Question: Could Obama have used executive privilege to get around the ACLU deadline?

[HopeOverFear]

I keep reading that Obama wasn't acting out of having a conscience but rather under pressure from the ACLU to release the memos, so I ask, could he have used executive privilege to extend the deadline?

[cliffordu]

1. He could have said "fuck off" like bushy.

He's boiling frogs.

You put them in cold water and slowly turn up the heat. They never see it coming.

[babylonsister]

4. Frogs!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boiling_frog

[Enrique]

2. he probably could have extended the deadline without executive privilege

just ask the court for more time, he'd probably get it.

[Pirate Smile]

3. He probably easily could have not given out the memos citing confidential

info, national security, etc.

Releasing them is much more groundbreaking then keeping them hidden away would have been.

[babylonsister]

6. He has a method, and is many strokes ahead of the talking heads,

even if his golf game isn't the best. His chess game is.

[cliffordu]

7. Yep. his chess game is genius.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

5. Thank you for asking, because I would like to know myself. Greenwald seems to be of the opinion

that Obama did well by releasing them.

[HopeOverFear]

8. I share that opinion. I think it was extremely courageous to relase those memos

KNOWING that he'd get a shitload of pressure to prosecute.