Gen. Hayden earns his `bones' and a nomination | Chicago Tribune

Gen. Hayden earns his `bones' and a nomination | Chicago Tribune: "Congress is still debating how to deal with the NSA program, and Republicans and Democrats have denounced the operation. Now Hayden is about to be elevated to one of the two highest intelligence positions in government, with the controversial Negroponte holding the other office.

There appears to be more here than simply a tendency of Bush's to hang around with a bad group of kids. Bush himself has long displayed an equally dismissive view of the law, claiming the right to violate federal law when he considers it to be in the nation's interest.

As these shadowy figures multiply, you can understand why civil libertarians increasingly see the White House like a gathering at Tony Soprano's Bada Bing! club. In Soprano's world, you cannot become a 'made man' unless you first earn your bones by 'doing' some guy or showing blind loyalty. Only when you have proven unquestioning loyalty does Tony 'open the books' for a new guy."