Goss gives himself a very bad reference. Via Obsidian Wings:
Posted by DeLong at August 13, 2004 08:17 PM | TrackBack | | Other weblogs commenting on this postObsidian Wings: Goss Not Boss Material: President Bush might have researched his nominee's own feelings about his qualifications for the job though, if for nothing else his willingness to be interviewed by Michael Moore:
"I couldn't get a job with CIA today. I am not qualified," Mr Goss told Moore's production company in March.
The White House has dismissed the interview as "ridiculous hearsay".
The interview did not make it into the final edit of the film, which criticises President George W Bush's policy on Iraq.
But... Moore has released the transcript and video excerpt....
"I don't have the language skills. I, you know, my language skills were romance languages and stuff. We're looking for Arabists today. I don't have the cultural background probably," Mr Goss says on the video... [T]he things that you need to have, I don't have."
Goss is a (typically, for Bush) disastrous choice for this position, but not for the reasons he cites in the Moore interview.
Sympathetic commentators have correctly pointed out that his comments pertained to qualifications for a position as an operative, not those for a manager.
The real problem with Goss is his demonstrated dedication to partisan politics. His appointment sets a precedent that bodes ill for for the future of the new intelligence bureaucracy.
Posted by: s_bethy on August 13, 2004 09:17 PMThe last partisan hack Congressman to occupy the CIA set up a money generating operation for his buddies and a ruling dynasty for his family. Politicians and people with political ambitions should not be let near the CIA. It gives them too much information that they can use the further their own dynasty at the expense of the American people.
Posted by: bakho on August 13, 2004 09:33 PMFor those who track such matters, it may not be unimportant that God gave his response to Porter Goss's selection by sending a cat. 4 hurricane into the middle of his district.
Posted by: Brian Boru on August 13, 2004 10:32 PMJust because you are not qualified to work in an organization, it does not mean you cannot be its figurehead. If Carly Fiorina (sp?) had to design or manufacture (and, arguably, even sell) HP widgets, she would be looking for other opportunities within a month.
Posted by: a on August 14, 2004 12:36 AMOf course we need Romance language skills at the CIA. To spy on the biggest enemy of freedom: France.
Posted by: ogmb on August 14, 2004 12:55 AMI think this is a case where we on the left are twisting Porter Goss's words. He was a CIA analyst before becoming a legislator, and was talking about how the agency had changed and analysts needed different skills.
Surely, his views on his ability to become an analyst today cannot be taken as an indictement of his ability to run the agency.
Posted by: Anurag on August 14, 2004 07:33 AM