Several senior Democrats oppose keeping National Intelligence director Mike McConnell and Central Intelligence Agency director Michael Hayden in their jobs, the newspaper said, citing unnamed senior US intelligence officials.

Their public support for controversial George W. Bush administration policies such as the tough interrogation of terror suspects and the tapping telephone calls, had alienated the politicians.

A Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee told the Post there was a 'consensus' view on their fate.

Names being floated in the media as possible replacements include retiring Republican Senator Chuck Hagel, and John Brennan, a former top CIA official who heads Mr Obama's intelligence transition team.

Both Mr McConnell and Mr Hayden want to remain on the job, the Post reported.

Mr Obama transition officials have not announced any appointments of senior government officials beyond the president-elect's chief of staff, and have said that none are expected this week.

Mr McConnell is a retired Navy admiral who took over as national intelligence director in February 2007. He is the second person to hold the job, which was created following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States.

Mr Hayden is a retired Air Force general who became CIA head in May 2006, replacing Mr George Tenet, a holdover from president Bill Clinton's Democratic administration. -- AFP