Just goes to show you that there’s no fool like an old fool.
Posted on 05/20/2009 12:57:43 PM PDT by jazusamo
Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) took the opportunity Wednesday to defend House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who has come under fire in recent weeks over a controversy surrounding when she was told of the use of enhanced interrogation techniques being used by the CIA.
"The CIA has a very bad record when it comes to — I was about to say 'candid'; that's too mild — to honesty," Specter, a former chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said in a lunch address to the American Law Institute. He cited misleading information about the agency's involvement in mining harbors in Nicaragua and the Iran-Contra affair.
"Director [Leon] Panetta says the agency does not make it a habit to misinform Congress. I believe that is true. It is not the policy of the Central Intelligence Agency to misinform Congress," Specter said. "But that doesn't mean that they're all giving out the information."
Because of leaks that have come from Congress, Specter said, he understands the agency's hesitancy to disclose all its information.
"The current controversy involving Speaker Pelosi and the CIA is very unfortunate, in my opinion, because it politicizes the issue and it takes away attention from ... how does the Congress get accurate information from the CIA?" Specter said. "For political gain, people are making headlines."
Specter and Pelosi have worked together on health and human services legislation, and the senator characterized the Speaker as "reliable and very able." He said he agrees with mounting calls that notes about the meetings should be publicly disclosed.
"Speaker Pelosi wants the notes disclosed. I think they ought to be, in the interest of transparency," Specter said. "The Speaker's entitled to have as much light shed on this as possible, and so [is] the public. The public is entitled to know what went on there."
The new Democrat also said Wednesday that he will ask the eventual nominee to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice David Souter what sort of cases he or she would allow to be heard.
"You can't ask the nominee how the nominee is going to decide a case. We all know that. But I think it's a fair question to say, 'What cases will you hear? What cases will you take?' " Specter said.
Four of the nine Supreme Court justices must agree to grant a writ of certiorari to hear a case. Specter said he was troubled by the current court's refusal to hear several cases dealing with executive authority, which he worried has been expanded too greatly since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Specter, who served as the Republican chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee during confirmation hearings for Justices John Roberts and Samuel Alito, has been relegated to the most junior perch on the committee after switching to the Democratic Party.
But as a centrist Democrat, Specter will remain one of the key votes in the Senate as interest groups on both sides pressure him to support or oppose the eventual nominee. Specter has said he will remain an independent voice in the Senate, and in announcing his party switch affirmed that he still will oppose Dawn Johnsen's nomination to head the Office of Legal Counsel.
Only one other Democrat — Sen. Ben Nelson (Neb.) — has taken the same position opposing Johnsen.
Specter has been involved in every Supreme Court nomination fight since being elected to the Senate in 1980. His questioning of Robert Bork is credited with helping take down President Reagan's nominee in 1987, and he played a key role in questioning Anita Hill during Justice Clarence Thomas's confirmation hearings in 1991.
Specter said aggressive questioning at confirmation hearings, which did not become standard procedure until the 1950s, is warranted.
"I'd let the process take its course. I don't think we have strayed too far. But then I participated in the Bork hearings," Specter said. "There are many in the Senate who take the position that there's not a whole lot of deference given to the president."
Since Bork's nomination collapsed, court nominations have become flashpoints between conservatives and liberals, with groups instantly mobilizing when a vacancy comes about.
"When the hearings are politicized, the whole process is political," Specter said. He said nominees, who routinely meet with key senators before their confirmation hearings, campaign aggressively to win their seats on the court.
Don't you mean: suck up Arlen?? Trying to score some points with your new Rat masters?? I want a committee chairmanship...WAAAH!!!
Seeing a turncoat schlub like you come out to defend Pelousy, only confirms that the CIA was telling the truth all along. Thanks for clearing this up for me. Now run along wittle Arlen...the queen bee needs her feet scraped.
He is worried about the executive branch being too powerful because of Bush??? He then switches parties to the sitting president's tyranny??? No one this stupid deserves to live.
Yep, that's his game. Arlen to Pennsylvania Democrats: "Please, please, please don't run a primary opponent on me. See, I can be just as much of a moonbat as you and Nancy!"
Does this surprise anyone? PO the Republicans, PO the Democrats, guess it was the CIA’s turn.
He must have meant the Scotish CIA...
LOL. Good one.
Don’t worry - Specter has zero credibility.
Great point! He’s got amnesia when it comes to Obama taking over the banks and auto companies.
Wait...I believe short term memory loss is the first sign of dementia.
Just goes to show you that there’s no fool like an old fool.
What moral standing does Benedict Arlen have to question ANYBODY’s honesty?
TO follow Arlen over to the Rats?? God I hope so
or to Follow Arlen in defending Pelousy?? Wouldn't be surprised at anything the Democrat wing of the GOP does.
Somewhere in Scotish Law probably.
Actually, it’s kind of funny watching Specter suck up and debase himself.
Careful now. Your “dating” yourself with that post.
I hear you. I’m kinda enjoying Specter’s spectacle.
Yes they did...it was called Arlenlung.... I mean Aqualung.
Sphincter Alert.
Really cool though , wasn’t it ? David Vincent knows !
I wish I had the petard concession for the DNC.
Loved it. Since Hollyweird is into remakes?????
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.