Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

Obama Visits CIA to Defend Memo Release

By the Associated Press

Posted Apr 20, 2009 6:35 PM CDT
Email

(AP) – Days after releasing top-secret memos that detailed the CIA's use of simulated drowning while interrogating terror suspects, President Obama went to the spy agency's Virginia headquarters today to defend his decision and bolster the morale of its employees. "I acted primarily because of the exceptional circumstances that surrounded these memos, particularly the fact that so much of the information was public," Obama said.

A round of cheers erupted when CIA Director Leon Panetta introduced Obama, who quickly reassured them that they had his backing. "I know the last few days have been difficult," he said. "You need to know you've got my full support." Acknowledging that former CIA directors and several senior agency officials opposed the release of the memos, Obama said,
"You don't get credit when things go good, but you sure get some blame when things don't."

President Barack Obama delivers remarks at the Central Intelligence Agency in Langley, Va., Monday, April 20, 2009. At left is CIA Director Leon Panetta and right is Deputy Director Steve Kappes.
President Barack Obama delivers remarks at the Central Intelligence Agency in Langley, Va., Monday, April 20, 2009. At left is CIA Director Leon Panetta and right is Deputy Director Steve Kappes.   (Gerald Herbert)
President Barack Obama speaks at the Central Intelligence Agency in Langley, Va., Monday, April 20, 2009.
President Barack Obama speaks at the Central Intelligence Agency in Langley, Va., Monday, April 20, 2009.   (Gerald Herbert)
President Barack Obama speaks at the Central Intelligence Agency in Langley, Va., Monday, April 20, 2009. Left is CIA Director Leon Panetta.
President Barack Obama speaks at the Central Intelligence Agency in Langley, Va., Monday, April 20, 2009. Left is CIA Director Leon Panetta.   (Gerald Herbert)
President Barack Obama gestures to employees to sit down as he arrives to speak at the Central Intelligence Agency in Langley, Va., Monday, April 20, 2009.
President Barack Obama gestures to employees to sit down as he arrives to speak at the Central Intelligence Agency in Langley, Va., Monday, April 20, 2009.   (Gerald Herbert)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
To report an error on this story, notify our editors.
A snapshot of the day's best news stories.
 
COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 3 comments
divetrader
Apr 21, 2009 6:30 AM CDT
NutsInNY needs to get a life. It is doubtful you could use a teleprompter properly if you had one. If Obama doesn't legally pursue Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Yoo and others for prompting the CIA and any other organizations to torture people, he will be a major disappointment.
prowlerzee
Apr 21, 2009 1:12 AM CDT
Oh, and if you go to the source for this newser snippet you'll see Obama not only reassures the torturers that they won't be prosecuted, he also vows not to prosecute the lawyers who wrote up the legal "justification" for torture. Obama was propped up and installed by the same folk that brought you Bush-Cheney...because, sadly, progressives are just as easy to dupe as rightwingers. Yet if Palin had visited the CIA and reassured them their torture tactics were appreciated these same progressive dupes would be screaming their tonsils out how she was the second coming of Cheney. I'm so....disappointed...in the so-called "reality based" community.
prowlerzee
Apr 21, 2009 1:07 AM CDT
divetrader, it will only be a "disappointment" to morons who refused to listen to the warnings or look at the facts. Obama voted to give immunity to telecoms spying on Americans. After giving lip service that he wouldn't to morons like you. What did you expect?

Copyright 2012 Newser, LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. AP contributed to this report.

 
Barack Obama • torture • waterboarding • CIA director • memo

More Newser Stories

Obama Re-Affirms: Waterboarding Is Torture

USS Cole Terrorist Faces Capital Charges Again

Prosecute Bush, Cronies: Human Rights Watch

Torture Didn't Lead Us to bin Laden

CIA Interrogators Deserve Thanks, Not Punishment
NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS
Other Sites We Like:   24/7 Wall St.   |   Betty Confidential   |   BuzzFeed   |   Cracked   |   Fark   |   Timelines   |   The Frisky   |   Geek Sugar   |   NewsOne