Via Justin Rood, WSJ's Washington Wire is reporting that Steve Kappes, a former senior CIA operations officer much respected by old Agency hands -- and chased out by the Gosslings -- is being floated by the administration as Hayden's deputy:

The White House is floating the name of Stephen R. Kappes as a potential deputy director of the Central Intelligence Agency under its newly appointed chief, Gen. Michael V. Hayden. Kappes briefly served as the CIA’s deputy director of operations, and oversaw all foreign operations, in 2004 before resigning after clashes with aides to CIA [...]

That would surely boost morale at the Agency -- and therefore potentially become politically untenable with the President's base, one might think? After all, Goss wasn't there chasing out people like Kappes because that was his personal agenda. He was there because the White House wanted him to clamp down on Langley, and root out those perceived not to be toeing the White House's line. Right? Or has that much reported story line also gone by the wayside of late? Or more momentous, has the White House had a change of heart based on the advice of some place like PFIAB? Kappes have some supporters in Negroponte's office? A combination?

Meantime, Steve Clemons has an interesting, contrary to conventional wisdom take on the nomination of Hayden to be CIA director. Steve's take -- Negroponte wants to get his troops, so to speak, in position to take on Rumsfeld.

Update: I should add that at least yesterday, I was hearing a different name than Kappes.

Update II: Apparently Negroponte mentioned Kappes by name in his press conference this morning.

Posted by Laura at May 8, 2006 12:49 PM