Colorado’s senators both say Gen. Michael Hayden, President Bush’s choice to lead the CIA, has some merit as a nominee, but they disagree on the significance of Hayden’s involvement in the government’s secret eavesdropping program.
Hayden, whom Bush introduced today as his pick to replace Porter Goss as CIA director, is a former National Security Agency chief who played a key role in NSA’s warrantless surveillance of calls and e-mails between the U.S. and foreign nations. The program, secret until it was disclosed in the media, has been attacked by some as illegal.
In a statement, Sen. Wayne Allard, a Republican, said: “I have met with General Hayden on several occasions and have always found him to be sincere, honest, and committed to the defense of our nation.
“I remain strongly in support of General Hayden’s past decisions regarding the NSA terrorist surveillance program. I continue to believe that this program is critical to our national security and is saving American lives,” Allard added.
“That being the case, I want to make sure he has the right qualifications to be director of the CIA, particularly given that he will remain an active-duty general in the United States Air Force. I look forward to meeting with General Hayden personally to discuss his previous experiences and hear more about his vision for the CIA.”
Said Sen. Ken Salazar, a Democrat: “The CIA requires expert, independent leadership capable of guiding a vitally important part of our intelligence community in the post-9/11 world. General Hayden comes to this process with strong credentials. I believe the hearings associated with General Hayden’s nomination to be the next CIA director must be thorough and fair.
“I also share the concerns expressed by colleagues, including the chairman of the Judiciary Committee (Sen. Arlen Specter), regarding the administration’s policy of wiretapping American citizens without a warrant a policy that General Hayden has played a leading role in defending,” Salazar added.
