TROUBLE ALREADY – AT 2:52 P.M. ET:  President Trump has nominated CIA Director Mike Pompeo to be secretary of state, and CIA Deputy Director Gina Haspel to be director.  It was expected early that Haspel's nomination might face resistance because she was involved in "enhanced interrogation techniques" during the Iraq War.  But Pompeo is also facing some unexpected trouble.  From The Hill: 

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said on Wednesday he would oppose President Trump's nominations of CIA Director Mike Pompeo to be secretary of State and CIA Deputy Director Gina Haspel to lead the spy agency.

Paul said that he will oppose the nominations and "do everything I can to block" them.

"My announcement today is that I will oppose both Pompeo's nomination and Haspel's nomination," Paul said.

Paul is the first Republican to come out against the two nominations, which were announced by Trump on Tuesday. Last year, he was the only Republican to vote against Pompeo for CIA director.

The senator pointed to his previous statement that Pompeo doesn't believe "enhanced interrogation techniques" to be torture, as well as his support for the Iraq War, in explaining his opposition. 

"I'm perplexed by the nomination of people who love the Iraq War so much that they would advocate for a war with Iran next. I think it goes against most of the things President Trump campaigned on," he said. 

Paul said he is opposing Haspel due to her involvement in the enhanced interrogation program during the George W. Bush administration. He said she showed "joyful glee at someone who is being tortured." 

"I find it just amazing that anyone would consider having this woman at the head of the CIA," Paul said. 

And he's a Republican, we think.  Democrats, even those who voted to confirm Mike Pompeo for CIA director, are now suddenly having second thoughts about him.  Or, the leftist party establishment is ordering that they have second thoughts.  Several senators are now saying that they're "reconsidering" their past romance with Mike.

I suspect Pompeo will pull through, possibly with a few Dem votes.  Haspel will be a more difficult run,.

March 14, 2018