First, here is a quick rundown of the political experience that Leon Panetta has:

• In 1971, Leon Panetta switched parties, officially becoming a Democrat
• In 1976, Leon Panetta was elected to the United States House of Representatives, representing California’s 16th congressional district
• In 1994, Leon Panetta was appointed as the White House Chief of Staff by former President Bill Clinton.

Based on political positions alone, it’s quite obvious that he doesn’t have the credentials to serve in such a capacity. Even looking back at his committee assignments, the only one he held any leadership on was the House Committee on the Budget. Again, by no means a post that qualifies someone to lead the one of the worlds foremost advanced intelligence gathering agencies.

However, some may find rationale for this appointment by citing his military qualifications. While Leon Panetta did receive the Commendation Medal, his tenure in the United States Military only lasted from 1964 to 1966.

Even looking at his more recent accomplishments, it’s quite evident that he has done very little in the intelligence field. Here is a profile from his organization’s website regarding his activities since he left public life:

Panetta is currently co-directs with his wife Sylvia the Leon & Sylvia Panetta Institute for Public Policy, based at California State University, Monterey Bay – a university he helped establish on the site of the former U.S. Army base, Fort Ord. The Institute serves as a nonpartisan, not-for-profit study center for the advancement public policy, seeking in particular to attract thoughtful men and women to lives of public service.

In addition, Mr. Panetta serves as Distinguished Scholar to the Chancellor of the California State University system. He advises the Chancellor on national issues affecting higher education and teaches a Master’s course in Public Policy at the Panetta Institute.

In 1997, he was also appointed Presidential Professor at Santa Clara University, teaching a course called Studies in Public Policy

Mr. Panetta has served as a leader in numerous community and national public policy organizations throughout his career. In March 2006, he was chosen to serve on the Iraq Study Group, a bi-partisan committee established at the urging of Congress and organized by the U.S. Institute of Peace, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the Center for the Study of the Presidency and the James A. Baker III Institute. Since 2005, he has served as member of the Independent Task Force on Immigration and America’s Future. In November 2004, Governor Schwarzenegger appointed him co-chair of the Council on Base Support and Retention.

While I understand why President-elect Barack Obama tapped Retired Admiral Dennis Blair to serve as the Director of National Intelligence, I can’t find anything in Leon Panetta’s past that makes him even remotely qualified for this position.

I’m going to keep looking for things that might qualify him for this position, but it appears that this might be nothing more than an attempt by Barack Obama to satisfy his supporters on the far-Left, while still being able to maintain more moderate foreign policies.