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George Stephanopolous just announced on ABC’s This Week that Gen. Michael Hayden will definitely be named President Bush’s nominee to succeed Porter Goss as the DCI for the CIA.  Interviewing Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Sen. Saxby Chambliss, both Senators expressed reservations about a military officer heading up the CIA — since it is a civilian intel agency. 

There is a pending bill in the Senate that would require the DCI to be a civilian — but that bill has not yet passed, and is thus not a legal requirement at this point.

We’ve blogged on Gen. Hayden over the last coupla days here, here and here.  Should make for some very interesting confirmation hearings — especially if they get into the illegal NSA domestic spying.  I’m told that many in the NSA are livid about the program that has been going on — because it’s been severely limited to a small number of folks within the NSA who would go along with the President’s request, but the entire agency has been tarred by their actions.  Should be a VERY interesting confirmation process indeed if they go into that aspect.

UPDATEBloomberg has more, including the fact that Rep. Hoekstra, chair of the House Intel Committee opposes Hayden being nominated.  The WaPo has more as well.

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