OMG! Maybe It’s NOT Panetta?

 

Oh, for heaven’s sake, just make up your mind, man! Make a pick and stick to it! Do your homework first, of course, and consult with others to make sure that everyone will play nicely together in the big sandbox. But if this is what’s going to pass as business as usual in Obama’s term, I think we’re in for a bumpy ride.

Yesterday, at a “media availability” (what ever happened to press conferences?), PEBO was asked about the Panetta pick, and he oh-so-delicately started dropping hints that Panetta just may not actually be his pick for CIA head:

Question: Some are – some are questioning Leon Panetta’s lack of intelligence – lack of experience on intelligence matters. Sorry about that. I know this is tricky for you since you haven’t announced it yet, but what does he bring to the table for you?

Obama: Well, as you noted, I haven’t made – haven’t made a formal announcement about my intelligence team….

(cell phone rings)

That may be him calling now… finding out where it’s at.

I have the utmost respect for Leon Panetta. I think that he is one of the finest public servants that we have. He brings extraordinary management skills, great political savvy, an impeccable record of integrity.

As chief of staff, he is somebody who – to the president – he’s somebody who obviously was fully versed in international affairs, crisis management, and had to evaluate intelligence consistently on a day-to-day basis.

Having said all that, I have not made an announcement. [emphasis mine]

Is he backpedaling here? Will Panetta be thrown under the bus, as so many have been before him? Or will our intrepid Leon manage to convince both PEBO and Diane Feinstein that he plays well with others and doesn’t run with scissors? Tune in tomorrow, same Bam-time, same Bam-channel!

Stoutcat