Senate confirms Hayden as CIA director

The US Senate on Friday confirmed Air Force General Michael Hayden as CIA director in a vote that gave a broad bipartisan endorsement to the architect of President George W. Bush's domestic spying programme.
Hayden, 61, who has served as principal deputy to US intelligence chief John Negroponte up to now, replaces Porter Goss, who forced to resign earlier this month. The 78-15 vote to confirm Hayden included the support of several Senate Democrats. Bush and the Senate were eager to get Hayden confirmed before leaving on a week-long recess so that the top CIA job would not be vacant.
Goss resigned after clashing with Negroponte amid widespread concern about the future of the storied spy agency that has seen its reputation eroded by reforms and intelligence breakdowns over the September 11 attacks and pre-war Iraq.
Hayden was NSA director when Bush ordered the program in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks. Critics say it exceeds the president's constitutional powers and violates a federal law requiring court warrants for eavesdropping inside the United States.