Hopeychangitude promised the nomination of a CIA director without the “taint of the Bush Administration.”
The Left would have all “torture” begin on September 12, 2001, so Obama’s nominating comments on the selection of Leon Panetta to head the CIA must have stirred a few embers in BDS acolytes’ hearts
Panetta and Blair did not come up through the ranks of intelligence agencies, and their nominations reflect Obama’s determination to restore a U.S. reputation battered by accusations of torturing suspected terrorists and secret wiretapping of Americans’ overseas phone calls.“To be truly secure we must adhere to our values as vigilantly as we protect our safety, with no exceptions,” Obama said in announcing his picks.
“Under my administration the United States does not torture. We will abide by the Geneva Conventions. We will uphold our highest ideals,” he said.
Yet, when Mr. Panetta goes into his hearings, he may face some uncomfortable questions
President-elect Barack Obama’s choice for CIA director, Leon Panetta, served as White House chief of staff during the time the Clinton administration accelerated a practice of kidnapping terrorist suspects and sending them to countries with records of torturing prisoners, human rights organizations and former U.S. officials say.Republicans on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence will question Mr. Panetta, chief of staff for President Clinton from 1994 to 1997, about what, if any, role he played in shaping the policy known as “extraordinary rendition,” a Republican aide on the committee said. Mr. Panetta’s confirmation hearing is scheduled for Jan. 27. The aide asked not to be named because of the sensitivity of the issue. [...]
“What is ironic here, you have the incoming administration basically reaching outside the circle of individuals with direct intelligence experience ostensibly to avoid any taint with any policy the hard left dislikes, which is interrogations and renditions,” said David Rivkin, who was a White House and Justice Department national security lawyer for the Reagan and first Bush administrations.
“Here you have a person who was involved in rendition, at least at the very senior level, in Panetta. The whole thing is silly,” Mr. Rivkin said.
The Obama transition team declined to comment on the issue.
Indeed.
Comment by maggie katzen on 1/15 @ 9:18 pm #
BUNNIES!!! right out the gate. Thanks “Answer Me!”!!!
Comment by Thorsnip Me! on 1/15 @ 9:27 pm #
It would be a lot easier for us to us to claim moral, intellectual, and political superiority over you guys if you’d stop paying attention to the stupidity and hypocrisy our leaders regularly engage in. Please pay attention to this distraction instead.
For good measure, I shall insult you, and insinuate that you have evil motives for your actions. And that you force minors to engage in involuntary homosexual acts.
Please now discuss my insults instead of the matter at hand. Thank you. (You pigs.)
Comment by Kirk on 1/15 @ 9:49 pm #
I did not realize that Leon was that cute.
Comment by happyfeet on 1/15 @ 10:40 pm #
Baracky just says shit. I just say this cause I don’t find hypocritical shit Baracky does to be ironic. Really it’s the reaction of his pansy Euro tiger beat fan club what I’m more interested in. American commentary is a lot retarded these days. I blame tv. And NPR. Not print so much cause it’s sort of feckless.
Comment by The Lost Dog on 1/15 @ 11:31 pm #
“Hopey – Changey” kicks reality’s butt!
Carol Browner?
We are fi-yuked!
Comment by Pellegri on 1/16 @ 3:14 am #
@3: In the theme of my recent commentary,
ahahahaha oh thorsnip
Comment by Blind Howling Moonbat on 1/16 @ 5:42 am #
the Clinton administration accelerated a practice of kidnapping terrorist suspects and sending them to countries with records of torturing prisoners
Clinton was President before Bush invented torture, how could he have supported it?
Comment by Carin on 1/16 @ 6:24 am #
Heh. But O! transition has a 70% approval rating …
Comment by Bob Reed on 1/16 @ 6:36 am #
“Leon Panetta, served as White House chief of staff during the time the Clinton administration accelerated a practice of kidnapping terrorist suspects and sending them to countries with records of torturing prisoners, human rights organizations and former U.S. officials say.”
Ah, the hypocrisy of the lefty Democrats knows no bounds…Takes me back to the discussions of “what the meaning of is, is…”
Because, you know, Clinton & Co. didn’t really condone or engage in torture if someone else did it for them…
I mean, everybody knows that Dick Cheney invented torture, and like the evil puppet-master he is, got Boooooosh! to order it…
Simply another red flag…
B-B-But, O!&Co. are going to be the most Ethical!, Honest!, Transparent! administration-EVAH!
Seems to me we’ve heard that tune before (hint: Clinton, Pelosi)
After all, it’s only words…
Comment by Jim in KC on 1/16 @ 6:40 am #
A goal they achieve by simply refusing to acknowledge their lapses in ethics, honesty, and transparency.
Comment by meya on 1/16 @ 6:58 am #
Awww. So nice to get the republicans all haughty over extraordinary rendition. Thanks Obama, for making more kind caring people.
Comment by Carin on 1/16 @ 7:04 am #
We’re only haughty when it’s done by those who get all haughty when other people do it.
Comment by Lamontyoubigdummy on 1/16 @ 7:14 am #
“Thanks Obama, for making more kind caring people.”
Yes, yes, The One molded those “kind people” from clay and breathed life into their nostrils.
And their land was called Eden.
Hosannas and what not. [Eye Roll]
Comment by N. O'Brain on 1/16 @ 7:18 am #
“B-B-But, O!&Co. are going to be the most Ethical!, Honest!, Transparent! administration-EVAH!”
I just get a nervous feeling in the pit of my stomach that by the time the next Presidential election rolls around the O!bama administration will be know as the Chicago-Little Rock Axis of Corruption.
Comment by Lamontyoubigdummy on 1/16 @ 7:20 am #
“So nice to get the republicans all haughty”…
If I’m to be “all haughty,” does that require me to extend my pinky finger while drinking my coffee this morning?
Cuz, while I’d like to be a Kennedy (there’s booze in my coffee), it’s Friday and I’m feeling kinda lazy.
Comment by Jimmy Carter on 1/16 @ 7:27 am #
“We will uphold our highest ideals,†[Obama] said.
I will never lie to you.
Comment by N. O'Brain on 1/16 @ 7:33 am #
“We will uphold our highest ideals,†[Obama] said.
Is that the whole “Chicago Rules” ideals?
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121918996082755013.html?mod=opinion_main_commentaries
Comment by JHoward on 1/16 @ 7:40 am #
Presidential elections need to be redesigned. Because it hires fools and liars by way of fools and liars, this way ain’t working.
Comment by Slartibartfast on 1/16 @ 7:45 am #
Thanks for not quite showing us the taint of the Clinton administration, Darleen.
Comment by Carin on 1/16 @ 7:49 am #
Eww…
Comment by Mikey NTH on 1/16 @ 7:52 am #
We’re going to follow the Geneva Conventions? So if some shoots at US soldiers, is captured, and isn’t wearing a uniform, we’re okay with just shooting him?
Man, is this Obama guy tough!
Comment by RC on 1/16 @ 8:27 am #
Damn, Mikey, you beat me to it.
If not REALLY following the Geneva Conventions then I assume that the power of the Hopey Changey will be enough to end all terrorism. Great, RealPolitik made us into a bunch of dirty bastards, EthicalPolitik (as espoused by President Bush, or Do The Right Thing as I was taught) made us into a bunch of rabid dogs and now HopeyChangeyPolitik will just get more Americans killed as we allow wishful thinking to substitute for doing something constructive. Gruesome as it is I’ll say it again, at least the juiciest targets in America are the ones that mostly voted for this kind of nonsense.
Comment by Lamontyoubigdummy on 1/16 @ 8:27 am #
“Thanks for not quite showing us the taint of the Clinton administration, Darleen.”
Clinton’s taint ain’t that bad.
Mostly just a Cohiba and a fat intern.
And Al Qaeda.
But Al Qaeda is more of a lethal dingleberry he left us.
Comment by Slartibartfast on 1/16 @ 8:29 am #
I guess I ought to have said “…the taint of Leon Panetta” but I still haven’t had nearly enough coffee yet.
Comment by daleyrocks on 1/16 @ 8:45 am #
It’s too early in the morning to talk about taint. I need to get warmed up.
Comment by Percy Dovetonsils on 1/16 @ 8:46 am #
You know, if there was a functional opposition party, somebody could be having a lot of fun throwing this in the Dems’ faces.
Comment by Lamontyoubigdummy on 1/16 @ 8:47 am #
“I guess I ought to have said “…the taint of Leon Panettaâ€Â
Eeewwww.
Waiter! There’s a bunch of short, curly hairs in my national security salad.
Comment by Mr. Pink on 1/16 @ 8:49 am #
“You know, if there was a functional opposition party, somebody could be having a lot of fun throwing this in the Dems’ faces.”
Or a press functioning in ways other than an arm of the Democrat party.
Comment by Lamontyoubigdummy on 1/16 @ 8:52 am #
…”somebody could be having a lot of fun throwing this in the Dems’ faces.”
Agreed.
Quick! Somebody smother the Democrats with the Bush Administration’s “taint.”
Take that Democrats!
Mmmmmmm…smells like freedom.
And cinnamon.
Comment by Pablo on 1/16 @ 9:07 am #
I know this is sort of nuanced, meya, but it isn’t really the rendition that’s at issue here. It’s the tarnish on Panetta’s halo.
Me, I like my rendition extraordinary. That’s the best kind.
Comment by Bob Reed on 1/16 @ 9:14 am #
“…at least the juiciest targets in America are the ones that mostly voted for this kind of nonsense.”
God forbid!, but…
I’m down with that, RC, as long as it’s someplace other than NYC; we’ve had our turn already…
I mean, I know that O! want’s to spread the wealth around, and all…
So, not in my backyard, please…
Comment by MarkD on 1/16 @ 9:19 am #
Any truth to the rumor that Waxman is calling for an airstrike on the sun to combat global warming?
Will Holder have Panetta charged with war crimes for his role in the renditions?
The circus has begun, and it’s not even the 20th yet. The clowns are here.
Comment by N. O'Brain on 1/16 @ 9:42 am #
There’s an old song titled “I Wonder Who’s Kissing Her Now”.
I’ve always wanted to know what a “Now” is.
Comment by RC on 1/16 @ 9:47 am #
Her Now is in the same place as nuggets on a chicken, you know, that part that you have to look up from to have a conversation (or so she thinks). Denounced, as a sexist, neanderthal bastard.
Comment by Lamontyoubigdummy on 1/16 @ 10:06 am #
“Her Now is in the same place as nuggets on a chicken”…
Lips, beaks & assholes?
No, wait…that’s the US Congress.
Where are the nuggets again?
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