Graham: I find your testimony honest and straightforward. I don't agree with all your legal reasoning. Isn't it true that a small group of Congressmen have been briefed?
Gonzales: I haven't been present at all the briefings but the ones I was present, it was extensive. Members were given an opportunity to ask questions nad voice concerns.
Graham: And if Congressmen who were briefed thought the program was illegal, they could present legislation to stop the program.
There are 2 ways we can do this. We can argue what the law is and whether it was broken, play a political game of shirts vs. skins or we can find a way to find a way the law should be.
In a dangerous time for our country, I choose collaboration vs. conflict. The statutory force argument that you're making is dangerous in terms of this application for the future.
If you overly interpret this, I never envisioned I was giving the president the ability to go over FISA. It's not my intent, you're right, it's the letter of the resolution.
If the president comes back, there's a memory bank here. And it will be harder for another president to get force resolutions.
Gonzales: I understand your concerns.
I don't trust Graham. He is a windmill republican.