June 5, 2008
Posted: 09:09 AM ET

From

WASHINGTON (CNN) — CNN has learned that the Director of National Intelligence Admiral (retired) Michael McConnell is letting it be known he is willing to stay for up to six months in the next Administration to help facilitate any transition, if a new president wishes him to.

A source close to McConnell is confirming McConnell will make that offer, but that he has "no desire" to be re-appointed by the new president.

McConnell is the first senior Bush Administration national security official believed to have made such an offer.

This will be the first presidential transition since the massive reorganization of the intelligence community following the 9-11 attacks, and the first time the DNI office has been through a transition.

Administration officials say there is no specific intelligence indicating terrorists are planning an attack. But Admiral Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has assembled a military team to be ready to brief a president-elect on potential vulnerabilities to attacks during the transition.

Filed under: Washington


Laidetea   June 5th, 2008 2:12 pm ET

All you HRC supporters can not demand anything at this point. HRC supporters if you want a joint ticket you must do it with diplomacy not demand. If it were me (I'm glad it's not) that were Presidental Nominee I would flat out say "NO" on national tv simply to make a statement about Hillary attacks on Obama when Hillary should have been teaming up with Obama since February. When all is said and done, Hillary decides to ruin his Tuesday annoucement like a selfish teenager…and now wants to be VP and told national TV and then say Obama has to ask Hillary to accept the offer of VP. Please. The only way he would accept anything from Hiilar is a formal apology for the verbal/attacks ads and not conceding to his nomination.

You HRC supporters are going have to come off your high demands and act like you have some diplomacy for the DEMS party. If not, it's o.k. there are 19+ million Obama supporters too with cross over Republican, Independents, Liberals, etc. or did you forget that's how he got to be nominee.

Jonathan   June 5th, 2008 2:07 pm ET

Transitioning?……If Obama is elected, he'd have to debrief McConnell. I'm sorry the Bush administration was ran by a bunch of kindegarden students.

Obama/Webb '08 & '12

obama supporter=arkansas   June 5th, 2008 2:02 pm ET

LETS ALL JUST SHUT THE HECK UP AND LET OBAMA GET WHO HE THINKS IS MOST QUALIFIED TO BE VP. AND GET OVE IT

IT IS HIS DECISION TO MAKE AND WE NEED TO BUTT OUT
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

CNN PLEASE POST THIS TO ALL OBAMA AND CLINTON PEOPLE
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

THIS IS SO MUCH LIKE KIDS FIGHTING, GET OVER IT
THIS IS OUR COUNTRY WE ARE MESSING WITH
IT IS SERIOUS

Enlightened Voter - No hillary for VP   June 5th, 2008 2:01 pm ET

Chris, Middletown, CT - man you are brilliant, eloquent and smart. Thank you for being an enlightened voter, there are so few on these blogs.

Raymond Duke   June 5th, 2008 1:55 pm ET

Suer he will. If you watched any of the hearings that he was involved in you know that he tries to kiss everybody's behine to keep his job. There is not guts or backbone to that man , just appeasment. He will go wihich every way the wind blows.

Sorry   June 5th, 2008 1:47 pm ET

As Obama has said he don't only want democrats in the White House but also Repulicans. We have seem what all of one party can do to an adminstration. Because we should all know that just because we are in the same party we should not always agree on everything. That means we don't have a thought of our own. Disagreement is a healthy thing. We can see things in a different prospective.

Randy - Denver   June 5th, 2008 1:44 pm ET

This is generous of the man, a smooth transition is always needed and this post is especially one that should not be replaced rapidly with little thought or turnover. I do not suspect that the full 6 months will be required, I suspect that, since mostr transitions start in November within a week of the election, that three to four months will be sufficient meaning that he will leave by the end of February or March. But thank you sir for the kind offer.

Charlotte   June 5th, 2008 1:34 pm ET

Obama doesn't need him, he's going to have a great big group hug with our enemys. LMAO

martin   June 5th, 2008 1:32 pm ET

you hillarys come on every blog talking about nothing that has to do with the article in question.no one wants to hear your adolescent ramblings about a has been candidate who ruined her own chances at the white house.we dont care if you vote for mccain or write-in hillary.but,we are tired of listening to the same old hopeless crap you keep spewing.you people have no shame and you are obviously uneducated,so shut up,already.

Scott, Wichita   June 5th, 2008 1:30 pm ET

It's nice to see a high official willing to work with someone, regardless of political affiliation.

and for those of you who want a complete cleaning, how would you pay for it AND all these social programs? (sure you could say recall the troops, but that would cost in 1 month what the war does in a year, so that's not really an option, because you'd be spending even more money!)

raise taxes? (yeah, because that will help with the problems with the price of gas)

cut funding from R+D? (there goes a couple hundred thousand jobs)

how about we just cut the salaries of the elected officials to something a little more average. Give em 75k a year. that's more than most Americans, and it is PLENTY to live on, especially if you are writing books and getting royalties

martin   June 5th, 2008 1:24 pm ET

apparently our 'intelligence',is seriously lacking,when we dont find out that iran has stopped its attempts at nuclear weapons in 2003.we want new blood,not the same old bs.

Bob, OH   June 5th, 2008 1:10 pm ET

Obama would be the worst thing ever to happen to this great country. We can only hope that he doesn't win. Wake up people or you will get what you asked for…..

Kenneth M   June 5th, 2008 1:09 pm ET

Josh, you and Bret from Austin are in no position to demand anything. First you dream that she has move support (not votes) then Obama and then you think you can push him around. You must be smelling yourself. She is trying to bring a popular vote (which she does not have thanks to the flaws in the FL and MI votes) to a delegate fight.

JOSH   June 5th, 2008 1:01 pm ET

AS A VOTER WHO IS BACKED BY MILLIONS, BARACK BETTER KNOW THAT WE DEMAND HER ON THE TICKET BECAUSE AS I AND MILLIONS OF OTHERS WILL MAKE SURE NO ONE WINS . JUST MCAIN!! PUT HER ON THE TICKET OR START WRITING YOUR OWN CONCESSION SPEECH OBAMA. WE GOT MORE STRENGTH THAN THE OBAMA SUPPORTERS AND IF WE BACKED MCAIN HE WOULD WIN GUARANTEED. DONT THINK THAT I CARE ABOUT THE PARTY CAUSE I DONT!!! PERIOD. YOU SEE HILLARY CANT DEMAND THAT SHE BE ON THE TICKET, BUT WE CAN !!!!THE VOTERS!!! HER VOTERS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! + REPUBLICAN VOTERS= mcain PRESIDENT AND NOT obama, THINK LONG AND HARD DID YOU WASTE YOUR TIME BY NOT INCLUDING HILLARY ON THE TICKET, I CAN BET YOU YOU WILL. ITS NOT A THREAT BUT A PROMISE, IF SHES NOT ON THE TICKET YOU WILL GO DOWN WITH WHOEVER IS ON YOUR TICKET. HILLARY SUPPORTERS UNITE!!!!!!

Dorfmann   June 5th, 2008 12:57 pm ET

Aside from the obvious policy differences between the Democrats and Republicans, it is refreshing to see at least one senior official is willing to extend an olive branch. National Security is tantamount in these troubled times and if it approached with a closed mind, then those plotting to harm have already won.

A smooth transition is needed regardless of who wins so as to maintain a position of strength and security.

Obama/Edwards '08 & '12

JOSH   June 5th, 2008 12:57 pm ET

AS A VOTER WHO IS BACKED BY MILLIONS, BARACK BETTER KNOW THAT WE DEMAND HER ON THE TICKET BECAUSE AS I AND MILLIONS OF OTHERS WILL MAKE SURE NO ONE WINS . JUST MCAIN!! PUT HER ON THE TICKET OR START WRITING YOUR OWN CONCESSION SPEECH OBAMA. WE GOT MORE STRENGTH THAN THE OBAMA SUPPORTERS AND IF WE BACKED MCAIN HE WOULD WIN GUARANTEED. DONT THINK THAT I CARE ABOUT THE PARTY CAUSE I DONT!!! PERIOD. YOU SEE HILLARY CANT DEMAND THAT SHE BE ON THE TICKET, BUT WE CAN!!!!THE VOTERS!!! HER VOTERS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

pdennany   June 5th, 2008 12:50 pm ET

Hopefully Obama will make first priority of replacing all new Agency Heads effected by the Bush regime,and a review of all that received favor. Every act/policy by the Bush regime should be viewed as a possible endangerment to the "security" of the common good of the US. The Homeland Security, if retained must be headed only by individuals loyal to the US rather than dual interests held by the present head.
Hopefully, with new national leadership, the already on-going independant investigations of 9-11 will get official recognition, and the US media will finally be forsed to do it's job, and finally real justice finally will be served.

Kenneth M   June 5th, 2008 12:49 pm ET

Lets have no more talk of Hillary. She has dishonored herself, her party, and her supporters by not conceding and falling into the ranks as did Edwards Et Al. She used the kitchen sink, reckless statements, and pouting to no avail. Now she wants to demand the VP position. From now on lets speak only of the issues:
· End the War
· Universal Healthcare
· Turn the Economy Around
· Fight the Greenhouse Effect
· Ensure a Women’s Right to Choose: Thanks leapfrog
Vote Obama

PS:
Dear “Voter”: Fact is, she got more votes than any primary candidate in US history, including BO.

And what good did it do her? Taking a popular vote to a delegate fight is like taking a knife to a gunfight.

But I do agree with you voter, Hillary should sit this one out. Keep your support. We will do it with out you. Most Republicans dislike McCain so thanks but we will take it from here.

YES WE CAN! YES WE WILL   June 5th, 2008 12:39 pm ET

That would be great as long as they can be believed as long as they don't use unnecessary fear tricks to cover up some of Bush's mess!!!

ntl   June 5th, 2008 12:37 pm ET

While a transition team would be helpful, I would hope that one thing we have all learned from this Admistration is not to trust them. Debby's comments regarding experienced people misses the point that most of the people involved in Bush's "team" are experienced "loyalists" - not in qualifications.

Shelly in IL   June 5th, 2008 12:35 pm ET

I could not have said it any better @ the rest of the world.

caribbean   June 5th, 2008 12:30 pm ET

Mr. Obama cannot win the presidency without Mrs. Clinton .The realty is Mr. Obama cannot win on his own. Watch for the V.P. I understand he is being use to continue the Kennedy legacy. "Be careful what you wish for."

Debby   June 5th, 2008 12:24 pm ET

This is good news whomever is President in my opinion. They need experienced people in there not jumping ship.

proud army and navy mom   June 5th, 2008 12:21 pm ET

no thank you, the bush administration have screwed up enough.

Obama v McCain   June 5th, 2008 12:14 pm ET

he's retired. and how nice of him(yes. that was drenched in sarcasim)

Uncle Sam   June 5th, 2008 12:09 pm ET

Many of those who support Sen. Obama seem overly concerned with how the rest of the world sees us. I am more concerned with being able to look at myself in the mirror.

Americans for McCain '08

WM   June 5th, 2008 12:08 pm ET

Presidential Transition?

If this does not sound like the Bush admin. transitioning for McCain's than what will people?

Farrell, Houston, Tx   June 5th, 2008 12:03 pm ET

$1 million homes in bank foreclosure and there are people who want more of the same by supporting John McCain. Yes, the world will not look at us as the smartest people, but the dumbest if McCain is elected to carry out Bush's policies. However, China may like the fact that they are holding all our paper as they continue to loan us money which we can't pay back.

Enlightened Voter - No hillary for VP   June 5th, 2008 12:02 pm ET

The entire world, well known and countries I have never heard of cheered the US for choosing Barack as the dem nominee and most said they want to work with him and him (some even stressed not Hillary or Mccain) only as president. Here is a man they say, who knows diplomacy. So I ask all of you, wouldn't it be nice to have the world love us for a change? I think the current director should stay in for a while until Barack feels it's time for a change.

Chris, Middletown, CT   June 5th, 2008 11:59 am ET

As Obama stated….we are Americans first….not Democrats….not Republicans….we need to discuss the issues….I'm a Republican…who supports (and donates to) Obama….

I'm scared because HRC supporters were easily led with lies…and they still parrot them today….maybe reading alittle would help….but I doubt it….she was NEVER under sniper fire….the "12 million" uninsured Americans Obamas health plan doesn't cover are illegal aliens….and no…drivers licenses are a privilege - one which illegal aliens do not get…..and send a message to Hillary…..do you guys recall when she tried to add 1 million dollars to the SCHIP (childrens health care) - yeah….for a Woodstock museum - thats the tip of the ice berg of what you were supporting….Obama didn't bring this up…the Republicans would

Women for Obama 08!!!   June 5th, 2008 11:36 am ET

Bush has had a really crooked administration. I think the whole place should just be cleaned out from top to bottom.

JDM   June 5th, 2008 11:33 am ET

It is a win- win for him. If Mcain win's(NOT!) just keep doing the same. If Obama win's (YES!), he will have a chance to really show what he can do with the DNI. You always want to impress your new boss. I think the every GOV agency is ready for change!

The rest of the world   June 5th, 2008 11:32 am ET

I honestly think the rest of the world would fall over for a second if they see Mccain win, and another Bush term ahead…they will loose all hope in America and we will be known as the dumbest country ever, seriously we will be considered a joke if after 2000 and 2004 we still haven't learned…and some of the Clinton fanatics (i respect Clinton but some of her fanatics are amazing… are gonna help make that happen…I for one will start saving to move to Canada, let the fanatics enjoy their spoils as gas price's continue to go up, healthcare continue to rise, economy to implode, and China practically will own us…

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