I came across an odd little item at Marc Ambinder's speculating that maybe Diane Feinstein leaked the Panetta nomination herself....
http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/...
The Obama people did not leak this information. They were planning on doing an announcement later in the week. And Obama knows protocol in informing a committee chair of planned hires for cabinet positions as they are the ones to schedule the hearings and vet the candidate for the post.
According to Ambinder:
It is common custom in Washington to notify committee chairs before the press. Sen. Dianne Feinstein's prerogatives as incoming chair of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence aren't to be trifled with. The Obama folks know this.
The leak gives the impression that the Obama team wanted to do an end-run around Feinstein. She never truly expected to be given a say in the choice; she just wanted the courtesy of knowing about it.
There is no real proof but, Ambinder is usually pretty on the mark in these things and he has his sources. I tend to lean to his blurb on this matter. It sounds about right.
Most people in and out of Washington knows after 8 years of Cheney riding herd on the CIA, and they are no shrinking violets, that finding someone who is not tainted by the policies of Bush and Cheney inside the CIA is impossible.
There could be many reasons for Feinstein to turn on Obama and to play this little game if this is true. My guess is she is having some resentments and also wants to take Obama down a few notches and is doing a power play on him.
Feinstein, as well as many others, know if you want to clean up the agency, bring in new policies and do reforms as well as not having any taint of the torture policy you will have to go for an outsider.
Besides, there have been many outsiders brought in to run the CIA, like Bush's father. These are usually brought in when the agency needs an overhaul after a particularly controversial period like after the Bay of Pigs or during the scandals of the 60s and early 70s.
Panetta is known quantity in Washington, well respected on both sides of the aisle and is known for strong management skills. He is someone who can really clean the CIA up and get it back on track.