, Politico reports. “I think it was just a mistake,” Biden said of not informing top Democrats of the choice, which led to a chiding...

Feinstein Disses Panetta
as Pick for CIA Chief

Jan 6, 2009 8:14 AM CST

Feinstein Disses Panetta as Pick for CIA Chief

Surprise pick has no intelligence experience, committee concerned

(Newser) - Dianne Feinstein hinted yesterday that she had reservations about Barack Obama’s choice of Leon Panetta to head the CIA—which could be a problem for Obama, since Feinstein is the new chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee. “I was not informed about the selection,” she said. “...

Panetta Tapped to Helm CIA

Jan 5, 2009 2:31 PM CST

Panetta Tapped to Helm CIA

Former Clinton adviser has little intelligence experience

(Newser) - Barack Obama will name Leon Panetta, a former congressman and chief of staff to Bill Clinton, director of the CIA, the New York Times reports. Observers were split on the choice of Panetta, who is well-respected for his Beltway savvy but has no specific intelligence experience. Panetta will report to...

Obama's Press to Cherry-Pick Top Clintonites Under Way

Jun 3, 2008 12:37 PM CDT

Obama's Press to Cherry-Pick Top Clintonites Under Way

Some staffers, fund-raisers ready to jump after vote; others await her approval

(Newser) - Perhaps just hours from securing the Democratic nomination, Barack Obama's campaign is moving to grab the best donors, advisers, and operatives from Hillary Clinton's team, the Wall Street Journal reports. Some are merely waiting for primary voting to end to make the jump; others, out of personal loyalty or sheer...

Superdelegates Should Follow Voters: Pelosi

Mar 16, 2008 7:11 PM CDT

Superdelegates Should Follow Voters: Pelosi

Speaker agrees with Obama as hopeful gains 14 delegates

(Newser) - Nancy Pelosi boosted Barack Obama today by saying superdelegates should vote with the people, Politico reports. “If the votes of the superdelegates overturn what happened in the elections, it would be harmful to the Democratic Party,” the House speaker said on ABC’s "This Week". Ex-lawmaker Bill...