Two Masters

By Thomas Duffy / November 5, 2008 at 5:00 AM

CIA Director Michael Hayden today issued a statement to agency employees explaining how the agency will educate the incoming administration while still supporting the outgoing Bush team -- a primer on how to serve two masters, in essence, that applies to the Pentagon and other government agencies:

That means that we in the intelligence community will have -- until noon on January 20th -- two sets of consumers. As we continue to serve the current administration, we are also in touch with President-elect Obama and his national security team. Through expanded access, greater than what he had in his briefings as a candidate or as a senator, he will see the full range of capabilities we deploy for the United States.

Hayden said the agency's leadership was to meet this morning to talk about the transition to a new administration. CIA has prepared a great deal of information about the agency for the Obama team, Hayden said.

“((Director of National Intelligence Mike)) McConnell, who will launch the first briefing of the incoming administration, has asked Michael Morell, our director for intelligence, to be his representative throughout that process," the statement reads. "The two principal briefers for the president-elect are also CIA careerists.”

Hayden also noted that with every incoming administration there is talk about personnel changes across the government. On that note, he has some advice for the CIA staff: “At this point, I would urge you to ignore it. I certainly have.”

52038