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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Senate on Thursday confirmed veteran diplomat John Negroponte as the first-ever U.S. director of national intelligence.

Lawmakers voted 98-2 to approve President Bush's nominee, who in the coming months is expected to oversee the most sweeping changes to the sprawling U.S. spy community since the outset of the Cold War more than 50 years ago.

Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, a member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, voted against Negroponte, saying he doubts Negroponte's readiness to grapple with policymakers on issues such as the CIA's handling of terror suspects.

The other dissenting vote came from Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa.

Negroponte, 65, until recently ambassador to Iraq, was quickly sworn into office at a White House ceremony attended by Bush, who predicted the intelligence community would be unified by the new spy chief's leadership.

As the new intelligence czar, Negroponte is charged with coordinating the activities of 15 spy agencies, including the CIA, and serving as Bush's top adviser on intelligence.

White House spokesman Scott McClellan said he would soon take over CIA responsibility for giving the president his daily intelligence briefing.

He takes the job after a series of scathing reports that blamed intelligence agencies for failing to protect the United States from the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and for falsely asserting that prewar Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction.

"Ultimately, we expect him to provide leadership and accountability," Sen. Pat Roberts of Kansas, the intelligence committee's Republican chairman, said during a two-hour debate that preceded the confirmation vote.

"He's going to carry heavy burdens. But I am convinced ... that he has the character, that he has the expertise and he has the leadership skills."

Thursday's vote was the eighth Senate confirmation for Negroponte, who has held five U.S. ambassadorships over a 40 year diplomatic career.    Continued ...

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