Bush Moves to Create National Intelligence Chief
By Jeff Gannon
Talon News
August 3, 2004
WASHINGTON (Talon News) -- President George W. Bush appeared in the Rose Garden Monday to announce that he would create the position of national intelligence director and establish a national counterterrorism center. To demonstrate the importance of the task at hand as well as the fundamental changes that would have to take place over the coming months, Bush faced reporters while flanked by the heads of the Cabinet departments of State, Defense, Justice, and Homeland Security as well as the directors of the CIA and FBI.
While the Democrats partied in Boston, Bush spent last week at his ranch in Crawford, TX where he and his White House task force pored over the 9/11 Commission report before deciding a course of action. The president conceded there was a "healthy debate" over creating the new position, but ultimately decided it was the right thing to do.
The president is proposing that the new intelligence chief and his staff be somewhat independent, but still responsible to the White House.
"I think it ought to be a stand-alone group, to better coordinate, particularly between foreign intelligence and domestic intelligence matters," Bush said.
Bush said that having the NID be independent would ensure that he receives "the best, unbiased, unvarnished assessment of America's intelligence professionals."
Bush stated that it would be the director's role to coordinate the various agencies but not add another layer of bureaucracy.
Bush said, "Let me make it also very clear that when it comes to operations, the chain of command will be intact. When the Defense Department is conducting operations to secure the homeland, there'll be nothing in between the Secretary of Defense and me."
White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card described to Talon News and other media representatives the type of person who would be sought to fill the position.
"The most important thing would be to have the confidence of the president of the United States, so that that person would be able to come to the president and speak with great candor and offer unvarnished advice and counsel," Card said.
Card did not advance any names, but said that a candidate would have an understanding of the intelligence community and the various entities that make up the intelligence community and the executive branch of government. He said that person would also need an understanding of the government process, budgeting, and working with Congress.
The president also spoke about the national counterterrorism center that would be created, built on the already-existing Terrorist Threat Integration Center. It would become the government's knowledge bank for information about known and suspected terrorists. The center would also coordinate and monitor counter-terrorism plans and activities of all government agencies and departments to ensure effective joint action. It would assume the responsibility of preparing the daily terrorism threat report for the president and senior officials.
The president indicated that he would soon issue a series of directives to various departments to adopt common databases and procedures so that intelligence and homeland security information could be shared and searched effectively.
Bush noted that many of the commission's recommendations required action from Congress and reform of the legislative branch itself. He pointed out that Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge had testified before Congress 140 times in front of nearly a dozen oversight committees.
He said, "There are too many committees with overlapping jurisdiction, which wastes time and makes it difficult for meaningful oversight and reform."
His opponent in the presidential election, Sen. John Kerry (D-MA), embraced the report almost sight unseen. On Monday, he suggested Bush recall Congress to Washington to begin work on the necessary legislation to make the proposed changes. The president pointed out that Congress began hearings last Friday.
Kerry has only cast 14 votes of the 112 taken in the senate this year. He instead criticized the president for waiting nearly three years to act to improve intelligence and homeland security.
The administration released a 21-page document on Monday that shows recommendations made by the commission and the reforms already enacted.
"We have implemented significant reforms since 9/11," Bush said. "We called for and worked with Congress to create the Department of Homeland Security. We've done a lot since September the 11th."
The president defended his record when he said, "My most solemn duty is to protect our country. In the three years since our country was attacked, we've taken steps to overcome new threats. We will continue to do everything in our power to defeat the terrorist enemy and to protect the American people."
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