George J. Tenet's "Ringers"

[JackSpratts]

So Tenet’s last minute speech was notable for among other things the fact he picked an audience more than just sympathetic, he picked one from the place he knows will be among the most enthusiastic in the country; his alma mater, the spy school of Georgetown University in Washington DC. And to make sure they got the message there was more than just info riding on today’s presentation, these prospective intelligence employees were informed he’s hiring – big time!

It was one of those perfectly surreal Washington moments; watching a beleaguered director “brave enough” to take potentially embarrassing questions from an audience thoroughly compromised beforehand. He made quite sure they got the message, and what it will mean to their careers saying, “We have spent the last seven years rebuilding our clandestine service. As director of central intelligence, this has been my highest priority.

“When I came to the CIA in the mid-'90s our graduating class of case officers was unbelievably low. Now,” he continued, “after years of rebuilding our training programs and putting our best efforts to recruit the most talented men and women, we are graduating more clandestine officers than at any time in the history of the Central Intelligence Agency.”

Finally, in case a few students in the room were having trouble dealing with reality at such an early hour, he hammered it home by telling them he’s not through yet, not by a long shot. “It will take an additional five years to finish the job of rebuilding our clandestine service, but the results so far have been obvious.”

Yes, the subtext was clear. As long as I’m around, I’ll be controlling hiring untill you're out of school! Long enough that even the greenest freshmen in today’s audience had better look both ways before crossing that particular street.

(And oh yeah, I never said Iraq was an “imminent threat,” so don't hang that one on me.)

Now then, who has the first question?

Several nerfball queries from nervous students floated his way...

This is not a guy with alot of confidence in his message if he needs that kind of protection. The waitresses at my diner would have had him for breakfast.

- js.