Published on TheHill.com on May 19, 2009
It’s obvious that either Leon Panetta, Obama’s head of the CIA, or Nancy Pelosi, his party’s Speaker of the House, has to go. No administration can tolerate a permanent, public civil war between two such high-ranking officials.
Especially when their disagreement stems not from issues of policy but from matters of veracity and credibility, the battle must end in one of their resignations. You cannot have the head of the nation’s first line of defense against terrorism calling the Speaker of the House a liar and being attacked by her in turn.
Obviously, Obama cannot fire Panetta. First of all, he just appointed him. And second, to cave in to Pelosi (D-Calif.) would earn him the massive disrespect and disapproval of the very operatives on whom he must depend to keep the nation safe.
Already skeptical of his leftist credentials, the analysts at the CIA would regard it as a massive vote of no confidence if their chief were fired for believing in them.
Like Clinton — whose draft-dodging made his relationship with the military problematic — Obama takes office amid reservations about him on the part of the intelligence community. He has taken pains to reach out to both the uniformed and white-collar intelligence officials to smooth his way and win their trust.
Panetta took over as CIA chief under the cloud of his agency’s distrust of the man who appointed him. Now he is standing firm for his agency and winning its loyalty and support.
Obama cannot pull the rug out from under him without incurring the agency’s permanent animosity. Before Sept. 11, 2001, that may have been an acceptable risk. Now it is not.
But Pelosi is expendable. The job of a Democratic Speaker is to pass the program of the Democratic president. Her ability and track record is measured on a scale of effectiveness. If she is ineffective, she’s not up to the job.
There is no way that Nancy Pelosi can be effective while she is engaged in a war of words with the Democratic head of the CIA.
House members have a shark’s instinct for blood in the water and know full well that satisfying Pelosi is likely to be an unrewarding occupation.
With House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) waiting in the wings, few congressmen would be willing to treat the IOUs from Pelosi they get for casting difficult votes as worth much more than Confederate currency.
Remember that Pelosi won by only 118-95 in her election as Speaker. Her support was not overwhelming to begin with. She is a movement liberal. Her political antecedents come from the McGovern wing of the party. She is a leftist/reformer. An insurgent.
But Hoyer is a regular Democrat. Representing a district in the D.C. suburbs of Maryland, he is almost a civil servant himself. He is no radical.
While he can be counted on to pass Obama’s programs like a good Democrat, he is not the kind of guy who will get out in front of the president to upstage or pressure him.
He will fit right in, unobtrusively backing the president. (Full disclosure: He’s a former client. Very former.)
Above all, Obama cannot allow the distraction and disruption of a feud between Speaker and CIA head to sow the image of an administration at war with itself.
The Speaker is the hired help. She exists to serve her president. And, right now, he needs this fight like he needs a hole in the head.
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[…] Dick Morris’s most recent column explains why Botox Pelosi must hit the road. Dick Morris writes this in his blog: It’s obvious that either Leon Panetta, Obama’s head of the CIA, or Nancy Pelosi, his party’s Speaker of the House, has to go. No administration can tolerate a permanent, public civil war between two such high-ranking officials. […]
On Sept. 12, 2001, most members of Congress (Republicans and Democrats) were not worried that our government would be too harsh in its treatment of terrorists and were going around making patriotic speeches including Nancy Pelosi). When countries are attacked, the sovereignty of the country trumps civil liberties, not just for common enemies but for citizens as well.
During the World War II years, the United States in order to protect its sovereignty did things it would never do in normal times – the interning of Japanese-Americans, press reporters and their reports and letters sent home by American soldiers were censored by the military, and the FBI obtained authorization to tap phones without obtaining court orders. During the Civil War Lincoln suspended Habeas corpus and sent his enemies to Canada.
Today, some question remains whether the ends justified the means. In 1945, had my father who survived WWII and then received orders to prepare for the invasion of Japan (which if occurred) may have been killed and I would not exist today. No American with a husband, brother, or son serving in the military wanted that scenario. For them, the speediest end of that horrible conflict was the only goal.
The president at that time was the liberals beloved FDR followed by another Democrat Harry S. Truman. The issue facing this nation about enhanced interrogation is minor compared to WWII and for that matter WWI and the Korean conflict; we need to move on.
With power comes responsibility and Pelosi is not exhibiting responsibility but rather cowardness. She needs to go because she is third in line to be President of the United States and we do not need a coward in charge.
M090524W—FL Retired…05-24-2009 At 10:15 PM—If She Leaves She Cannot Be Vilified As She will Not Have Any Stature In The Democratic Party. Some Form Of Censure Should Be Applied Then Her Perceived Power Will Be Severely Limited. As She Votes On Matters That Are Important To Her Everyone Else Can Vote The Opposite.