Senate confirms Hayden as CIA chief

WASHINGTON — Gen. Michael Hayden won confirmation to be the 20th CIA director Friday in a lopsided Senate vote, placing a career Air Force officer in charge of the civilian spy agency that is grappling with intelligence reform at home as well as al-Qaida and other international threats.

The Senate approved Hayden in under three weeks by a vote of 78-15. He is expected to be sworn in next week.

Breaking with the White House, Senate Judiciary Chairman Arlen Specter voted against the four-star general. The Pennsylvania Republican said he was protesting the administration's failure to inform Congress of intelligence operations, particularly its warrantless surveillance program.

"I have no quarrel with General Hayden," Specter said on the Senate floor.

President Bush called Hayden a patriot and dedicated public servant whose experience makes him the right choice to head the CIA at a critical time.

"Winning the war on terror requires that America have the best intelligence possible, and his strong leadership will ensure that we do," Bush said of Hayden in a written statement.

For just over a year, Hayden served as the top deputy to National Intelligence Director John Negroponte. He was National Security Agency director for the six years prior to that, beginning in 1999.

Through that role, Hayden became a key figure in the debate about Bush's post-9/11 directive ordering the NSA to monitor — without court approval — the calls and e-mails of Americans when one party is overseas and terrorism is suspected. Hayden's defenders say he was relying on the advice of top government lawyers.

Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., who voted against Hayden, praised his ability to distill complicated issues into clear briefings for policymakers. But Feingold said he has a problem with the Bush administration's surveillance, which he considers illegal.

"My concerns were about this administration's attitude about the law, which Gen. Hayden adopted," Feingold said in an interview. "That is unacceptable to me."

On Friday, Vice President Dick Cheney said at the Naval Academy's commencement that the program is "fully consistent with the constitutional responsibilities and the legal authorities of the president." He called the program "essential."