After 13-hour Rand Paul filibuster Irish American John Brennan approved by Senate as CIA head

GOP and Tea Party candidates at odds over candidate and confirmation

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Newly appointed head of the CIA, and a Roscommon man, John Brennan

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Graham, initially a no vote against Brennan, said that the confirmation fight had become a referendum on the drone program and he planned to back the president's nominee.

But the libertarian leaning tea party-backed Paul, helping him become a Twitter sensation. Graham faced pointed criticism from the tea party for attending a dinner with President Obama on Wednesday night rather than joining Paul in the filibuster.

Amy Kremer, chairman of the Tea Party Express, announced that Graham was 'clearly on the wrong side of this issue and I think there will be consequences.'

In the final vote on Brennan's confirmation, Paul voted no.

In a statement following the vote President Obama applauded Brennan's confirmation, adding that 'the Senate has recognized in John the qualities I value so much - his determination to keep America safe, his commitment to working with Congress, his ability to build relationship.'

'Timely, accurate intelligence is absolutely critical to disrupting terrorist attacks, dismantling al Qaeda and its affiliates, and meeting the broad array of security challenges that we face as a nation. John's leadership, and our dedicated intelligence professionals, will be essential in these efforts,' President Obama said. 'I am deeply grateful to John and his family for their continued service to our nation.'

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