Obama Defends Choice For Cia Chief

His selection of Leon E. Leading lawmakers were angry that weren t consulted Obama and dismayed that he had chosen a candidate with experience low intelligence. Panetta as director of the CIA was the first time Obama faced immediate opposition from his party, during a cabinet appointment. Reporting from Washington - After promising during the campaign to restore order and accountability to the nation spy agencies, President-elect Barack Obama has been plagued by unusual mistakes in his effort to put together a team of intelligence.