A Chequer-Board of Nights and Days

President Bush has nominated General Michael Hayden to serve as Director of Central Intelligence, a move the politics of which clearly denote National Intelligence Director John Negroponte's ability to establish his primacy in the American intelligence community.

The linked story indicates that the nomination may run into some headwinds:

To balance the CIA between military and civilian leadership, the White House plans to move aside the agency's No. 2 official, Vice Admiral Albert Calland III, who took over as deputy director less than a year ago, two senior administration officials said. Other personnel changes also are likely, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the changes are not ready to announce.

Talk of Hayden's nomination rekindled debate over the administration's domestic surveillance program, which Hayden used to oversee as the former head of the National Security Agency.

"There's probably no post more important in preserving our security and our values as people than the CIA," Hayden said.

Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Chairwoman Susan Collins, R-Maine, said she has found Hayden to be "straightforward and willing to share his candid professional judgments _ even when they differed" from those of Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld.

"Nevertheless, to send a signal of independence from the Pentagon, General Hayden may want to consider retiring from the Air Force," she said. "That would put to rest questions about whether an active duty military officer should lead the CIA at this time."

Senate Judiciary Chairman Arlen Specter, R-Pa., had said in advance of the announcement that he would use Hayden's nomination to raise questions about the legality of the domestic surveillance program and did not rule out holding it up until he gets answers. "I'm not going to draw any lines in the sand until I see how the facts evolve," Specter said on Fox.

Rep. Peter Hoekstra, R-Mich., chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said he was concerned that Hayden's nomination would detract from the real issue of intelligence reform.

"The debate in the Senate may end up being about the terrorist surveillance program and not about the future of the CIA or the intelligence community, which is exactly where the debate needs to be," Hoekstra said on CBS' "The Early Show."

There is some concern regarding Hayden's military background, and the possibility that it might leave the impression that "the CIA has been 'just gobbled up by the Defense Department.'" Nonsense. Hayden is a close ally of Negroponte's and the latter is getting ready to fight Donald Rumsfeld over the issue of intelligence control and distribution. As far as Rumsfeld is concerned, Hayden's appointment is the worst possible thing that could happen in the context of that fight.

As for the other concerns regarding Hayden's military background, John McCain answers it best:

"In all due respect to my colleagues _ and I obviously respect their views _ General Hayden is really more of an intelligence person than he is an Air Force officer," McCain said on "Face the Nation" on CBS. "I think that we should also remember that there had been other former military people who have been directors of the CIA."