Bush Steps Out To Defend Spying On Americans, DNC Knocks Him Down

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Democrats Continue to Attack Terrorist Surveillance Program

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/01/20060122.html

"The NSA's terrorist surveillance program is targeted at al Qaeda communications coming into or going out of the United States. It is a limited, hot pursuit effort by our intelligence community to detect and prevent attacks. Senate Democrats continue to engage in misleading and outlandish charges about this vital tool that helps us do exactly what the 9/11 Commission said we needed to do - connect the dots. It defies common sense for Democrats to now claim the administration is acting outside its authority while their own party leaders have been briefed more than a dozen times - only after there was a leak and subsequent media coverage did they start criticizing the program. Such irresponsible accusations will not keep us from acting to stay a step ahead of a deadly enemy that is determined to strike America again."

- Scott McClellan, White House Press Secretary

full diatribe (current list of talking points): http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/01/20060122.html



Domestic Spying a Bipartisan Concern, Says Democratic National Committee

1/23/2006 2:15:00 PM

http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=59621

Contact: Karen Finney of the Democratic National Committee, Office of Communications, 202-863-8148

WASHINGTON, Jan. 23 /U.S. Newswire/ -- President Bush today began a three-day public relations campaign aimed at selling his domestic spying program to the American people with a speech at Kansas State University. President Bush's new effort to convince the American people that he did not break the law in authorizing the government to spy on American citizens follows Deputy White House Chief of Staff Karl Rove's comments last Friday criticizing Democrats for asking questions about the program. Rove failed to mention the growing chorus of criticism from within the Republican Party.

The following is a DNC Research document detailing the growing chorus of Republicans and conservatives who have expressed concern about the President's possibly illegal domestic spying program.

20 CONSERVATIVES QUESTIONING BUSH'S SPYING PROGRAM: http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=59621

[shance]

1. "It is a limited, hot pursuit"

BULL. SHIT.

[bigtree]

4. new "hot-pursuit" policy- from 2003

BAGRAM AIR BASE, AFGHANISTAN – With its new "hot-pursuit" policy, America seems ready to risk offending Pakistan in order to track down potential attackers.

The policy - where the US says it reserves the right pursue fleeing Taliban and Al Qaeda fighters from Afghanistan into Pakistan without Pakistan's permission - made public here by a US military spokesman on Friday, comes after an unprecedented attack on US solders a week ago by a Pakistani border guard during a joint US-Pakistani operation.

Back in March, the last time this issue was raised, the US said it might chase Al Qaeda and Taliban fighters into Pakistan in hot pursuit, but Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz said that such action would come under limited circumstances and only with Pakistani consultation. Friday's announcement was the first indication that "hot pursuit" is official US policy.

http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/0106/p06s02-wosc.html


US hawks embrace 'hot pre-emption'-Jim Lobe
http://www.atimes.com/front/DF05Aa01.html

[Roland99]

2. It's Clinton's fault still. The CLENIS made these Repubs doubt their king.

[Democrats_win]

3. Yeah, they needed a stronger statement. Something about 4th Amend.

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10. Wiretap Offensive Posted in Democratic National Committee

BUSH'S NIXONIAN PARANOIA AND POLITICAL ATTACKS

Democratic National Committee Communications Director Karen Finney issued the following statement responding to the Bush Administration's political attacks. http://www.democrats.org/a/2006/01/bushs_nixonian.php


Dean: Bush's Secret Wiretaps Hurt Our Efforts To Fight Terrorism
Despite the Bush Administration trying to hide behind claims that questioning his secret domestic spy program undermines the war on terror, the fact is President Bush’s potentially illegal wiretapping actually compromises our ability to fight the war on terror, in addition to violating Americans constitutionally protected civil liberties.
http://www.democrats.org/a/2006/01/dean_bushs_secr.php


Alliance for Justice President Nan Aron Headlines DNC Podcast
http://www.democrats.org/a/2006/01/alliance_for_ju.php
During the Democratic National Committee's Podcast, Nan Aron, President of the Alliance for Justice, answered questions regarding Judge Samuel Alito's nomination to the Supreme Court.


Dean on Bush's Conflicting Statements on Secret Wiretap Program
Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean issued the following statement on the President’s conflicting statements about his possibly illegal plan to spy on the American people.
http://www.democrats.org/a/2005/12/dean_on_bushs_c.php


Editorial Roundup: Bush Plays Big Brother
Editorial boards across the country resoundingly panned President Bush’s performance during a Monday morning news conference dominated by questions about a secret program to spy on American citizens and his continuing failure to explain his actions and decisions on the program.
http://www.democrats.org/a/2005/12/editorial_round_4.php


Governor Dean Speaks on Domestic Spying (Audio)
Just released (.mp3). Democrats are serious about fighting terrorists, and the American people deserve a President and Vice President who understand that we can protect our liberty and our freedom AND keep America safe. President Bush’s secret program to spy...
http://www.democrats.org/a/2005/12/governor_dean_s_5.php


Did George Bush Break the Law?
George Bush is using the National Security Agency to conduct surveillance on American citizens without the consent of any court. Governor Dean wrote to Democrats across the country today about this dangerous and possibly illegal activity, and offered an opportunity for individuals to join in the effort to get the truth.
http://www.democrats.org/a/2005/12/did_george_bush.php


DNC Response to Republican Attacks on Senator Reid
Last night, Republicans in Washington responded to Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid’s strong leadership in demanding answers about the manipulation of pre-war intelligence with a vicious coordinated attack on Reid.
http://www.democrats.org/a/2005/11/dnc_response_to_3.php


Democratic Radio Address: Mikulski Urges Bush, Republicans to Learn Lessons and Start Fresh
"The political ambitions of a few should never come ahead of doing what's right. In the days to come, President Bush has the opportunity to show us all that he understands this lesson."
http://www.democrats.org/a/2005/11/democratic_radi_1.php


Rove’s Bad Memory is a Bad Excuse
Lewis “Scooter” Libby is being arraigned today, but media reports indicated that Deputy White House Chief of Staff Karl Rove may be forced to resign or apologize for his role in the scandal that led to Libby’s indictment. Rove’s continued presence in the White House is a stark reminder of the numerous unanswered questions about the conspiracy to manipulate intelligence in the run-up to the Iraq war, smear opponents of the war, and cover up that smear campaign.
http://www.democrats.org/a/2005/11/roves_bad_memor.php


38 DAY: Former Texas GOP Chairman and Reagan White House Official Questioned Motive For The Leaking of Plame's Identity
http://www.democrats.org/a/2005/08/38_day_mr_bush.php


Republicans Speak Out on Karl Rove
It's not just Democrats who are outraged at Karl Rove revealing classified information as part of a partisan smear campaign -- and President Bush's failure to take action. Independents and Republicans have joined the chorus expressing outrage at this administration.
http://www.democrats.org/a/2005/07/republicans_spe.php


Republicans Speak Out on Karl Rove
It's not just Democrats who are outraged at Karl Rove revealing classified information as part of a partisan smear campaign -- and President Bush's failure to take action. Independents and Republicans have joined the chorus expressing outrage at this administration.
http://www.democrats.org/a/2005/07/republicans_spe_1.php


The Real Bush Legacy: Bush Policies Causing Harm for Generations to Come
http://www.democrats.org/a/2005/02/the_real_bush_l.php

[Frustratedlady]

5. Why The PR Blitz?

Show Congress the law and save the taxpayers the money being spent in providing security and flying Bush around the country, so he can try to convince us he did not break it.

Didn't he learn anything from the Social Security debacle? His word isn't worth a plug nickel anymore, and you can throw Rove into that category, too.

[EST]

6. Ignorant sh**head!

"It defies common sense for Democrats to now claim the administration is acting outside its authority while their own party leaders have been briefed more than a dozen times - only after there was a leak and subsequent media coverage did they start criticizing the program."

Let me get this straight--they were forbidden to discuss, privately or publicly, anything about, let alone criticize, the "program" and the penalties for even having a secretary type up notes, which they were not allowed to take, were severe, given that said offense was tantamount to treason. What a pig!

[bush_is_wacko]

7. This morning I heard them ACTUALLY refer to the new "OBL tape"

as a perfect example of why they need to do this.

I am sick of the media running this particular angle! Why don't they just come out and say that every single time this administration is under the gun another freaking OBL tape surfaces!

It's funny, the freaking Republican party actually used to be the party that would go ballistic when allegations like this occurred. Now they are apparently MOSTLY willing to roll over and play dead for the sake of their party.

FISA was established to provide a free pass on wiretapping to the president as long as it fell within any stretch of the imagination that could be construed as lawful and necessary. The fact that FISA changed or denied some of Chimpy's requests previous to his under the table WARRANTLESS wiretapping SHOULD speak volumes to us all.

FISA knew BushCo was crossing the line. Without a doubt, any leak that occurred came from someone involved in that process.

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8. A One - Two Punch from Kerry and Harman Leads the Dem’s Fight

A One - Two Punch from Kerry and Harman Leads the Dem’s Fight on Bush’s Domestic Spying

Senator John Kerry and Rep. Jane Harman led the Democrats fight on Bush’s domestic spying yesterday, saying they “will press President Bush to justify his decision to allow domestic eavesdropping, rebuffing suggestions by Republicans that their criticism of broad executive authority puts the nation at risk.”

Rep. Jane Harman of CA, the senior Democrat on the intelligence committee said, “I think Karl Rove made a big mistake last Friday to use this issue as his opening salvo to Republican operatives.”

“The terrorists aren’t going to check our party registration before they blow us up. . . . We’re under attack as America,” she said on ABC’s “This Week.”

John Kerry, who also appeared on ABC’s “This Week” said Karl Rove is “being divisive by seeking to exploit the terrorism threat for political gain.”

Wartime should not give a president unchecked authority, he said on “This Week.”

“Osama bin-Laden is going to die of kidney failure before he’s killed by Karl Rove and his crowd,” Kerry said. “We’re prepared to eavesdrop wherever and whenever necessary in order to make America safer. But we need to put a procedure in place to protect the constitutional rights of Americans.”

Kerry, ever so familiar with the tactics of Karl Rove reminded viewers that Rove is “playing an old game.”

Kerry said. “Every time they have a problem, they play the 9/11 card.

Meanwhile, Bush is on the road to push an all out defense on his bungled “war on terror” and make the point of defending his secret domestic spying program. The MSM is playing up the notion that Bush has become so comfortable with unscripted Q&A, that “most of his appearance at Kansas State University was reserved for Q-and-A with the audience.” However, it’s noted that…

Many of the people he has called on have fawned over him, thanking him for his wartime leadership, saying they pray for him and bringing best wishes from other fans in their family who couldn’t be there.

Senator Charles Schumer of N.Y., also got into the mix yesterday appearing Sunday on CNN’s Late Edition. He called Rove’s remarks a “cheap shot” designed to take the spotlight off White House “incompetence” over Iraq, Hurricane Katrina and problems with its prescription-drug plan.

He said Democrats would take a back seat to no one in “fighting a tough war on terror. But what Karl Rove is doing is trying to divert attention.”

The White House issued a lengthy press release yesterday, after the RNC shot back at Kerry for his statements on “This Week,” saying they were Setting the Record Straight” on domestic spying. They’ll have a tough time proving their case, as the Mercury News reports yesterday, “Fueled by warrantless wiretapping, impeachment talk is getting louder.”

blog: http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=1720

[quiet.american]

9. If Bush really believes what he's saying, he should speak at NYU. n/t

[robbedvoter]

11. "You know you are doing something wrong when your defense is

"I am only doing it a little bit "
Randi Rhodes