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Lunch with Goss. From a reader who was at the CIA -- with Goss -- on Friday morning:
Amazing indeed. Then again, it's hard to know how to take his comments in light of his remarks Saturday to a graduating college class in Ohio, "Goss told the graduating students that if he were addressing a graduating class of CIA case officers, he would advise them, 'Admit nothing, deny everything, and make counteraccusations.'"Hi Laura,
An interesting anecdote. On Friday, [I was part of a small working group invited to the CIA.] Our group received unclassified briefings on topics from China to Iran, but the highlight was a luncheon with the Director. Goss made some opening remarks, and then took approximately ten questions or so before he was summoned away by an aide. He was very engaging and somewhat frank -- he made no secret of his distaste for the intel reform legislation that created the ONI. He was very adamant that the CIA did not engage in any form of torture, at one point asserting that no good facts are ever derived from torture. Finally, in response to a (prescient) question on what he expects as his legacy, Goss sharply defended his efforts to rebuild the Agency and restore its clandestine service. During his remarks, he also took several potshots at what he termed a pattern of inaccurate reporting by the news media on the Agency's activities.
As I said, he had to cut short his appearance due to what he called "the press of the day". Less than two hours later, we heard the announcement of his resignation. Amazing!
Regards.
Incidentally, I subsequently asked this reader if he got the sense Goss didn't have a clue he was about to become administration road kill. Here's his response:
Hard to tell. He certainly was more frank that I ever expected, but that may have been due to the fact that the event was held in his private dining room and it was not for public consumption. He made several references to the fact that it was a busy day, the "press of business" and noted that he may have to be pulled away, which did happen.
But I have to think he did not see it coming, if only because I am sure he would have cancelled the luncheon if he knew it was going to be his last day and his name would be splashed across the papers. Wouldn't you and I do the same thing?
(Posted with permission).