GOP Bush Critic Eyes Spy Program Bill (Specter)

Bush's ass on this one.

Arlen Specter is trying to get legislation that would make what Bush did LEGAL now, and not call him to task on breaking the law.

Hypocrite.

but if you guys on the J Committee would swear in the folks testifying, you'd really see some "deeply involved in it."

Tue Mar-21-06 08:01 PM


http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky/news/politics/1415...

Call for censure is `needless partisanship,' Bush says
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

WASHINGTON - In his first public comments on the subject, President Bush on Tuesday described Sen. Russ Feingold's censure resolution as "needless partisanship" and challenged congressional Democrats to run on the issue in 2006 elections.

"I did notice that nobody from the Democratic Party has actually stood up and called for getting rid of the terrorist surveillance program," Bush said at a news conference Tuesday.

"You know, if that's what they believe, if people in the party believe that, then they ought to stand up and say it," Bush said. "They ought to stand up and say, `The tools we're using to protect the American people shouldn't be used.' They ought to take their message to the people and say, `Vote for me. I promise we're not going to have a terrorist surveillance program.'"

Feingold, D-Wis., who introduced the censure resolution last week, fired back in an interview, saying Bush's comments are "just plain dishonest."
"The president knows every Democrat supports wiretapping terrorists," said Feingold, who contends the wiretapping can and should be done with court approval. "So when the president says (we're) opposing wiretapping terrorists, he is being intentionally dishonest. It makes me feel even more strongly that he should be censured."

"The intelligence committees ought to exercise their statutory authority on oversight, but they aren't," Specter said. "The Judiciary Committee has acted. We brought in the attorney general. We had a second hearing with a series of experts, and we are deeply involved in it."

Wednesday, March 22, 2006 · Last updated 5:56 p.m. PT

Specter to shepherd bills through Senate

By KATHERINE SHRADER
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

WASHINGTON -- A vocal Republican critic of the Bush administration's eavesdropping program will preside over Senate efforts to write the program into law, but he was pessimistic Wednesday that the White House wanted to listen.

"They want to do just as they please, for as long as they can get away with it," Senate Judiciary Chairman Arlen Specter, R-Pa., said in an interview with The Associated Press. "I think what is going on now without congressional intervention or judicial intervention is just plain wrong."
(snip)

But, Specter said, the committees haven't gotten full briefings on the program, instead choosing to create small subcommittees for the work.

"The intelligence committees ought to exercise their statutory authority on oversight, but they aren't," Specter said. "The Judiciary Committee has acted. We brought in the attorney general. We had a second hearing with a series of experts, and we are deeply involved in it."

Specter added that his words should not be seen as critical of Roberts, but rather the administration for not briefing the full committees.
(snip/...)

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1153AP_Specter_Eavesdropping.html

on the right - the talking head expressed "mock rage" about how "some people" complained that the bush administration was criticized for NOT CONNECTING THE DOTS and now are being attacked for doing that (via wire tap)

on the left - the talking head replied "he's not CONNECTING THE DOTS with wiretapping, he's COLLECTING THE DOTS...."

Idiot! just follow the law.

Tue Mar-21-06 08:01 PM


http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky/news/politics/1415 ...

Call for censure is `needless partisanship,' Bush says
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

WASHINGTON - In his first public comments on the subject, President Bush on Tuesday described Sen. Russ Feingold's censure resolution as "needless partisanship" and challenged congressional Democrats to run on the issue in 2006 elections.

"I did notice that nobody from the Democratic Party has actually stood up and called for getting rid of the terrorist surveillance program," Bush said at a news conference Tuesday.

"You know, if that's what they believe, if people in the party believe that, then they ought to stand up and say it," Bush said. "They ought to stand up and say, `The tools we're using to protect the American people shouldn't be used.' They ought to take their message to the people and say, `Vote for me. I promise we're not going to have a terrorist surveillance program.'"

Feingold, D-Wis., who introduced the censure resolution last week, fired back in an interview, saying Bush's comments are "just plain dishonest."
"The president knows every Democrat supports wiretapping terrorists," said Feingold, who contends the wiretapping can and should be done with court approval. "So when the president says (we're) opposing wiretapping terrorists, he is being intentionally dishonest. It makes me feel even more strongly that he should be censured."