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President Bush Taps Air Force General Michael Hayden to Head CIA; National Intel Director John Negroponte Holds Briefing; Darfur Tensions

Aired May 08, 2006 - 11:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome to the second hour of CNN LIVE TODAY. I'm Daryn Kagan.
Shake-up at the CIA . Washington is buzzing about it this morning.

We're waiting to hear from National Intelligence Director John Negroponte any minute. And we'll get reaction from a former 9/11 commissioner.

This morning, President Bush announced that he wants General Michael Hayden to head the CIA. The nomination is already sending up red flags on Capitol Hill. But Hayden says he's ready to respond to any concerns.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEN. MICHAEL HAYDEN, CIA DIRECTOR NOMINEE: In the confirmation process, I look forward to meeting with the leaders of the Congress, better understanding their concerns, and working with them to move the American intelligence community forward. This is simply too important not to get absolutely right.

To the men and women of the Central Intelligence Agency, if I'm confirmed, I would be honored to join you and work with so many good friends. Your achievements are frequently under-appreciated and hidden from the public eye. But you know what you do to protect the republic.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: CNN's Sumi Das has this look at General Michael Hayden.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUMI DAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): As former director of the National Security Agency and current number two for National Intelligence Director John Negroponte, Air Force General Michael Hayden is no stranger to the CIA.

JOHN MCLAUGHLIN, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: General Hayden is a down to earth guy. He grew up in working class circumstances in Pittsburgh., went to Duquesne University, worked his way up in the military, has held positions at all levels. DAS: Former interim CIA director John McLaughlin has known Hayden for six years.

MCLAUGHLIN: One of the CIA's core missions, of course, is supporting our military forces. It's the core mission of any intelligence agency. And General Hayden has vast experience at doing that. And also, as NSA director, he has had plenty of contact with human intelligence as well.

DAS: But the very experience that qualifies Hayden to head the agency could create obstacles during any confirmation process. Hayden has faithfully defended the NSA's domestic wiretapping program conducted without warrants, calling it successful.

HAYDEN: Had this program been in effect prior to 9/11, it is my professional judgment that we would have detected some of the 9/11 al Qaeda operatives in the United States.

DAS: At least one Democratic senator says he would vigorously question the general's endorsement of the intercepts during any confirmation hearings. Senate Intelligence Committee member Russ Feingold says he's concerned by Hayden's potential nomination. "General Hayden directed and subsequently defended the president's illegal wiretapping program. Neither he nor the rest of the administration informed the congressional intelligence committees about this program, as required by law."

CAROLINE FREDERICKSON, ACLU: It's going to be under a huge amount of scrutiny. It's going to be under a microscope, basically.

DAS: Also likely to resurface, past intelligence mistakes such as untranslated intercepts pertaining to 9/11.

HAYDEN: In the hours just prior to the attacks, NSA did obtain two pieces of information suggesting that individuals with terrorist connections believed something significant would happen on September 11th.

DAS: The intercepts were translated September 12th. Hayden said timely translation of all the information collected by the government was impossible.

(on camera): Both parties may be motivated to avoid a drown out and contentious confirmation process. Many agree it's a dangerous time for the nation's Central Intelligence Agency to have no leader at its helm.

Sumi Das, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: And we go live now to the White House. There is the new White House spokesperson, Tony Snow, as he introduces the national intelligence director, John Negroponte.

Let's listen in. TONY SNOW, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: He has an opening statement and then will take questions.

Ambassador?

AMBASSADOR JOHN NEGROPONTE, DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE: Good morning. Thank you very much.

I'd like to make a few points to place General Hayden's nomination as director of the CIA in context before taking your questions.

In nominating Mike Hayden to serve as the director of central intelligence, I believe that the president has selected the best person, civilian or military, to lead the CIA during this critical period.

If confirmed, Mike Hayden's three decades of experience in intelligence, national security affairs, and the management of large organizations will strengthen the CIA, improve the morale of its career professionals and capitalize on its proud traditions.

If confirmed, Mike Hayden will be building upon the work of many distinguished predecessors, including Porter Goss, who during the span of his public service as a CIA case officer, a congressman and chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, and the director of the CIA has made innumerable contributions to the security of our country and our interests abroad.

During Porter's tenure, the senior Al Qaeda leadership, those most responsible for the 9/11 attacks, has been significantly degraded. In addition, he has worked hard with other members of the intelligence community to launch initiatives that have better integrated intelligence in the war on terrorism.

Mike Hayden brings with him 30 years of experience in intelligence both at home and abroad, and is widely acknowledged for his command of all aspects of the discipline.

His expertise is by no means limited to technical aspects of intelligence. He has been at the forefront of integrating all aspects of intelligence -- technical collection, human intelligence operations, and analysis.

Over the past year he was instrumental in the creation of the National Clandestine Service, which he will lead as CIA director; the creation of the FBI's National Security Branch; and countless other initiatives.

Equally important, having been director of the National Security Agency for six years, he knows how to manage and transform large organizations.

As the director of the NSA, he won the respect and admiration of those who he led, as well as congressional leaders.

I am confident that he will bring the same visionary leadership and management ability to the CIA.

Mike is also a reformer who understands the imperative that we create a truly integrated intelligence community.

Over the past year, he has dedicated himself to implementing the vision of the Intelligence Reform Act, and I know that he will do the same at the CIA and that he will, as a consequence, improve intelligence for all intelligence customers whether they are policy- makers, the Congress, military leaders, diplomats, or law enforcement officials.

These traits make Mike Hayden the right man to ensure that the CIA remains as its name suggests, central to our intelligence community, and that it strengthens its two core capabilities: human intelligence operations and all-source analysis.

In this regard, the CIA must remain the intelligence community's premier human intelligence agency.

As the director of the CIA, Mike Hayden will be responsible for coordinating all of our national clandestine HUMINT operations, something with which, as I have already noted, he has been closely involved over the past year.

Mike will help grow the CIA's human intelligence capabilities, ensure that those capabilities are well integrated with other intelligence operations and provide crucial leadership for all of the intelligence community's HUMINT operations.

With respect to analysis, the CIA will remain the intelligence community's center of excellence.

The agency's breadth and depth of an analytic expertise is unparalleled. The CIA is the nation's most important repository for intelligence analysis on virtually every imaginable topic, including our highest priority areas, such as Iran, North Korea and weapons of mass destruction.

Mike Hayden knows these issues from every angle and his experience working with all intelligence customers, from the president on down, makes him the ideal leader for the CIA.

Finally, let me say that I have learned a tremendous amount from Mike over the past year, and I will be sorry to lose him as my deputy. But I know that he is the right man for this challenging assignment. He is a reform-minded leader who listens well, makes tough decisions, and understand the challenges of the 21st century.

He has committed his life to serving our country and making sure that the nation's leaders have the intelligence that they need to keep America safe.

I simply cannot imagine anyone better to lead the CIA today and into the future.

Thank you. I'd be pleased to take any questions. QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) by the level of concern that was expressed over the weekend about the fact that he is a military man leading a civilian spy agency?

NEGROPONTE: Well, first of all, I think the most important thing is the qualifications of the individual who is going to be filling that job. And I think that Mike has both the breadth and deputy of qualifications that are required for the position.

Secondly, he's occupied a great variety of positions, including in civilian organizations, such as the National Security Council and the present job he occupies as my deputy is also a civilian-type position.

So to those who raise a question about the fact that Mike Hayden wears the uniform -- and proudly so -- of the United States Air Force, I would respond: They should look at the qualifications. And I think they can also be assured that Mike Hayden is a very, very independent- minded person, blunt spoken, who I don't think will have any difficulty whatsoever staking out positions that are independent and responsive to the needs of our civilian intelligence community.

KAGAN: We've been listening in to National Intelligence Director John Negroponte making comments on President Bush's new selection to head the CIA, General Michael Hayden. Not too surprisingly, Mr. Negroponte thinking that Michael Hayden is the right man for the job, having no concerns about somebody with military links leading a civilian spy agency.

We're going to continue to talk about this top. If you would like to keep listening in to the actual event, go to CNN.com and click on "Pipeline." It's there for you streaming live as we speak.

More on the choice of Michael Hayden as the next director of the CIA after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: And you can watch that on Pipeline right now. The National Intelligence director, John Negroponte, talking about the news of the morning. President Bush naming General Michael Hayden as his choice to be the next director of the CIA.

Joining us in Washington is former Democratic congressman Tim Roemer. He was a member of the 9/11 Commission.

Congressman, good morning. Thanks for being here with us.

TIM ROEMER, FMR. 9/11 COMMISSION MEMBER: Nice to be with you, Daryn.

KAGAN: As signing off on the 9/11 Commission, you supported basically what's happening, that you have a National Intelligence director having more power than the CIA. Is this all happening like the commission wanted? And it is making America safer? ROEMER: No, it is not happening like the commission wanted. It's getting too big, too bureaucratic and too slow to go against an enemy that is increasingly agile, dynamic and entrepreneurial. The 9/11 Commission wanted maybe a staff of 800 people. It's getting to be twice that size, Daryn.

And secondly...

KAGAN: But you know Washington. You can't be surprised that that's what it's grown into.

ROEMER: Well, we've seen the Department of Homeland Security go to 180,000 people, Daryn, and that's the wrong direction, too. So, in both building bureaucracy and protecting our borders and trying to innovatively make sure that we're screening material coming into our ports, trying to make sure the FBI can communicate in 21st technology, we're not seeing this community and this country becoming safer with response to your second question.

KAGAN: But when you shake up the apple cart, like the 9/11 Commission intended to do, are you surprised, especially knowing Washington as you do, that there would not be a turf war of sorts taking place that we see happening?

ROEMER: Well, we expect turf wars, Daryn. And a turf war between the DNI and the Department of Defense would be good. I'm not sure a decapitation is what we suggested.

Porter Goss is now gone over the weekend. It was a surprise to members of Congress. And then the new announcement was stunning to many of them.

And the Republicans are leading the charge, for the most part, against this nominee by a Republican president. It may turn more into a process that reflects the Harriet Miers judicial nomination, rather than the John Roberts judicial nomination, that turned out to be successful.

KAGAN: We just heard a ringing endorsement from John Negroponte for General Hayden. Do you think he's a good man for the job?

ROEMER: I actually think that his association with Ambassador Negroponte is one of his strengths. I also don't think the military qualifications should disqualify him, as we've had Admiral Turner serve under President Carter.

What I do think are important, Daryn, and I think what Ambassador Negroponte was desperately trying to talk about just now, is his management skills and his ability to move from an organization that that dealt with signals intelligence, to now rebuilding at a critically important time our human intelligence capability. Can he do that? Can he do that going in a midterm election, when people in the Senate are going to be coming at him on the national security wiretap program, secret prisons, Abu Ghraib?

This is not a good time for this administration to go through this kind of confirmation battle.

KAGAN: In the moments since we broke away from John Negroponte at the news conference, he made a comment talking about the rift that's taking place between the CIA and the Department of Defense.

Let's listen in and then talk about that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NEGROPONTE: Specifically with respect to the Pentagon and the CIA, as my experience, as ambassador to Iraq, for example, and following the current situation both in Iraq and Afghanistan, and in areas where the CIA's interests and the Pentagon's interest would intersect, I see nothing but excellent cooperation. And back here at headquarters, there is a memorandum of understanding that was -- that has been reached and signed during my tenure as the director of National Intelligence that lays out the terms of reference for cooperation between the two organizations.

So, I would say, and can I assure you, that they're pretty tightly knit together in what -- in the way they operate.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Congressman, do you read it the same way?

ROEMER: I think that the turf battle between Mr. Negroponte and Mr. Goss is not cooperation. Are we seeing better cooperation and integration sharing of information between DNI and intelligence at DOD? Probably so.

KAGAN: Former Congressman Tim Roemer.

Thank you for your input today.

ROEMER: Thank you, Daryn.

KAGAN: Good to see you.

ROEMER: Nice to say you again.

KAGAN: Let's go ahead and talk about and look at Michael Hayden's military background.

Pentagon Correspondent Barbara Starr is here with that.

Barbara, a lot being made that the general is a military man, but so many past leaders of the CIA have military experience.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Daryn. People who have been talking about this over the weekend think it might be somewhat remarkable, but, of course, it is not. Navy Admiral Stansfield Turner was the director of Central Intelligence in the Carter administration, and he remained on active duty.

You know, by all accounts, General Hayden is a very independent- minded thinker, and he will come to his positions based on what he believes is the correct course of action, those who are close to him say. So, whether the fact that he has a military background -- and he is expected to remain on active duty even if he is confirmed -- it's not clear that that will really shape, per se, his directorship at CIA.

His background, to a very large extent, is in technical intelligence programs, signals intelligence, the types of things he was doing at the National Security Agency. But now at the CIA, clearly, as we heard from Ambassador Negroponte, the emphasis is on human intelligence, spy networks, that sort of thing, and management of that very troubled agency. Those will be the challenges for General Hayden.

KAGAN: Well, and how is it expected that General Hayden will get along with Donald Rumsfield?

STARR: You know, people are saying around town this morning that General Hayden, again, is his own man. But even with Ambassador Negroponte's very diplomatic words that we just heard that things are just fine between him and the Pentagon, make no mistake, there is a huge turf battle between the Pentagon and the intelligence community. And it's all about money, because, of course, the Pentagon controls billions of dollars in spending programs, satellites, other kinds of technical intelligence programs.

There is no indication that Don Rumsfield wants to give any of that up. And under Secretary Rumsfield, in fact, the Pentagon has expanded its intelligence efforts, getting much more into counterintelligence programs and even that human intelligence effort, the spying (ph), if you will.

So, here at the Pentagon, there's certainly an effort by the leadership here in this building to keep their hands very tightly on the control that they do have. General Hayden may prove to be the man in the middle between Negroponte and Rumsfield -- Daryn.

KAGAN: It's going to be fascinating to see it all play out in Washington.

Thank you, Barbara.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Keep driving! Keep driving!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Our CNN crew and U.N. workers run for their lives. Details and pictures just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Under attack and on the run, the scene today in Sudan. Our CNN crew and U.N. officials were chased out of a refugee camp. Someone -- excuse me -- accused a translator of being a government spy.

Our Nic Robertson was right in the middle of the chaos.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERTSON: Keep driving! Keep driving!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What's happening?

ROBERTSON: I don't know. Are you OK?

Drive quickly! Just get out of here!

Keep driving! Just drive! Go, go, go, go! Quickly now!

Go, go, go, go! Quickly, quickly!

That was scary.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. They're running after us, so we do have to keep going.

ROBERTSON: We've got to keep going. Just keep going. Just keep driving. Really quickly, as far as you can.

I don't know exactly what happened back there, but suddenly the crowd got very angry with the man sitting next to me in this car now. They came after the car, they came after him with knives. They were beating the car with sticks, throwing rocks at it.

The only thing we were able to do was drive out. And we drove out through some of the people's houses there. We're trying to get back to Nala (ph) now, where we hope we can find some safety.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: We're told that everyone did make it out of the camp safely. We should note, protesters want U.N. peacekeepers in Darfur. The region has seen incredible bloodshed over the last three years. More than 180,000 people have died and some two million others have been forced from their homes.

We expect President Bush to be speaking later this hour live on the Darfur crisis. And you'll see that live here on CNN.

Meanwhile, let's get to some news out of Florida, and Betty Nyugen has that -- Betty.

BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, Daryn.

Want to take a look at pictures coming out of New Smyrna Beach, Florida, where a fire, a wildfire is under way. You can just see the smoke here. And it really doesn't give you a full view of how big this fire is.

We are being told so far it has scorched 8,000 acres. A thousand people have been forced to evacuate their homes. One hundred firefighters are on the scene from Brevard and Volusia counties.

Now, this fire has done more than just evacuated people from their homes. It's keeping people off of the freeways, as well. I-95 in Volusia County has remained closed, at least parts of it. And as you can see from the treetops here in this helicopter video, smoke is just filling the skies, still White smoke coming from these fires.

Eight thousand acres in New Smyrna Beach. And we're hoping to get some more information a little bit later this morning on exactly what caused this fire.

We're going to be hearing from Shannon Lewis (ph), the spokesperson for New Smyrna Beach. And hopefully that person can provide some more information on exactly what caused this fire, how close are they coming to getting it contained, because it's affecting a lot of people at this moment -- Daryn.

KAGAN: All right. We look forward to that. Betty, thank you for that.

Chad Myers was showing us earlier that you could actually see the smoke from the fires on -- is that satellite imagery?

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Actually, that's radar.

KAGAN: Radar.

MYERS: Yes. A radar beam sweeps around, looks for raindrops. As it got over to New Smyrna Beach, in fact, it saw something. It didn't see raindrops, though. It actually saw the smoke particles.

The smoke was so thick in the air that this thing was actually seeing -- the radar showing that smoke plume well off shore. But starting right there by the I-95.

I'm going to get a little closer, give you an idea. Here's I-95, the Pioneer Trail. This fire is nowhere near the populated city of New Smyrna Beach. I mean, we're talking miles away, maybe five miles away. But certainly now there are developments out here, newer developments that are being threatened, even a couple of country clubs out there.

And here are the wind speeds, 10, 11, 10. Those are miles per hour wind now blowing across from the Southwest. But yesterday the winds were blowing 22 miles per hour.

This morning we heard that that fire was a thousand acres. Now we're hearing 8,000 acres. That's a pretty big jump in fire size, for sure. I mean, a thousand acres is less than two square miles, 8,000 acres completely different story there.

So we'll see what that news conference has to say about that.

(WEATHER REPORT)

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