Dems laud 'patriot' Bob Barr

Not long ago, Bob Barr was considered Public Enemy Number One among Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee. After all, the former Georgia Republican congressman was the first to call for the impeachment of former President Bill Clinton.

Democratic lawmakers. Yet this time, lawmakers nearly fell out of their chairs to praise Barr as a "patriot."

Why? Barr appeared today before the House Judiciary Committee to testify about ways to fix new legislation sought by the White House that temporarily grants spy agencies expanded eavesdropping powers in America. (Congress passed the legislation in haste, without any public hearings, just before lawmakers left town in early August.)

Judiciary Chairman John Conyers, D-Mich., and Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., praised Barr for having the courage to stand up to the White House and his conservative brethren to oppose the legislation.

Barr told the panel that the changes to the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act make it possible for the federal government to order "the surreptitious interception and surveillance of virtually any electronic communication, including phone calls and e-mails, from or to any person in the United States, so long as the government reasonably believes one of the parties is "located outside of the United States.'"

That was music to most Democrats' ears. Following Barr's testimony, Conyers took the unusual action of interrupting the next speaker to give Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Ga., the floor.

"I would like to recognize Bob Barr," Johnson said. "I deeply respect his patriotism." Johnson said the two haven't always agreed on every issue, but that Barr has done great work as lawyer for the people of Georgia.

Barr responded to the compliments by saying, "I appreciate your very kind but unwarranted words."

http://www.ajc.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/09/05/0905bobbarr.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab

..is very patriotic...and especially as a former member of the "Get Clinton" gang he will pay a heavy price for voicing his dissent against the Chimperor....

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You naughty, NAUGHTY girl..... :evilgrin:

Those are unwarranted words. When Barr was in the House, he was one of its most bigoted, hyprocritical members. And for a Republicker, that is saying a lot.

Added: Where was his defense of the Constitution in 1999, when he tried to start a modern day witch hunt? From http://www.witchvox.com/military/bobbarr.html

of the spherical construct of politics, where you go so far over to the right you wind up going down then coming up on the left. Buchanan does this sometimes.

There are people on the right who understand what the Bush gang is doing to the constitution.

I remember him ripping into Clinton, but he, like Barr, have proven they put the Constitution above personality and partisanship. Barr has long spoken out against this regime's abuse of power and violations of the Constitution and should be recognized for his consistency in an era when partisan games trump all.

left Congress. I wonder how much of what these right wingers say that they really believe. I guess that would make them all the worse because the know what they do is wrong but do it for pure political gain.

the right of law-abiding citizens to keep and bear arms for self-defense.

Barr is a member of NRA's Board of Directors.