Constitutional illiterate to head CIA?

Now that CIA director Porter Goss has stepped down, the scuttlebutt is that Goss's replacement will be former NSA head and Air Force General Michael Hayden. The obvious red flag with Hayden's possible appointment is that he clearly has limited familiarity with the U.S. Constitution and the Fourth Amendment, in particular.

In fact, it was just a few months ago when TDB highlighted Hayden's contention during a press conference that the Fourth Amendment did not mention probable cause. For someone in a leadership capacity over a major spy organization to be so completely ignorant of one of this country's most basic tenets of freedom is nothing short of unfathomable.

Let's refresh our collective memory about what the Fourth Amendment says:

"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."

Perhaps General Hayden should study up on the Constitution. And let's hope the U.S. Senate duly grills him on this issue before giving him rubber stamp approval to take over in Langley. Otherwise, we'll just face an ever-quickening erosion of our basic freedoms by those who are supposed to be protecting them.