Bush Vigorously Defends Domestic Spying

[FUZO]

TweetBush Vigorously Defends Domestic Spying

WASHINGTON - Accused of acting above the law, President Bush forcefully defended a domestic spying program on Monday as an effective tool in disrupting terrorists and insisted it was not an abuse of Americans' civil liberties.


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Bush said it was "a shameful act" for someone to have leaked details to the media. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said it was "probably the most classified program that exists in the United States government" — involving electronic intercepts of telephone calls and e-mails in the U.S. of people with known ties to al-Qaida and other terrorist groups.

At a news conference, Bush bristled at the suggestion he was assuming unlimited powers.

"To say `unchecked power' basically is ascribing some kind of dictatorial position to the president, which I strongly reject," he said angrily in a finger-pointing answer. "I am doing what you expect me to do, and at the same time, safeguarding the civil liberties of the country."

Despite Bush's defense, there was a growing storm of criticism from Congress and calls for investigations, from Democrats and Republicans alike. West Virginia Sen. Jay Rockefeller, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, released a handwritten letter expressing concern to Vice President Dick Cheney after being briefed more than two years ago.

Rockefeller complained then that the information was so restricted he was "unable to fully evaluate, much less endorse these activities." He registered concern about the administration's direction on security, technology and surveillance issues.

Sen. Arlen Specter (news, bio, voting record), R-Pa., chairman of the Judiciary Committee, said he would ask Bush's Supreme Court nominee, Samuel Alito, his views of the president's authority for spying without a warrant.

"Where does he find in the Constitution the authority to tap the wires and the phones of American citizens without any court oversight?" asked Sen. Carl Levin (news, bio, voting record), D-Mich. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (news, bio, voting record), D-Calif., said Bush's interpretation of the Constitution was "incorrect and dangerous."

Bush said he had asked, "Do I have the legal authority to do this? And the answer is, absolutely,"

The spying uproar was the latest controversy about Bush's handling of the war on terror, after questions about secret prisons in Eastern Europe, secrecy-cloaked government directives, torture allegations and a death toll of more than 2,150 Americans in Iraq. As a result, Bush's approval rating has slumped as has Americans' confidence in his leadership.

Appealing for support, Bush used the word "understand" 25 times in a nearly hour-long news conference. "I hope the American people understand — there is still an enemy that would like to strike the United States of America, and they're very dangerous," he said. Similarly, he said he hoped that blacks who doubt his intentions "understand that I care about them."

Bush challenged Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y. — without naming them — to allow a final vote on legislation renewing the anti-terror Patriot Act, saying it was inexcusable to let it expire. "I want senators from New York or Los Angeles or Las Vegas to go home and explain why these cities are safer" without the extension, he said.

Reid and Clinton both helped block passage of the legislation in the Senate last week.

Bush noted that U.S. intelligence agencies have been faulted for failing to "connect the dots" about threats to the nation's security. He said the Patriot Act and the spying program help take care of that problem.

Reid fired back: "The president and the Republican leadership should stop playing politics with the Patriot Act," he said in a statement that added he and other Democrats favor a three-month extension of the expiring law to allow time for a long-term compromise.

The legislation has cleared the House but Senate Democrats have blocked final passage and its prospects are uncertain in the congressional session's final days. Scolded by Bush, key lawmakers reopened talks by setting out the rough parameters of a deal: Extending the act for one to four years.

Bush said the electronic eavesdropping program, conducted by the National Security Agency, lets the government move faster than the standard practice of seeking a court-authorized warrant under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. "We've got to be fast on our feet, quick to detect and prevent," the president said.

The president said the authority to bypass the court derived from the Constitution and Congress' vote authorizing the use of military force after the 2001 terror attacks.

"I can fully understand why members of Congress are expressing concerns about civil liberties," the president said. "I want to make sure the American people understand, however, that we have an obligation to protect you, and we're doing that, and at the same time, protecting your civil liberties."

Former Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle said he was briefed by the White House between 2002 and 2004 but was not told key details about the scope of the program. "Even with some of the more troublesome — and potentially illegal — details omitted, I still raised significant concern about these actions," Daschle said.

Daschle's successor, Reid, said he received a single briefing earlier this year and that important details were withheld. "We need to investigate this program and the president's legal authority to carry it out," Reid said.

Senate Intelligence Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan., has been regularly briefed and believes the program is consistent with U.S. laws and the Constitution, his office said. A statement said he was talking with Senate leaders about how to expand Congress' oversight.

Bush was cool toward investigations, saying, "An open debate would say to the enemy, `Here is what we're going to do.' And this is an enemy which adjusts." He said the administration had consulted with Congress more than a dozen times.

On another issue, Bush acknowledged that a pre-war failure of intelligence — claiming Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction — has complicated the U.S. ability to confront other potential emerging threats such as Iran.

"Where it is going to be most difficult to make the case is in the public arena," Bush said. "People will say, if we're trying to make the case on Iran, `Well, if the intelligence failed in Iraq, therefore, how can we trust the intelligence on Iran?'"

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[bowbow]

Tweetimpeach his ass

[Skarhead]

Tweeti agree w. my *****(rado)

[pigmeat]

Tweethe is a fucking communist!

[Waterboy]

TweetCarter singned an Executive Order allowing phone tps with out court order on suspected terrorist after the hostages were taken on his watch.
Clinton signed an Executive Order allowing phone taps without court order after the first bombing of The World Trade Center Towers in 1993.
Bush contacted Congress a total of 12 times BEFORE he issued an order to tap the phones of suspected terrorist.
Where are there any differences in what Bush is diong and what his predecessors were doing? At the least, Congress was notified of whom the wire taps were going to be placed on. He didn't just issue an E.O. and tap anyone who he wanted to

[T-Man007]

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Carter singned an Executive Order allowing phone tps with out court order on suspected terrorist after the hostages were taken on his watch.
Clinton signed an Executive Order allowing phone taps without court order after the first bombing of The World Trade Center Towers in 1993.
Bush contacted Congress a total of 12 times BEFORE he issued an order to tap the phones of suspected terrorist.
Where are there any differences in what Bush is diong and what his predecessors were doing? At the least, Congress was notified of whom the wire taps were going to be placed on. He didn't just issue an E.O. and tap anyone who he wanted to

Excelletn point! AND, Clinton invaded Bosnia without ANY congressional hearings or any approval from the UN! Oh wait, we aren't supposed to talk about that. LOL

[Skarhead]

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Excelletn point! AND, Clinton invaded Bosnia without ANY congressional hearings or any approval from the UN! Oh wait, we aren't supposed to talk about that. LOL

Thats such a typical response from a bush lover in denial... always pointing fingers saying "well this guy did this" and "Kerry wouldnt have doen that" Tell me T-Man... the only reason why you like bush is b/c you guys are both God lovers... But why does that mean he cant do anything wrong?

[solidground]

Tweettheyre all the same..some worse then others but theyre all currupt dems and reps.

[Skarhead]

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theyre all the same..some worse then others but theyre all currupt dems and reps.

I agree here too... Im not arguing that and I'll call out any bad pres.. but T-man wont say Bush is doing a bad job b/c hes in love w/ him

[T-Man007]

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I agree here too... Im not arguing that and I'll call out any bad pres.. but T-man wont say Bush is doing a bad job b/c hes in love w/ him

I don't think he's doing a bad job. Period. The unemployment rate is lower than it's been in the last 25 years. The stock market is making money. More people own homes than ever before. As far as economics go, it's doing fine. The only thing you have to ***** about is the fact he's at war in Iraq. Which, in case you forgot, we got permission from the UN to invade. As well as congressional permission to invade and the intel we recieved came from BRITAIN. So where did Bush lie? Where? Everyone knows Saddam had WMD, even Clinton. However, when the BRITISH intel turned out to be BS all of a sudden it's Bush's fault. That's the dumbest phukin thing I've ever heard. How the phuk did bush lie if the intel came from the Brits? Tell me, how? You phuking can't. You're just another pissed off anti-christian who wants to blame someone for something that has no effect on you. Tell me Skar, how does the war in Iraq effect you directly? Do you have family there? Are in business with Iraqi companies and you are losing business?

Now, do I want our troops over there, hell no. And that's the truth. But, I also know for a fact that documents were discovered in Iraq proving that Iraqi officials were in contact with Al Quieda. It was on CNN. So, let's recap shall we, the economy is up, home ownership is up, the Brits gave the BS intel, Iraqi officials were documented having contact with Al Quieda, and everyone knows Suddam had WMD at some point. Am I missing anything?

You are just a young kid who does understand why I would support a guy like Bush. It's called integrity. He has the balls to go and liberate a country while the rest of the world could give a shit less. Now, maybe you are one of these people who could give a shit less aobut these poor Iraqi who suffered under Saddam. I am not. I think everyone deserves to be free, and as Christians, we do for those who can't do for themselves. Something I guess you just don't understand. That's why I support Bush. Do I think he perfect? No. But he's a hell of a lot better than the flip-flop alternative we would have had. Nothing is worse than a man who can't make up his damn mind and stick to it. Please, Kerry was all over the companies who were taking business out of the US but yet he's married to the Heinz family who bottles over 80% of the Ketchup outside the US. Phuking hypocrite, that's what he was. To ***** about the very thing his own wife's family does. What an idiot. But maybe, that kind of thinking makes more sense to you, I don't know.

And, be fair warned, if that was a direct insult towards my religious beliefs that's flamming! So I suggest you watch your little mouth before you end up on the outside again. Got it?

[FIVE_8]

TweetT-Man thank you. Im not a Bush h8r, and Skar always h8s on me because i dont think hes as bad as everyone says

[T-Man007]

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T-Man thank you. Im not a Bush h8r, and Skar always h8s on me because i dont think hes as bad as everyone says

No prob! The thing is, you can't please all the people all the time and whenever something doesn't go someone's way they usually like to point fingers and blame it on someone else. It's everywhere. I can't find a job, it's Bush's fault. I won't have any SS, it's Bush's fault. The leveys broke, it's Bush's fault (that's my favorite considereing more requests to improve the leveys came during Clinton's administration and yet they said NO too) Blah..blah...blah. I wish people would quit their damn *****ing and take control of their own lives. No one man sitting in the White House will EVER have any control over MY job, MY income, or MY destiny. Some people act like Bush has directly ruined their lives. Give me a phuking break all ready. If a man sitting in the White House can dirrectly ruin your life then you have no control over your life. That sucks. I refuse to be at the mercy of any man when it comes to my happiness.

[FIVE_8]

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No prob! The thing is, you can't please all the people all the time and whenever something doesn't go someone's way they usually like to point fingers and blame it on someone else. It's everywhere. I can't find a job, it's Bush's fault. I won't have any SS, it's Bush's fault. The leveys broke, it's Bush's fault (that's my favorite considereing more requests to improve the leveys came during Clinton's administration and yet they said NO too) Blah..blah...blah. I wish people would quit their damn *****ing and take control of their own lives. No one man sitting in the White House will EVER have any control over MY job, MY income, or MY destiny. Some people act like Bush has directly ruined their lives. Give me a phuking break all ready. If a man sitting in the White House can dirrectly ruin your life then you have no control over your life. That sucks. I refuse to be at the mercy of any man when it comes to my happiness.

if i could rep ya i would, but i already hit ya up in the otehr thread

[PL456]

Tweetskar...why all the anger towards religion? Are there issues here?...Do you think God is in charge over everything anyway? I mean, there is no reason to be afraid stuff...

[Skarhead]

Tweet*Edited by MOD* You are dancing close to being gone. State your opinions without flaming or insulting or go somewhere else. This is the last warning!