CIA selection poses risk to Bush race

Security questions expected before Nov. 2

? President Bush’s nomination of Rep. Porter Goss as the next CIA director could lead to tense confirmation hearings, with plenty of questions about the president’s national security record and goals, just weeks before the Nov. 2 election.

Even as some Democrats praised the nomination of Goss, R-Fla., who gave up his role Tuesday as chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, others criticized him as inappropriately partisan for a job that requires relaying objective advice to policy makers.

“You must keep the politics out of intelligence,” said House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California. “I’m not sure that has been done here.”

“The selection of a politician — any politician from either party — is a mistake,” said Sen. Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee. “Having independent, objective intelligence going to the president and the Congress is fundamental to America’s national security.”

The chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Pat Roberts, said he was mystified by complaints that Goss was partisan.

“You can disagree with somebody as to the issues from time to time; I don’t think that makes them partisan,” said Roberts, R-Kan. “I don’t consider him to be partisan. I’ve known him for 16 years; that’s not a word I would use to describe Porter.”

Appearing Wednesday on NBC’s “Today” show, Roberts said “I think we’re all politicians in Congress” and said service in the national legislature shouldn’t be a disqualifying factor.

“We’re going to have hearings the first week of September. We’re going to try to expedite this. I think he will be confirmed,” he said. “The Democrats have questions. We’ll keep it civil.”

Appearing on the same program, Sen. Dick Durbin, an Illinois Democrat who is a member of the Intelligence Committee, said, “I believe the White House may be playing this with a political angle. If they are, it’s unfortunate. We still have a responsibility, despite the elections, to ask the hard questions.”

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., told ABC’s “Good Morning America” that Goss “has shown not only the ability but the willingness to point out the failures that existed in our intelligence agencies prior to 9/11.”

Meantime, Goss revealed Wednesday that while his nomination is pending, he is stepping down as chairman of the House intelligence panel to avoid any conflicts.

“I do believe it is appropriate to remain a member of the committee,” Goss told colleagues Wednesday morning at the outset of a hearing on the report of the 9-11 commission.