AN INTERVIEW WITH SEN. RON WYDEN.

Senator Ron Wyden, a member of the Senate Select Intelligence Committee, is getting some headlines today for having had early contact with the Obama transition team on Panetta. I spoke with him on the controversy a few moments ago.

His first point was historical. There's an implication that Panetta is an ahistorical choice, that CIA usually goes to a career officer. Not true. "George H.W Bush was nominated to head the CIA and had absolutely no background in the area," he said. "Certainly less than Leon Panetta, who had experience as chief of staff and head of OMB. But if you head to the CIA today, the building is named after Bush."

"I talked to the Obama transition team on intelligence. I can't get into the substance of that. But there is something important today." he continued. "Our chair, Diane Feinstein, is going to be introducing legislation to make a dramatic break with the policies of Bush and Cheney and end torture and close Guantanamo." That's interesting. Expect the Obama administration to give Feinstein rather what she wants in return for support on Panetta. The problem with not consulting her -- even if it was an accidental leak -- is that it makes her look out of control. This legislation may prove the vehicle she uses to emphasize the powers of her committee and her intention to exercise a meaningful oversight role (which, to be sure, was not something either her or Rockefeller did in the disastrous Porter Goss era).

"The Intelligence Committee does little in public," concluded Wyden. "One part that is public is the confirmation hearing, and you can be sure, given the events of the past 24 hours, that there will be a serious grilling of the nominee. I think, on the basis of knowing Leon Panetta for many years, when the Committee doors close, people will be saying that Leon Panetta is qualified for this job."

Update: Feinstein is being conciliatory. Biden is being off-message. Feingold loves teh Panetta.