Circus Is Coming

IBD Editorials ^ | 20 Mar 2007 | Staff

[Kitten Festival]

Abuse Of Power: Threats by Senate Democrats to subpoena White House officials go far beyond politics. Nothing less than the constitutional wall dividing legislative and executive powers is at stake.

President Bush is confronted with a responsibility in which not just his own White House is at risk, but the operational abilities of the institution of the presidency itself.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy is threatening to subpoena White House officials such as presidential adviser Karl Rove and former White House counsel Harriet Miers over the ouster of eight U.S. attorneys in December. President Bush says he'll let them testify, but not under oath.

Democrats don't like some e-mails they've seen from Rove and Miers to the Justice Department and claim the firings were politically motivated. But the law makes clear such federal prosecutors serve at the pleasure of the president and can be dismissed at will.

[stockpirate]

I hope Bush doesn't cave, but in the lets show the dempcrats we are nice republicans he may very well give away the whole house.

[sgtbono2002]

Leaky Leahy again. He should have been imprisoned years ago for breaking classified documents.

[Enterprise]

President Bush to Leaky and Shoomer: "Boys, if you want a fight, you got one. But you better come deep - and bring a lunch."

[Dutch Boy]

I just hope it's not talk. I really wished the GOP would smash the dems right in the mouth over their antics. The dems are useful idiots to our enemies. They will be the cause of our downfall.

[kylaka]

They already gave away the whole house in November.

[Enterprise]

I'm hoping President Bush saw "300" and it finally dawned on him who the enemies in our midst are.

[Logical me]

The time has come to put the RATS in their place, in the toilet. This has gone on too far, and the determined look on President Bush's face tells me this will be a notice, RATS back off and get to work on something useful for America.

[SuperGater]

Bush woke up this morning and grew a spine. Maybe it's because congressional job approval is lower than his.

[caisson71]

President Bush's tone seems to indicate he will not be bullied any longer. I wish, hope he stands for a fight with Congressional Dimocraps and some of his wimpy RINOs. Bush's compromises with Dimocraps in order not to be confrontational is like giving in to terrorists - excuse me but that was a redundant statement - has not been better for the country and never will be.
It's time to remove nice and "get it on".

[mcshot]

Interesting how the Dems can get Repub emails yet their computer records are forever lost on hard drives.

[Brilliant]

Maybe Bush is finally realizing that you can't trust the Dems.


But I doubt it.

[vetsvette]

The problem he has is that, if he resists to the end and The Dim's choose to take him to court, he'll likely lose this one. Executive privilege has its limits, as I understand it, and its application to, what amounts to, a personnel matter probably won't cut the mustard.

He should have stood up to them before this snowball started building. At this juncture, it might be too late -- particularly with no one but Specter watching his back.

[Brilliant]

He's not resisting. He's already said he'll give them all the info they want.

The President has the power to fire. It's as simple as that. If they want to try to make that a scandal, let them try. I don't think it will sell on Main Street.

[ronnie raygun]

Oh, what happend to the Dims rosie bipartisanship love fest we were suppose to have? These idiots have no new ideas no new agenda, there only agenda is to bring down Bush. This is sickening! Dubya, If you don't swat the mosquito it will continue to bite! Let the swatting begin!!!

[irv]

xecutive privilege has its limits, as I understand it, and its application to, what amounts to, a personnel matter probably won't cut the mustard.

You have it backwards. Because it is a personnel matter, it is completely and absolutely under the purview of the executive. If executive privilege does not apply here, then it does not apply anywhere.

Of course, that's what the democrats want.

[vetsvette]

"He's not resisting. He's already said he'll give them all the info they want."

It won't be good enough for the Dim's.

They'll say that they need them under oath to ensure they're getting the entire truth -- but, what they're really after is some inconsistency in sworn testimony they can use to go after Rove et al with an indictment.

They know full well that he had the perfect right to fire these people -- they want one or more of them on trial for other reasons and they'll do whatever it takes to try and make that happen for the loony left.

[vetsvette]

"If executive privilege does not apply here, then it does not apply anywhere."

I'm no expert on Executive Privilege -- and I really don't think anyone is certain how this would fare -- but I'm not aware of the courts holding up the principle where there was no national security risk at stake.

I think the Dim's are wrong, but I'm not all that certain the SCOTUS could be counted on to go his way on this.

[Brilliant]

What it comes down to is that no laws have been broken.

Of course, the Dems don't care. They want Rove to testify, and they will try to get him to say something that's not true, so that they can prosecute.

But let's face it, the Dems are so rabid about the meaningless little political operative, that they are just going to make themselves look partisan. That won't be good for their ratings.

Let them go after him. Even if they get him, they'll look like idiots.

[Brilliant]

He's not exercising executive privilege.