Since others are covering the substance of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales’ appearance before the Senate Judiciary Committee today to discuss the president’s domestic spying program, I thought (being in Los Angeles and all) I’d cover the style:
A protester was just (8:59 PST) escorted out after calling Gonzales a “fascist.”
The sudden announcement earlier this morning that there were 9/11 families in the hearing room struck me as a non sequitor — although it shouldn’t have. Republicans have been playing the 9/11 card as fast and hard as they can.
The Attorney General has an involuntary smile — or is it a smirk? — that belies arrogance. When Sen. Kennedy asked him why he hadn’t bothered to consult with Congress before it began wiretapping without warrants, Gonzales said something like, “Because we didn’t think we had to.”
Kennedy made an excellent point. By conducting the searches outside the law, the Bush Administration has created legal jeopardy for its top officials, the NSA employees who are doing their illegal bidding and any cases brought to trial based on evidence that was illegally obtained. The idea that government lawyers employed by President Bush’s cronies will have the last say on the legalities of his domestic spying program is just silly. This America. Everything gets litigated.
Republicans use the adjective form of “Democrat” instead of “Democratic” because it sounds like “bureaucrat” and vaguely Soviet — a slur. This bit of message discipline has been around since the Lee Atwater days, so it must work pretty well for them. But when a Gop senator refers to a “Democrat president” it reveals him to be a political hack, and smart people stop listening.
Update:
The hearings ended with a bang. Chairman Specter outlined specific areas where he disagreed with the administration’s rationale for its illegal domestic spying program and warned the Attorney General that constitutional conflict between the Legislative and Executive branches could lie ahead.
Gonzales just smiled.
Connect:
DEMOCRATS! Get off your ASSES and stand with KENNEDY and get SOMETHING DONE ABOUT THIS SITUATION!!! TELL ARLEN SPECTOR IT IS UNDER OATH and that you all are goinf to get something DONE! AND DO SOMETHING! STOP THIS SHIT!