Does Porter Goss Have a Clue??

Anyone who has ever held political office or served as a business executive knows that some of the most effective assistants or advisors you can have are qualified people with whom you have had a long, trusting personal relationship. The key is that they are not just someone with whom you have close ties, they must also have the knowledge, aptitude, and skills to excel in the position with which they are to be entrusted. Anything less is simple cronyism.

Among the many failures in leadership by the Bush administration is the rampant cronyism at all levels of appointed government positions, from Bremer and the whole Heritage Foundation greenhorn types he dragged over to the Green Zone with him to "heckuva job" Brownie, now singing his heart out before a Senate committee today.

One of the lastest examples emerging of someone who might not have the horsepower to do the job for which he was appointed is the CIA's new chief, Porter Goss. Among the signs are his asinine statement last week to the Senate Intelligence Committee that public disclosure of the illegal domestic wiretapping program has caused "severe damage to our capabilities to carry out our mission". I can't imagine in what way. I'm picturing two bad guys in a cave in Pakistan, rubbing their hands together in glee because they now know that the U.S. is eavesdropping on its own citizens without getting warrants. Should make their job much easier. Now in its NPR-like attempt to appear "less liberal" the New York Times today printed an editorial by Mr. Goss regarding the "leak epidemic" he sees. The article is one of the most poorly written I've ever seen, it sounds childish. I thought the editors gave those the once-over, but apparently that was not the case here. And his logic is so classic Bush its starting to sound tired: We have to keep everything secret to protect national security, even down to what we may or may not have in the lunchroom fridge. I hold out hope that my first instincts are wrong about him. In the meantime, he can start his cleanup work here.

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