Obama's first failed appointment

[Beestie]

Originally Posted by Happy Monkey

Here's one explanation.

I'm not sure I'd call that an explanation. The article starts by qualifying Panetta as a Washington insider saying that's just what the CIA needs.

The article finishes by saying that the agency is best served by distancing itself from Washington and excessive politics.

Furthermore...

Leading Democrats on the Senate Intelligence Committee Jay Rockefeller and Dianne Feinstein have already criticized the choice of Panetta, claiming the CIA needs to be led by an experienced intelligence professional.

I'm open to suggestion but I'm not getting much. The best answer I've heard yet is that "Obama knows what he is doing."

Besides, I never trust anybody who has a book to sell. Even if the author is a CIA field officer.

I suspect that's the best answer me or anyone else is going to get - rationalizations notwithstanding.