That is no excuse to flout the Fourth Amendment. The PATRIOT Act does not supersede the Constitution. This isn't about posturing; it is about UNALIENABLE AND PREEXISTING RIGHTS. Those rights have been systematically violated. There were other and more effective ways to deal with terrorists on American soil.
I agree that it is no excuse. Obama has less excuse though. He said the wars are over. I might also add that Bush didn’t act alone on that. Most of both houses passed the patriot act.