Obama Team Has Confidence In Panetta

Despite the premature leakulation of Barack Obama's decision to nominate Leon Panetta to head the CIA, Obama aides are confident that whatever nerves were twinged in the pre-borted roll-out will be calm. 

"I think he's going to be fine," senior adviser David Axelrod said. Of concerns that Panetta might not have enough experience with the CIA's culture, Axelrod said Panetta "will do well. He's tough and smart."

Agency insiders knew they'd be getting a Clinton veteran, but they didn't expect the man who was in charge of cutting their budgets in the 90s.

On the other hand, Pinetta is a powerful guy, and that means that Obama has put a powerful guy in this position, which means that, in Obama's administration, the CIA is going to get its due.

Another Obama aide confirmed that the "hope was to roll it out later this week, which would obviously be after informing congress."

Chances for confirmation: 80%.