[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2006, Book I)]
[May 8, 2006]
[Pages 889-890]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks Announcing the Nomination of General Michael V. Hayden as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency
May 8, 2006

    The President. Good morning. Today I'm pleased to nominate General 
Mike Hayden as the next Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. 
Mike Hayden is supremely qualified for this position. I've come to know 
him well as our Nation's first Deputy Director of National Intelligence. 
In that position, he's worked closely with our Director of National 
Intelligence, John Negroponte, to reform 
America's intelligence capabilities to meet the threats of a new 
century.
    Mike has more than 20 years of experience in the intelligence field. 
He served for 6 years as Director of the National Security Agency and 
thus brings vast experience leading a major intelligence agency to his 
new assignment. He also served as Commander of the Air Intelligence 
Agency, as Director of the Joint Command and Control Warfare Center, and 
as Deputy Chief of Staff of the United States and U.N. Forces in Korea.
    He's held senior positions at the Pentagon, the U.S. European 
Command, the National Security Council, and served behind the Iron 
Curtain in our Embassy in Bulgaria during the cold war.
    Mike knows our intelligence community from the ground up. He has 
been both a provider and a consumer of intelligence. He's overseen the 
development of both human and technological intelligence. He has 
demonstrated an ability to adapt our intelligence services to the new 
challenges of the war on terror. He's the right man to lead the CIA at 
this critical moment in our Nation's history.
    It's my honor to welcome Mike's wife, Jeanine, and their family to the Oval Office. I want to thank 
them for their willingness to support Mike Hayden in his long service to 
the United States.
    With the agreement of the Senate, Mike will succeed a great patriot 
in Director Porter Goss. Under Porter's 
leadership, the CIA launched a 5-year plan to strengthen the Agency's 
human intelligence capabilities. This plan involves increasing the 
number of operatives and sources in the field and building up the 
Agency's analytical capabilities, so the hard-working men and women of 
the CIA have the resources they need to penetrate closed societies and 
secretive organizations.
    Porter also played a vital role in 
shaping the new relationship between the CIA and the new Director of 
National Intelligence. And this process benefited greatly from the 
decades-long friendship between him and Director Negroponte.
    Porter took on a critical job at a 
critical moment in our Nation's history. He instilled a sense of 
professionalism in the CIA and maintained the high standards of this 
vital agency at a time of transition and transformation. Throughout his 
public life, Porter Goss has been a man of accomplishment and integrity, 
and America appreciates his service.
    I'm confident that Mike Hayden will continue the reforms that 
Porter has put

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in place and provide outstanding leadership to meet the challenges and 
threats of a dangerous new century. Mike Hayden was unanimously 
confirmed by the Senate last year for his current post, and I call on 
the Senate to confirm him promptly as the Director of the Central 
Intelligence Agency.
    The work of the CIA has never been more important to the security of 
the American people. America faces determined enemies who struck our 
Nation on September the 11th, 2001, and who intend to attack our country 
again. To stop them we must have the best possible intelligence. The men 
and women of the CIA are working around the clock and around the world 
in dangerous conditions to gain information that is vital to securing 
our Nation. I appreciate their dedicated service, and so does Mike 
Hayden.
    In Mike Hayden, the men and women of the CIA will have a strong 
leader who will support them. He will ensure they have the resources 
they need to do their jobs. He will enforce the secrecy and 
accountability that are critical to the security of the American people.
    Mike, I appreciate your many years of service to our country. We're 
grateful that you've agreed to step forward and serve once again. Thank 
you very much.

[At this point, Director-designate Hayden made brief remarks.]

    The President. Congratulations, Mike. Thank you very much. 
Appreciate it.
    Thank you all.

Note: The President spoke at 9:31 a.m. in the Oval Office at the White 
House. The transcript released by the Office of the Press Secretary also 
included the remarks of Director-designate Hayden.