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Tenet Cruising Toward Confirmation

WASHINGTON (May 7, 1997) -- Following a successful opening day of his confirmation hearing, CIA director-nominee George Tenet appears to be heading for a quick and painless Senate approval. A floor vote is expected this week.

Today the Senate Intelligence Committee will question Tenet on classified subjects in a closed-door session. No new information is expected to emerge.

Sen. John Chafee (R-R.I.), a member of the committee, predicted that Tenet will soon be confirmed. "There is great respect for George Tenet," Chafee told CNN this morning.

"Many of us worked with him when he was staff director of the committee, so we knew him intimately at that time and have confidence in him. We also believe that we ought to get on with getting the position of the Director of Central Intelligence ... filled. To have a vacuum out there, a space not filled, just isn't good," Chafee said.

Tenet cruised through Tuesday's question-and-answer session, as senators showered the New York native with superlatives. In his opening introduction of Tenet, Sen. Alfonse D'Amato (R-N.Y.) said, "[The] president could not have put forth a better nominee."

Sen. Paul Sarbanes (D-Md.) said, "I think by experience and education he's exceptionally qualified to lead the intelligence community."

Tenet, who has been serving as acting director of the CIA for the past six months, said his concerns include a changing Russia, an unstable North Korea, international organized crime, narcotics traffickers, and terrorists.

"The fact is, that the activity worldwide at this moment is unprecedented, and the threat to U.S. interests is enormously high," Tenet warned.

There were a few intermissions in the lovefest.

Tenet was quizzed repeatedly about Kamisiya, an Iraqi weapons depot destroyed during the Gulf War. The agency knew as early as 1986 that it contained chemical weapons but didn't tell the military or Congress until recently.

"There was nobody at the CIA who was engaged in a conspiracy or somehow wanted to deny access to information. We simply didn't give them the resources and tools they needed and that was a management decision. I was part of the management team. I should take responsibility for it," Tenet said.

Tenet also fielded questions about contacts between the Democratic National Committee and the CIA concerning political contributors, and was firm in his response. "I believe it is absolutely inappropriate for any political organization to believe that they can have access to anybody inside of my building. Period," he said.

Changes at the agency since the unmasking of two moles, Aldrich Ames and Harold Nicholson, also came under senatorial scrutiny.

CNN's Jeanne Meserve contributed to this report.