Posted on 12/16/2005 4:04:00 PM PST by Goldwater-Reagan Republican
To the surprise of perhaps no one, Senators Arlen Specter and John McCain have jumped on this morning's reports of NSA spying within the United States as another opportunity to grab the limelight.
Report of NSA Spying Prompts Call for Probe (AP)
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter put the Bush administration on notice Friday that his panel would hold hearings into a report that the National Security Agency eavesdropped without warrants on people inside the United States. "There is no doubt that this is inappropriate," said Specter, R-Pa., calling hearings early next year "a very, very high priority." He wasn't alone in reacting harshly to the report. Sen. John McCain R-Ariz., said the story, first reported in Friday's New York Times, was troubling.
[...]
"This is Big Brother run amok," declared Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass. Sen. Russell Feingold, D-Wis., called it a "shocking revelation" that "ought to send a chill down the spine of every senator and every American."
But, as the NYT story made clear, the Senate has long ago been apprised of the practice. Even Democrats like Jay Rockefeller knew about it. Indeed, the AP brings this up several paragraphs into the story:
The administration had briefed congressional leaders about the NSA program and notified the judge in charge of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, the secret Washington court that handles national security issues. Aides to National Intelligence Director John Negroponte and West Virginia Sen. Jay Rockefeller, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, declined to comment Thursday night.
So, if this was "inappropriate," "troubling," and "shocking," why wait until it hits the front page of the Times to say something about it? Couldn't they have held private hearings on this a year ago?
Update: An informed source e-mails and DC Loser comments below taking me to task for writing "the Senate has long ago been apprised of the practice" when, in fact, all I know for sure is the the Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence had been apprised. A fair point. I was operating on the presumption, perhaps incorrect, that the leadership of the Judiciary Committe, which would have oversight responsibility on FISA, and the Armed Services Committee, which has oversight over NSA, would have been similarly briefed.
The template fits..."TRY TO GET BUSH"...
If there is no story...FIND ONE
I do hope he is in the right place. . .
First. .. ABLE DANGER. . .by now; and at this rate - 'in a pig's eye'. . .but isn't that the plan?
The man is genuinely 'synthetic'. Don't care where he stands on this one. . .because he won't be there long enough before he moves.
Think he is a horrible contemplation for President. . .but maybe I am too judgmental . . .;^+
President Bush making an 'address' Sunday night re Iraq. ..surely there is some 're-writes' in here to address just this. . .I surely hope he is going to stand his attackers 'down'. . .
Bush supported these clowns and now he is reaping his reward. The next time he threatens a veto do you think anybody is going to take him seriously.
Threatened VETO on Campaign Finance Reform - Signed it
Threatened VETo on Al Queda Bill of Rights - Will Sign it
Threatened VETO on Highway Bill - Signed it
Threatened VETO on Farm Bill Signed it
You're right.
I didn't say I would never vote for someone who's divorced, I said I personally would never vote for a man who cheated on his wife.
If he doesn't even have enough integrity to remain faithful to his wife, how can he have integrity in office?
Ed
"McCain is just trying to get those BLUE STATE VOTES for '08...but yet doesn't realize that he has to win the primary first...ain't gonna happen John..."
I'd be dead before I'd vote for McInsane. And even if dead, I'd rise up again and vote (I live in Chicagoland; the dead always vote) for ANYONE but McLame in the primaries.
It's not so common now, but I recall the two-party phone line we had when I was growing up in the 60s. No expecattion of privacy then and not really all that much now, since anyone with the right equipment can listen in from the street outside one's door.
My understanding is that the government was monitoring those on the terrorist watch list of which one or more parties weren't American citizens, not random names from the phone book. How many tools are these irresponsible senators going to take from the Commander-in-Chief as he, and not they, attempts to keep another mass murder from occurring? It would almost be worth seeing the panic on their collective faces for the President to inform them that they are in charge of finding the bad guys before the next terrorist act.
Well then if the New York Times story is all wrong then no doubt we'll soon see the evidence that refutes it. But what if it isn't wrong?
I'll bet there will not be a hearing on this in the Judiciary Committee. That would be the Judiciary Committee having to call Intelligence Committee members as witnesses.
I won't argue the point of staying when he was offered an opportunity to leave because of his father. But, he was the source of that information. The VN had no idea at the time who he was. If he'd name-rank-and-serial-number'ed them until they figured it out or he ultimatley subcumbed to the torture they may never had known. I do suspect his staying was his moment of self-recognition he'd violated the code for personal "gain" and felt compelled to make some amends. More important, as with Murtha, that was then, this is now. We acknowledge his service but that does not entitle him to a pass for present transgressions and truly questionable actions regarding the defense of the nation.
Media whore alert!
did you vote for Reagan? do we know if he slept with Nancy before the divorce from Jane Wyman was final? did it matter?
Yes, I voted for Ronald Reagan, no, I don't think he committed adultery.
Do you believe that everyone who gets a divorce cheats on their wife first? That's pretty harsh thinking!
Ed
yes, I imagine most men or women who initiate divorce - likely have committed adultery first.
These two A**clowns need to go.
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