Hayden: Concerns about CIA and spying a "political football"

The confirmation hearings for General Hayden are not deserving of extended commentary. Hayden, a Military careerist, tells the US senators that issues such as kidnapping and torture of detainees without any semblance of due process, and the spying and intrusion on millions of innocent US civilians without any attempt to establish probable cause or obtain statutorily and Constitutionally mandated court supervision are part of a "political game of football." It is hard to imagine what aspect of the US Constitution that Hayden understands and respects enough to "protect and defend" as he must swear to do if confirmed. Aside from his conflicting allegiance and subservience to the Defense Department, Hayden is simply not the right man for so important a job.

However, it shows a lack of courage on the part of Congress to relegate the examination of a program that involves a major breach of the Constitution and statutes through the device of a confirmation hearing. Surely an issue as important as the fundament of our democracy deserves separate and thorough examination in its own right. It should not be muddled with the question of Hayden's fitness for the post as CIA director. If he is confirmed, does that mean that the Congress approves of the domestic spying program? Will Karl Rove and the White House claim that the issue is "old news" after the hearings in an attempt to avoid any further scrutiny?