911 commission rejects Bush's Nat'l Director of Intel just a coordinator

[papau]

Bush Backs Creation of Intelligence Director
President Also Supports Counterterrorism Center Proposed by 9/11 Panel
By Mike Allen and Walter Pincus
Washington Post Staff Writers
Tuesday, August 3, 2004; Page A01


<snip>Bush left many of the details to Congress. Several commissioners said they would lobby lawmakers to make sure the new director has the powers their report advocates.

You don't want this person as a figurehead," the commission's chairman, Thomas H. Kean (R), said in a telephone interview. "Budget authority is very important."

Commissioner Richard Ben-Veniste (D) called budget authority "an absolutely essential part of our recommendation." Commissioner Timothy J. Roemer (D) said, "The detail will be the difference between success and failure."

Philip D. Zelikow, executive director of the Sept. 11 commission, said last week that if the new intelligence chief was not given hiring and firing and budgetary control over the intelligence community agencies, he would oppose any change in the current system. <snip>

Kerry told reporters in Grand Rapids, Mich., that many of the changes were "very obvious" and should have been made long ago. "I regret that the president seems to have no sense of urgency to make America as safe as it needs to be," Kerry said. "The time to act is now, not later." <snip>

[kentuck]

1. Good! Got to loosen the Bush grip on intelligence agencies...

Keep the status quo is the Bush plan.

[cthrumatrix]

2. why is AWOL afraid of giving this guy authority and a budget?

come to think of it awol was against the whole 911 commission anyway

[soothsayer]

3. i thought homeland insecurity was already performing this role?

isn't this ridge's job already?