When Nixon reshuffled his agency heads and made Schlesinger secretary of defense, Colby emerged as a natural candidate for DCI—apparently on the basis of the recommendation that he was a professional who would not make waves.
Kad je Nixon smijenio svojeg vođu Agencije i učinio Schlesingera Sekretarom obrane, Colby se isticao kao prirodni kandidat za DCI – poglavito utemeljeno na preporukama da je profesionalac koji neće stvarati probleme.