Intelligence community

Bond: Blair Was Squeezed Out (VIDEO)

Ben Frumin | May 21, 2010, 11:02AM

Sen. Kit Bond (R-MO)

Sen. Kit Bond (R-MO) suggested on CNN last night that resigning Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair was "frustrated," "put on the sidelines" and "squeezed out."

"He had to be very frustrated that he was put on the sidelines by the Attorney General who's now running much of the intelligence collection effort, and he got the blame for it," Bond said.

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Intelligence community

Intelligence Chief Dennis Blair Leaving

Christina Bellantoni | May 20, 2010, 6:02PM

Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair

Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair will be resigning tomorrow from his duties in the Obama administration. A U.S. official told TPMDC that Blair's resignation is expected tomorrow. The White House has been interviewing "several strong candidates" to replace him, the official said.

ABC's Jake Tapper broke the story this afternoon. He writes that Obama for weeks "has been holding serious conversations about whether to ask Blair to step down" while looking for replacements.

Tapper reported that after speaking today in the Oval Office, Blair told Obama he would resign. From the failed Christmas Day bombing attempt to sparring with CIA director Leon Panetta, sources told Tapper that Blair's tenure "has been a rocky one." More details here.

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