Brennan: I Told Leiter to Take Leave
Before the speech, there was speculation that Michael Leiter, the director of the National Counterterrorism Center, might be on the chopping block. The New York Daily News reported Thursday morning that Leiter, whose organization is tasked with coordinate intelligence to fight terror plots, declined to return from a ski vacation following the bombing.
That seems to not have been entirely true: Denis McDonough, National Security Staff Chief of Staff, released a statement later in the day saying Leiter had been at his post on December 25th and "engaged in regular, repeated, and extended classified discussions" in the following days.
"Only after explicit consultations with both the White House and the Director of National Intelligence and considering the current threat environment did Director Leiter take six days of annual leave after the event, which again did not affect in any way his ability to remain engaged with all elements of the United States Government," McDonough said.
At a briefing for reporters shortly after Mr. Obama's speech, Assistant to the President for Counterterrorism and Homeland Security John Brennan (pictured) addressed why Leiter was allowed to take leave after the attack.
"When the incident occurred on Christmas Day, a number of people came in to their offices and focused on it immediately," he said. "I was in constant contact with Mike Leiter throughout the afternoon, throughout the evening."
"Mike Leiter raised with me that he was, in fact, scheduled to go on leave to meet his son. And he asked me whether or not he should cancel that trip," continued Brennan. "I asked Mike about whether or not he had a full complement of folks and his deputies were going to be in place. Mike said he did. And I said, 'Mike, no, you deserve this vacation. You need to be with your son.' So I was the one who told him he should go out there."
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, released a statement soon after the president spoke saying "Michael Leiter has my full confidence as head of the National Counterterrorism Center."
"He briefed me on the attack and what was known on Christmas Day, and he has been involved in the Administration's immediate response and ongoing review," she said. "As a result of the briefing that he gave me, I believe the response to the attempted bombing of Northwest Flight 253 was well in hand. I believe him to be one of the bright lights in the American intelligence community."
More on Obama's Remarks and the Report:
Obama Commands Intel Community to Do Better
Obama: "We Are at War"
Brennan: Yemen's Al Qaeda Is "Lethal" and "Concerning"
Transcript: Obama on Intelligence Failures
Full Obama Video
Analysis from CBS News' Bob Schieffer and Bob Orr
Summary of White House Review
Directive from President Obama
Special Report: The Christmas Day Terror Attack