http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/...nce/index.html

OTHER THAN the typical "layer of bureucracy" argument, can anyone explain to me why making this position a cabinet level position with budgetary powers and oversight of ALL of the intelligence community is an idea Bush won't support? Is it the same situation as when he opposed making the Homeland Security Director cabinet level because he'd have to answer to Congress?

Will this be another paper tiger thrown out by Bush to make it look like he's doing something?

If he/she is not a member of the cabinet he/she can be thrown under the bus without making it look like the pResident is out of touch...

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The last time this country mixed politics with religion, people got burned at the stake.

This individual will have absolutely "NO POWER"!! He may actually be reporting to the Pentagon, in other words RUMMY! If you look closely at Junior's proposal, he is only doing it to "appease" the 9-11 commission.

But most Americans will buy it "hook, line and sinker". And he was against the position to begin with. BTW..That is "not" a FLIP/FLOP!!

The wool continues to be pulled over "our eyes"!!

I couldn't agree more. Apparently the conservatives agree as well since none are stepping up to defend it. I do think, though, that Americans will demand more -- at least Demos. Bush is being watched far too closely by us to slip through on this one.

Pres. Bush doesn't look at this as how it's going to effect HIM personally. This is a big change and would effect all presidents from now on. What he wants is autonomy for the Director. I would think Democrats would want that as well. But apparently NOT during this election season. Dems are always looking for a political angle on EVERYTHING right now.

It's funny an adult could make a statement like this in seriousness. Have you fantasized yourself into a relationship with the guy? How can you state what he thinks?

It's hard to ignore the political angle of things when you've got a president desperately trying to hang onto power and a challenger desperately trying to take it away -- it's not just bush making political decisions, it's kerry as well, but Bush is the president.

But it's naive to say Bush is making this decision based on "future presidents." This is a president that doesn't want to have to answer to ANYONE. If he can set up a system where he can keep his appointees on a short leash, with no accountability to anyone but him (or his lackeys), he will. That's why he wants this to be a non-Cabinet position, so he can appoint a new DCI who will oversee this new position -- and nothing will have changed. It's a control issue, nothing more.

You're just spinning and weaving your own little story. Pres. Bush does NOT operate that way. Keep in mind: whatever he puts in place EVEN the next Democrat president will operate under. So, if he were making something good for himself....just for personal reasons.......then he's also making it good for the next Democrat president. And I have absolutely NO DOUBT that had Bush said the guy needed to be in the Cabinet.....that you would have been saying, "the guy will be nothing but an arm of Bush and will have no autonomy." WHATEVER Bush thought was the right way to go........you'd have taken the opposite position. Just like John Kerry does....

How can I state what he thinks? You try to do that all the time. In fact, you're doing it right now.....trying to claim that he's taking the postiion he has for purely partisan and political reasons......and not thinking about the Office of the Presidency at all. So, I have that same right, MB. And I might know him a little better than you.....considering he was my Governor before he was our president.

Your own little personal wet dreams with former Governor and current President George W Bush!!

You know him better because he was your Governor or because you have/had a "personal relationship" with him?

You know, JEB is my Governor too. If I told you "horror stories" about his reign and claimed I know because he is my governor, would you buy that?

You are so full of cr** that its not oozing out..ITS FLOWING OUT!!