Hayden on Presidential Qualities: ‘I Want to Know that I’m Talking to a Decent Human Being’

HAYDEN: "Well, first off, let me second all the ideas that have been put out there. But I boil it down to my most critical conversations with the president which have been about covert action. And that temperament, honesty, integrity thing really matters. When you’re talking to the president about a covert— it’s covert for a reason. Because, frankly, operationally, ethically, legally, the course ahead isn’t all that clear. So when I’m talking to a president about that, I’m representing all the men and women at the Central Intelligence Agency, I want to know that I’m talking to a decent human being. I want to know that I’m talking to someone who broadly reflects the values of the country that we want to defend."