What ever happened to the NSA spying furor? (MSNBC Frets News Shift)

MSNBC.com ^ | February 28, 2006 | Tom Curry

[new yorker 77]

WASHINGTON - When the New York Times revealed late last year that the Bush administration was conducting a surveillance program to listen in on American citizens’ conversations with suspected al Qaida operatives, it sparked a furor.

Some Democrats said President Bush had willfully broken the 1978 law banning warrantless domestic surveillance by ordering eavesdropping on U.S. citizens.

The American Civil Liberties Union and Moveon.org, the grass-roots Democratic advocacy group, demanded the appointment of special prosecutor to go after the alleged lawbreakers in the Bush administration.

But now, two months later, another furor — over a Dubai-based firm’s acquiring of leases on terminal facilities at several U.S. ports — has blown the NSA story right off the front pages.

Spying apparently continues

Yet the NSA apparently continues to eavesdrop on Americans, and Congress seems increasingly likely to open the way to after-the-fact approval of the surveillance in legislation that may reach the Senate floor in the next several weeks.

[MNJohnnie]

No it sparked a Media hissy fit. MOST Americans look at each other and said "Duh, we are watching the terrorists".

[eureka!]

Not to worry presstitutes. It will return. With indictments. Of your precious "whistleblowers". Maybe a rat senator or staffer too. Oh, and maybe some of you. Hehehehe....

[sgtbono2002]

Wouldnt that be great. It would be great to see Rockefeller or Durbin in the hot seat.

[IronManBike]

But now, two months later, another furor — over a Dubai-based firm’s acquiring of leases on terminal facilities at several U.S. ports — has blown the NSA story right off the front pages.

Newbies, those are called trial balloons to see if they can get something to stick upon a Repub Pres.

[Publius6961]

The NSA was never eavesdropping on the American people in the normal sense of the word.
Computers sifted through millions of calls to identify suspicious ones where foreign enemies were part of the conversation.

Those conversations might have been listened to, but that's a far cry from "eavesdropping" on the American public.
Most rational people have no problem with that.

[eureka!]

Yep. When Rockefeller starts being referred to all the time as "a leading critic of the program" we'll have a clue. Then we'll know that he's a target and is seeking a "they are retaliating against me" type defense. Time will tell. May justice be done, for once....

[Sooth2222]

Probably because several Senators' staffers (if not the Senators themselves) are about to get "frog marched" off to the hoosegow with raincoats over their heads.

Espionage Act of 1917, not BS grand jury "I said it was Tuesday but it was actually Thursday" testimony stuff.

Read the act, it makes for GREAT reading!

[Daralundy]

Well the press doesn't seem to be bright enough to concentrate on more than one thing at a time.

[WhiteGuy]

What ever happened to the NSA spying furor?

Diversion

Port fiasco

By March 15, a new scandal will be launched - all else will be forgotten, and jammed down our throats

[HarleyLady27]

One thing I have noticed about the MSM and the Bush Haters, they go from one thing to another, ie: Bush's National Guard Records; The Security leak; the Phlame thing; the Cheney Accidental shooting; the Patriot Act; Judge Roberts; Judge Alito; and it just keeps on going...

In their little tiny minds it only works one way, to them because they (liberals) have out of marriage affairs (Monica) Duke Cunningham; William Jefferson from N.O.; Hilliary Clinton (Peter Paul) Bill Clinton (to long to mention here) and the lists goes on and on, they believe that Bush is the same as they are and does the same things as they do, and so does Cheney, they can't fathom that people actually live with just their wives, there are no under the table dealings, and it blows their little minds, so they jump from one thing to another hoping that one of these things they throw up to the ceiling will stick, they won't but they hate Bush so much they will make up stuff just hoping it will stick:

Cheney is quiting after the 06 elections....do you really think that? I don't...and neither does anyone else that knows what reality is...

[rightwingintelligentsia]

Well the press doesn't seem to be bright enough to concentrate on more than one thing at a time.

You mean on more than one over-hyped scandal at a time.

[tcrlaf]

uhmmmmm... People became aware of THE FACTS, and didn't react as the Media hoped to the HYSTERIA???

The American People are not stupid. This same hysteria cycle has been repeated OVER,and OVER,and OVER, in the last few years, and folks have learned to either TUNE IT OUT, or wait until THE FACTS ARE IN to make a solid opinion.....

[denlittle]

I think that the reason so many of the Dims are excited over the NSA program is that some members, such as McKinney, probably speak with foreign operatives with regularity. They also want to know if the program stops with al Qaeda or other groups of Islamic terrorists, or possibly extends into other realms.

[COEXERJ145]

Same thing that happened with Abramoff. Once it became apparent that the story was going to come back to bit the Dems in the butt, they MSM quickly let it drop.

[Bush gal in LA]

Whatever happened to ''The Downing Street memo''?....Whatever happened to the ''Outing of Valerie Plane''? .......When all this cr-p that the MSM goes ballistic over doesn't immediately get the results they want. (to get rid of Bush, impeachment, have him resign, whatever)they quickly move on to the next non- story, hoping again against hope this one will now do the trick!........

[Donald Rumsfeld Fan]

Harley Lady. Do you ride a Harley?

[tcrlaf]

You'll notice the one ACLU claimant the MEDIA does NOT want to talk to, right?

The Grand-Daughter of Executed Nuclear Traitors that currently runs the Communist Lawyers Guild? I can't IMAGINE why the Media wouldn't want to put HER front and center of this investigation, do you??

[jerry639]

I don't think VP Chaney will be leaving after the 2006 elections nor do I believe the 18% approval ratings in the polls. If the media and Dims think he is leaving because of low approval ratings they are nuts. Doubt he even cares what his approval rating is since he won't be running for any office after his term is up.

[cdrw]

pay no attention to the man behind the curtain ...

Those hypnotized by the MSM do not require follow through on a story. They simply believe every accusation issued. The rats know this and they know that the MSM will be all too happy to publish accusation after accusation to their hungry audience.

It's mind-numbing to think of all the people whose perception of recent history is nothing but a replay of all the patently false or misleading junk published by the MSM.