Obama Apologizes to Feinstein Over Panetta Snub

President-elect Barack Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden apologized Tuesday to Sen. Dianne Feinstein, head of the Senate Intelligence Committee, for failing to consult her about appointing Leon Panetta to head the CIA.

Obama and Biden called Feinstein one day after her spokesman said the California senator did not receive a phone call about Panetta from anyone in the Obama camp and learned about the decision to nominate him from news reports. Feinstein's committee would be in charge of holding Panetta's confirmation hearing.

"I have been contacted by both President-elect Obama and Vice President-elect Biden, and they have explained to me the reasons why they believe Leon Panetta is the best candidate for CIA director," she said in a written statement.

"I look forward to speaking with Mr. Panetta about the critical issues facing the intelligence community and his plans to address them," she added.

Feinstein told Roll Call, a newspaper on Capitol Hill, that Obama and Biden "apologized profusely" for not calling her and that she has no hard feelings.

"I've been around a long time I know this happens," she said.

Biden, who previously served as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, on Tuesday called it a "mistake" to exclude Feinstein in discussions on a CIA pick.

"I'm still a Senate man and I always think this way: I think it's always good to talk to the requisite members of Congress," he said. "I think it was just a mistake."

Feinstein's dance with the Obama team is a turnaround from a day earlier, when she had expressed concern about the nomination, saying that she wanted an intelligence professional to lead the agency. Panetta is an ex-congressman who served as former President Bill Clinton's chief of staff.

At a budget meeting on Tuesday, Obama declined to make a formal announcement about Panetta but said that he has the "utmost respect for him" and that Panetta "brings great management skill" and has "impeccable integrity."

Other Democrats were also throwing their support behind Panetta.

Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., said Panetta brings fresh leadership to the intelligence community.

"Leon Panetta has a long and distinguished career in public service and there are few people of whom I have a higher opinion," he said in a written statement.

"He has been a strong voice opposing the interrogation practices authorized by the Bush administration and he is well-equipped to restore our national security, which has been undermined by the current administration's policies," he added.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Silvestre Reyes, D-TX, called the Panetta pick "sensible and said that he was "time-tested" and "highly qualified.

"His ability to build coalitions and work across all elements of government will make him a good partner for the Director of National Intelligence," he said in a written statement.

Separately, Feinstein praised Obama's selection of Adm. Dennis Blair to be director of National Intelligence.

"I intend to have the Senate Intelligence Committee move quickly to get Admiral Blair confirmed, but we will do our due diligence in reviewing his record and views during open hearings," she said.