E&P: Editorials, from Right and Left, Hit Latest NSA Shocker

Editorials, from Right and Left, Hit Latest NSA Shocker
By Greg Mitchell
Published: May 11, 2006

NEW YORK Leading newspapers reacted swiftly to USA Today's Thursday bombshell confirming the long-rumored National Security Agency "data mining" operation drawing on phone records of tens of millions of Americans. Web sites covered the reactions of the day in Washington, and now editorials are appearing.

The New York Times' James Risen and Eric Lichtblau first disclosed the program, but in less specific terms, last December....A Washington Post editorial asserted that data mining can be legitimate but "a giant government database detailing which phone numbers called which other phone numbers...is a massive intrusion on personal privacy."

USA Today on Friday ran a lengthy editorial slamming the program -- while observing that the White House had declined the opportunity to provide an opposing view.

The newspaper declared, "Creating a huge, secret database of Americans' phone records does far more than threaten terrorists. It is a deeply troubling act that undermines U.S. freedoms and threatens us all."

From the right, the Chicago Tribune editorial page on Friday opined, "This sounds like a vast and unchecked intrusion on privacy. President Bush's assurance Thursday that the privacy of Americans was being 'fiercely protected' was not at all convincing ... Based on the newspaper's reporting, this effort appears to go far beyond any surveillance effort that would be targeted at terrorist operations....

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002501664

President Bush's assurance Thursday that the privacy of Americans was being 'fiercely protected' was not at all convincing ...One thing you can count on from BUSHCO LIES TO COVER UP OTHER LIES

I don't say that lightly: it really is. When it comes out, then there isn't a principled way a republican could support it.