Ex-security chief [Tom Ridge] criticizes Tester [who vows to repeal 'Patriot Act' if elected]

Billings Gazette ^ | September 28, 2006 | JENNIFER McKEE

[BigSkyFreeper]

HELENA - Tom Ridge, the former and first head of the federal Department of Homeland Security, took after Democratic Senate candidate Jon Tester on Wednesday, saying his call to repeal the federal Patriot Act is "ludicrous."

Ridge, who said he was asked by former Republican Montana Gov. Marc Racicot to share his views with Montana reporters, said Tester's recent call to repeal the Patriot Act is "unfathomable, almost inexplicable."

Tester, a Big Sandy farmer and current president of the Montana Senate, is challenging U.S. Sen. Conrad Burns, R-Mont.

In a debate with Burns in Butte on Saturday, Tester said he wants to repeal the act, which he said puts in jeopardy the individual freedoms that make America unique. If those freedoms are sacrificed, then the terrorists will have won, he said.

Ridge, appointed by President Bush in October 2001, said he wasn't sure if the Patriot Act could have prevented the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. But he said the act is essential for allowing federal law enforcement to go after terrorists in the U.S.

"This is a very, very important, essential, fundamental tool that the traditional law enforcement community needs," he said.

Matt McKenna, a Tester spokesman, said Tester thinks "we should be fighting terrorists, not invading the lives of innocent Americans."

"Jon Tester believes in freedom first," McKenna said. "He is proud to stand with the Montana sheriffs, Montana Shooting Sports Association and the Gun Owners of America in defense of personal freedom and privacy."

Last year, the Montana Legislature also passed a resolution by broad, bipartisan margins encouraging Montana's federal congressional delegation to allow the Patriot Act to expire.

The resolution, supported by 40 of the state's 50 senators and 87 of the state's 100 representatives, also instructed Montana's law enforcement agencies not to participate or begin investigations that abridge freedoms.

Burns supports the Patriot Act.

State Sen. Jim Shockley, R-Victor, was one of the co-sponsors of the Montana legislative resolution. Shockley said Wednesday that while he supports Burns, he disagrees with him on the Patriot Act.

"As written, I would not vote for it," Shockley said, adding that some parts of the legislation are fine. But he takes issue with other aspects, including a provision that allows the FBI to search through the banking and library records of Americans.

[watsonfellow]

I'd be interested big sky freeper if you think Burns is going to pull through and win.

[BigSkyFreeper]

I'd be interested big sky freeper if you think Burns is going to pull through and win.

Absolutely. The tide is turning in Burns' favor. The race is a veritable toss up at this point. The latest spread I've seen is it's a 3 point race. Burns is still down, but he's definately not out.

[watsonfellow]

My own theory is that most of the Senate races will fall to one party or another.

If, the GOP keeps PA, Ohio, Montana TN, and MO, then I think Maryland, New Jersey, even Minnesota, Michigan, and Washington will break towards the GOP too.

If the GOP loses then it will lose big.

Tester is such an angry leftist, he's large and he yells alot.

Burns however has his own problems. Why is the Montana GOP so lackluster?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

[BigSkyFreeper]

The Montana GOP is anything but lackluster.

Tester is digging his own hole with his hypocrisy. It's a thing of beauty. Jon Tester fired a salvo across Burns' bow by saying in the candidate question period "You're in cahoots with the big oil lobby Conrad, what do yuou have to say about that?", and Burns shot back, "Gee, just the other day I read in the Butte newspaper you were in Washington, fundraising with one of the liberals biggest lobbist's, the environmentalists". Then you could hear scattered laughter in the crowd as Tester was stuned by Burns' beeber.

[watsonfellow]

Well it seems that the Montana GOP couldn't find a candidate in 2002 and got wiped out in state legislative elections in 2004????

[BigSkyFreeper]

Well it seems that the Montana GOP couldn't find a candidate in 2002

Sure they did. Mike Taylor. He got outspent and smeared, and dropped out.

wiped out in state legislative elections in 2004

Again, wholly misinformed. The statehouse is literally split down the middle in a tie, with Democrats controlling the legislature by virtue of the governor.

[HawaiianGecko]

Matt McKenna, a Tester spokesman, said Tester thinks "we should be fighting terrorists, not invading the lives of innocent Americans."

This is the line that I would use in a televised debate if Tester and Burns have one. I'd ask Tester if he can look the camera in the lens and with a straight face say that the Patriot Bill was designed to invade the lives of innocent Americans, not designed to fight terrorists.

Then I'd say to the lens "people, you need to seriously ask yourself this same question."

[JimRed]

The way the title of the post is structured makes it sound like Ridge opposes the Patriot Act. "Who vows to repeal Patriot Act"... would clarify it.

:^)

[kabar]

Again, wholly misinformed. The statehouse is literally split down the middle in a tie, with Democrats controlling the legislature by virtue of the governor.

According to this, the Montana House is split 50/50, but the Senate is controlled by the Dems, 27-23. Is that correct?

[TitansAFC]

I've spoken with you before on this race, because losing a Conservative like Burns would be a great loss for the Senate, even though his "small state" status doesn't give him the national attention a Rick Santorum gets.

What is your current impression? Can Conrad Burns pull out a win in this race? It seems like he hasn't led in a single poll in months, and that most polls right now actually have Tester's lead outside the margin-of-error. Can you cite any local MT polls, which might be better measuring sticks?

I ask this because you seem to be the only MT contact I have talked to online who actually thinks Burns can pull this off. The other bloggers I speak to (on several blogs) all seem to be pretty dismayed. One of them even told me that the GOP might be better off spending money elsewhere at this point.

Can I get your full synopsis, BigSkyFreeper?

[BigSkyFreeper]

No, Tester vows to repeal the Patriot Act.

[onyx]

Ah, good, you found an article.

BTTT

[BigSkyFreeper]

That's correct.

[BigSkyFreeper]

Yep! Sure did!

:) 

[BigSkyFreeper]

My current impression is that the charges leveled on Burns haven't stuck. The ad campaign is pretty vicious. That's not to say that the Abramoff scandal had nothing to do with his poll numbers keeping him trailing behind Tester. The Abramoff scandal is the main reason.

Jon Tester is not who he is. He talks like a conservative, but he votes like a liberal.

I'd say these bloggers you're talking to or reading are disinterested in this race, and probably not from this state. This race is vitally important. Just like all the other races this year.

From a resident perspective. Burns chairs some vitally important committees that affect Montana. Losing Burns would mean losing representation in Washington. The ones who were turned off by the Abramoff scandal realize this aspect, and will hold their nose and vote for Burns.

The democrats look at all these races across the nation and they say they're sick of the Republicans controlling 3 branches of the federal government and all the people in a number of states voting down their perverted agenda of gay marriage and abortion.

The Democrats want power. The democrats would stifle the will of the people to feed into that power they crave. They are a craven bunch, still p!ssed by the results of 2000, 2002, and 2004. They're achieving power by focusing on vulnerable candidates.

I can't recall a time where Montana was "up for grabs" in the Senate, and it's probably been two decades since this state has had a democrat governor.

[BigSkyFreeper]

BTW, you can download the radio versions of the debates, held in Hamilton and Butte right here:

http://www.mtpr.net/news_story/497

They're both in mp3 format.

[kabar]

What's going on in Montana? A Dem senate, even house, and possibly two Dem senators.

[montag813]

Conrad Burns was absolute horrible in the debate. Did not attack Tester effectively at all, whereas Tester was sharp and constantly on point (and also managed to stuff the audience with loud supporters). Tester's ads are also far superior.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Burns is long in the tooth. Should have retired and groomed a younger Republican.

Too bad the Constitution doesn't have maximum age laws.