I'M NOT A LAWYER, BUT . . .

TODAY’S LINE from Condoleezza Rice on Meet The Press is a preview of what you can expect to hear from the President and anyone making his case for spying without a warrant on citizens.[C&L video]  The president has the authority. . .

Tim, the president has authorities under FISA, which we are using and using actively. He also has constitutional authorities that derive from his role as commander in chief and his need to protect the country. He has acted within his constitutional authority and within statutory authority. . .
Tim, again, I'm not a lawyer, but the president has constitutional authority and he has statutory authorities.

RICE REPEATEDLY SAID she was not a lawyer, yet offered a “legal” explanation for the President's acts.  He has the authority.  Constitutional authority.  Statutory authority.  Yet he crossed constitutional lines and he disregarded statutes. But he has the authority.  Because his lawyers offered him independent advice.  Or something.  Stir this in with numerous mentions of September Eleventh, September Eleventh and you will have the gumbo the White House will serve up to disguise its treading upon the fourth amendment.  The cynical may count up the number of times Rice recites she is not a lawyer, but others may find this simply hard to stomach.

THE BAR EXAM The right says right on to all Bush has done. He should be doing more of the same. The left calls for impeachment.  And others say move on.  We live in a strange world where lawyers whisper in private and non lawyers and lawyers shout now in public. On one side the outrage comes from a lack of answers, on the other that authority is even questioned.  Some won’t get answers no matter how many questions get asked, but the questions remain.  We live in a world where people view freedom differently and what security is remains something few will allow many to question.

Comments

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Heritik, if you want a preview of how McClellan will handle the questions, stop by GI.