Replies: 54 Comments
Comment #1: cali said on 2/15/06 @ 9:53pm ET...
Thank you congressman Conyers for always being the one to try to put this country back where it should be. Maybe the issue of checks and balances should be an issue in 2006.
I'm sure there are many republicans who agree with the democrats on lots of issues but are afraid.
Comment #2: sanitysojourner said on 2/15/06 @ 11:00pm ET...
When the attorney general responds to those 51 questions, will he be under oath?
When will the timetable be established for testifying?
I've just seen the additional pictures from Abu Ghraib. I shudder to think of what we have not yet seen.
All of this, meaning spying, torture, lying, greed, cronyism, is really beyond shameful.
Comment #3: Pissed Off American said on 2/15/06 @ 11:37pm ET...
"It is time that Congress begins to serve as a genuine check and balance on the Administration. This is not a partisan issue, to me it's a constitutional issue, and I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to help us, before it's too late."
Well, perhaps you can read in the NYTimes how your "colleagues" intend to respond to your request. That IS how the Democratic party communicates as to strategy, isn't it, by reading the MSM to find out what each other are up to?
It is already too late, John. The Reids, the Leibermans, the Bidens, and that kind of ilk were busy selling us out while they were ignoring your efforts and your concerns. Your so called "colleagues" deserted you a long time ago. And for that, they deserve to share a cell with Monkey Boy and that sadistic abomination Cheney. After the course of the last three months, anyone that thinks these mewling asses that comprise the "democratic leadership" are anything other than PARTNERS in the Bush agenda is a damned fool.
Your senatorial and congressional "colleagues" are the PROBLEM, not the solution. The only thing that will reclaim our democracy is MASSIVE protest and dissent by the CITIZENS. And the fascists in the Bush Administration have already planned for that contingency with both legislation and executive order. And these God damned cowards like Reid have been COMPLICIT with their politics as usual bullshit. To be honest, the whole writhing mass of greedy self centered sons a bitches in Washington sicken me. Its time fior a MAJOR house cleaning, or this democracy is COOKED.
Comment #4: hpcharlie said on 2/16/06 @ 1:40am ET...
Dear Congressman John Conyers,
I sincerely thank you for having the courage to stand up and fight to save our Constitution and our civil liberties as American Citizens.
It is deeply disturbing to see what this "Culture of Corruption" has destroyed over a 15-20 year time period and to see that the Unites States of America is no longer a "true democracy" having been "hijacked" by the Neo-Con Administration.
I am also very appreciative of your time, dedication, and devotion to your publication "The Constitution In Crisis."
Sadly, 90% of most Americans are "clueless" as to what is even taking place each day by the neo-con agenda. My older sister (attorney/soccer mom) is a primary example of the typical upper middle class
American. She works 60-80 hours/week,gives every ounce of energy/spare time she has left to my 3 nieces and husband. By the time I try to clue her in on current issues...she's completely "brain dead.
Congressman Conyers, is there any way that something can be done before it's too late? I know that the Administration is determined to take us to War With Iran over the next 6-8 weeks since it all too well fits in with Michael LeDeen's Neo-Con agenda to take over Iraq, Iran, Syria, and Jordan. The repercussions may literally ignite a complete "world wide Jihad" and possibly place us on the "Brink of a Nuclear War" and be a total Global Disaster!
I've already seen reports of how much atomic weaponry that Israel posesses...so I'm sure they will take care of themselves if needed!
Ironically, I had not even seen the 2/15/06 article from Greg Szymanski that I'm going to separately.
Charlie C.
Dallas TX
Comment #5: hpcharlie said on 2/16/06 @ 2:10am ET...
Here is the article from Greg Z !
I'm not a "psychic" per se, but I do know that God gave me the ability to "see and know the truth!" Seriously, I composed my prior posting and saved it to place here on Congressman Conyer's Blog not having seen the following article until I got home late this evening!
If we aren't able to STOP the Neo-cons...we are headed "sooner than later" for a total Global Disaster!
Articles>
Another Former Devoted Republican Calling Bush "Worse Than Hitler"
Keefe Callum of the Northern Plains says every freedom-loving American needs to come forward before it is too late.
15 Feb 2006
By Greg Szymanski
Every last person who believes in God and truth needs to come forward, speak out and erect a barricade of peace and freedom in front of the devilish New World Order’s blackened front door.
No stone can be left unturned and each of Satan’s evil doors needs to be immediately exposed and opened wide, including the front doors of the White House and 10 Downing Street.
The battle has reached a critical stage, with nuclear war on the horizon, that no longer can any freedom loving man or woman afford to run and hide behind the cloak of apathy.
And for months freedom’s call has been heard as thousands of average Americans have been stepping forward and speaking out against tyranny, realizing the deception, lies and mass killings of their fellow citizens can no longer be tolerated by their government and evil puppeteers behind the scenes.
But even though thousands have spoken, millions remain silent. And it is this silence that gives the New World Order the upper hand in the war to gain control of the American public’s heart and soul.
For it is only the people of America that stand in the way of the New World Order and its goal of mass genocide and world domination. They know that, but too few Americans even have a clue.
http://www.arcticbeacon.com/15-Feb-2006.html> Title
Comment #6: Rusty said on 2/16/06 @ 2:30am ET...
It is painfully evident to millions of Americans that betraying our trust and abusing the power they have been given is a sordid Republican tradition. During Watergate, Republican White House officials up to and including Richard Nixon covertly violated the Constitution, concealed their criminal conduct, lied to Congress, and demonstrated their contempt for the fundamental principles of democracy. During Iran-Contra, Republican White House officials up to and including Ronald Reagan covertly violated the Constitution, concealed their criminal conduct, lied to Congress, and demonstrated their contempt for the fundamental principles of democracy. For five years, officials in the Bush Administration up to and including George W. Bush have covertly violated the Constitution, concealed their criminal conduct, lied to Congress, and demonstrated their contempt for the fundamental principles of democracy.
This contagion of Republican White House contempt for the rule of law and the principles of representative government is as glaringly obvious as it is reprehensible. There is a pattern of Republican abuse of power here that cannot be denied by any objective observer. Obsessive secrecy, covert agendas, deception, deceit, and demonizing "liberals" have characterized the Nixon, Reagan, and Bush administrations.
Nixon would have been impeached for abuse of power and obstruction of justice, Reagan should have been impeached for abuse of power and obstruction of justice, and Bush must be impeached for abuse of power and obstruction of justice.
Perhaps one of these days before it’s too late, tens of millions of Americans will finally realize that Bush and Cheney cannot be trusted to govern responsibly, and will actually behave like intelligent adults and demand impeachment. Perhaps they will actually pay attention to the travesties being perpetrated in Washington and will hold these arrogant fools accountable for the blood they have spilled and the crimes they have committed. Perhaps they will awaken from their comas this year, so fifty thousand Americans won’t have to bleed and die to prop up a corrupt, fundamentalist Shi’ite government in Baghdad. Perhaps they will finally understand that spending $100,000 a minute for the next ten years on Bush’s reckless, bloody fiasco in Iraq is mind-boggling insanity and has nothing to do with freedom or democracy.
In the coming weeks, I hope Americans can aspire to surpassing the intellectual capacity of a tree stump, will actually use the brains God gave them, and will demand impeachment so another American city won’t be erased from the map on live television, so our economy won’t be wrecked beyond salvage by corporate greed, and so Bush won’t attack Iran because they might get one nuclear weapon and thereby render our 20,000 nuclear weapons completely useless.
The current occupant of the White House and his trained GOP parrots in Congress like to talk about democracy. It’s time for every American with a conscience and respect for the our Constitution and our laws to show them what democracy looks like, right here in America. It’s time to demand that George W. Bush and Dick Cheney be impeached for violating multiple articles and amendments of Constitution, for lying us into a war, for spying on American citizens, for subverting elections, for betraying a CIA anti-terrorist network, for criminal negligence during the Katrina catastrophe, and for obstructing justice ever since they were sworn into office on January 20, 2001.
Oh . . . and JC, please walk out of the SOTU next year. I heard you walked out of your office during a C-Span replay of this year's SOTU, but that doesn't really count.
I don't care if Bush's Assistant Secretary of the Interior is president by next year's SOTU. Walk out on her. Just do it.
Comment #7: rainbowsally said on 2/16/06 @ 4:48am ET...
John, quicktime is bad.
Windows Minimum Requirements
* A Pentium processor-based PC
or compatible computer
* At least 128MB of RAM
* Windows 2000/XP
Won't work with older Win systems. i.e., systems
without the new and improved back doors for the
NSA (find "NSA_KEY") can't play these.
[going back into the woodwork... bye again...]
Comment #8: Jay Lechnyr said on 2/16/06 @ 5:15am ET...
The world has been very busy lately.
More Abu Ghraib photos have been released. By an Austrailian paper, of all people. America's freedom of press is ranked 17, so it's no wonder that our press did not release these photos. However, I've noted that there are still many comments on these storied that either defend or justify our actions at Abu Ghraib. It still amazes me that so many people can condone such ill treatment of fellow human beings and still consider themselves even remotely associated with morality. It very much reminds me of the way white supremacists pervert the doctrines of Christianity to their own ends. It just amazes me that there are still so many millions of people who feel this way. It feels like I'm living in a society in which the Nazis won the war.
Republicans block investigations... This is not so much news as it was expected. They have blocked or interfered with or perverted every investigation that could possibly harm their "cause" that it's not even newsworthy anymore. What is newsworthy - what should be nailed into the congressional record permanently and many times over - is that the republican "cause" is not to support America; it is to support themselves. The constitution means nothing to them, it's just a goddamn piece of paper, after all.
More to follow later today - I must go to work now.
Comment #9: hpcharlie said on 2/16/06 @ 6:00am ET...
Cover Up On The Ranch! (from Alex Jones' Prison Planet)
What we had deducted almost immediately after Cheney machine began rolling on this shooting is now finally starting to filter out into the rest of the media: It is not only unlikely that Whittington was injured in the way he reportedly was if Cheney had shot him from 30 yards it is impossible.
After reviewing the Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife report on the shooting, there is no doubt that this is a cover-up.
The pattern of the birdshot depicted in the diagram on the report indicates about a foot spread from cheek to chest.
As we previously reported, birdshot is not like a traditional bullet. Birdshot is composed of hundreds of tiny lead BB's with very low mass which are designed to spread out and slow down very quickly. The idea is basically to shoot out a bunch of tiny pellets to catch a bird that may be taking wing at the instant it recognizes the shot has been fired. Many points ensure greater likelyhood of hitting the target.
These pellets are incredibly tiny and the further they get away from the gun, the slower and less forceful they become. So at a distance of about 90 feet (or 30 yards as reported by the White House) the pellets would have hit Whittington with the force equivilent to a gentle shove and have left maybe some tiny surface marks on any exposed skin.
See rest: http://www.prisonplanet.com/
There seems to be "no end" to the corruption!
Charlie C.
Dallas TX
Comment #10: Nolip said on 2/16/06 @ 9:55am ET...
Congressman Conyers...
Your efforts to get to the truth are like looking for an ice cube in the middle of a glacier. There are so many layers of obfuscation and down right obstruction of justice from so called law makers that the only good thing would be to dump all of the miscreants, who keep throwing up road blocks, out of office come November. Easier said than done, I know.
Comment #11: Nolip said on 2/16/06 @ 10:20am ET...
Maybe this will help Dick Cheney understand what the Cindy Sheehans of this country, to some degree, are feeling today.
Rove Pushed Cheney to Talk
"(Feb. 16) -- President Bush's top political aide, Karl Rove, pushed Vice President Dick Cheney to speak publicly about shooting a fellow hunter, sources tell CBS News.
Rove worried the vice president's silence on the issue was becoming a political problem, CBS News chief White House correspondent Jim Axelrod reports.
Cheney is in a "state of meltdown" over shooting his friend and the political fallout it has caused, a source close to the Cheney has told CBS News. On Wednesday, he accepted full blame for the incident and defended the decision to not publicly disclose the accident until the following day.
Cheney described when he shot 78-year-old Harry Whittington as "one of the worst days of my life."
"I'm the guy who pulled the trigger that fired the round that hit Harry," Cheney told Fox News Channel in his first public comments since the shooting Saturday in south Texas.
CBS News correspondent Gloria Borger reports another source within the White House said "you can imagine how upset the vice president is," adding that the Whittington family is worried about Cheney."
http://articles.news.aol.com/news/article.adp?id=20060216073209990011&cid=2249
Comment #12: Truth_in_action said on 2/16/06 @ 11:07am ET...
I saw the last part of Russ Feingold's passionate speech in the Senate against the horrors of the Patriot Act on C-SPAN, then debating ceased, followed by a procedural vote on changes to the Patior Act Conference Report which began at 10:30 am in the Senate. So far I think only three nays - Feingold, Bird and Bayh.
I have just about lost total faith in our goovernmental leadership. Either everyone is in collusion with this Administration or Kool Aid has replaced the bottled water in DC.
Comment #13: Ron said on 2/16/06 @ 11:27am ET...
I Got this tidbit from Sandra! She is still fighting the good fight!
"GONZO"Gonzales
JC:
"It is time that Congress begins to serve as a genuine check and balance on the Administration. This is not a partisan issue, to me it's a constitutional issue, and I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to help us, before it's too late".
As far as I'm concerned ,it was Too late when Alito was confirmed,by the traitorous dems.
If you believe that you are going to acheave ANYTHING now,you are a dreamer.
Be realistic: do you really expect to get anything of any relevance from the OTHER SIDE?
What about the 550,000 thousand folks that backed you ,myself included ,on the DSM Memos.
What answer did you get then?
Be prepared to see more of the same crap coming from the Right wing! Meaning NOTHING,not even the recognition that it was received.
Our Friends in the MSM will be right there making sure, that when ANYTHING relevant happens to come along, it will be spun to fit the Fascist agenda.
It seems that we are being abandoned by those that were elected to serve we the people, and the constitution.
You amongst a small few are continuing, despite all the negative, to FIGHT, and challenge those, that have chosen to destroy all that we as citizens hold true. Our American values.
For that I am beholden to you and those few true Americans.
We are coping with a daily barrage of events ,on an unherd of scale. Not a day passes ,where something NEW comes along.
I realize that you as a responsible congressman must stay informed as to these daily happenings,But for all effectiveness,shouldn't we concentrate our energy on one thing ,and like a laser guided missile stay on target,until we have a meaningful answer or solution?
Comment #14: Ohiodem1 said on 2/16/06 @ 11:38am ET...
Ron #14 - By now it is perfectly obvious to anyone who is looking, D or R, that this is indeed, the Stonewall Congress. There are only about 25 who are willing to stand up to the abuses of this admin in the Senate, and maybe about 125-175 in the House (I have not made any effort to quantify this, I made my estimate by comparing to the Senate, and adding a little for the willingness of local politics to give a few more in Congress a littel backbone.
JC has a LOT of backbone.
Look at any committee or floor vote in either house, and you will see the true nature of the cowed Congress is to become the Stonewall Congress.
Not 5 Repbulican members of Congress has the will or the nerve to stand up to the Bush adminstration, and as such are willing participants in enabling the vast attack on our Constitution, our values and our freedom.
America is in bad trouble. At this point, I am not even sure that a return to a Democratic Majority in Congress is enough to save America. I am willing to help make that happen, but we need to get with the program. Silencing strong voices against the administration is not the way to do it.
Comment #15: Pissed Off American said on 2/16/06 @ 12:03pm ET...
"America is in bad trouble. At this point, I am not even sure that a return to a Democratic Majority in Congress is enough to save America. I am willing to help make that happen, but we need to get with the program. Silencing strong voices against the administration is not the way to do it."
All one need do is go look at that cesspool that is Reid's blog to see the state of the Democratic party. The fact that our "Minority Leader" would maintain such a piece of intellectual pornography on the internet speaks volumes about his common sense, his sense of patriotism, and his political accuity. Fact is, such unbelievably asinine displays of political suicide can only be surmised as a CONSCIOUS EFFORT to undermine the Democratic Party, just as Kaine's selection to rebut the SOTU was. And if one is still doubtful as to the intent of the Democratic leadership, one needs only examine the chain of events that undermined the Alito filibuster.
Then, of course, as you allude to, there is the purposeful marginalization of Democrats such as Hackett....
Comment #16: Ron said on 2/16/06 @ 12:28pm ET...
If that is what you read out of my post,read it again.
I am not the one "Silencing strong voices against the administration "
I am one of the people who speak out strongly against this, as POA says "cesspoole"
OD1 I am not an eloquent writer ,as some who post here may be, I say it like I see it and feel it. I do NOT Try to sugar coat ,or mince words.
America is in trouble and i as one will do what it takes to save her.I as you stood on the line once before, on my part it was to protect my country from tyrony. Although I found out later that what we were in Nam for, was Bullshit,My intentions were real.
I am now forced to stand idle and watch my country be dismantled and disgraced on a daily basis. This may be just a personal problem of mine,which I seriously doubt, but draw a line in the sand and let the assholes that are destroying OUR country,Know for a fact,cross this line,and we will put you down like the dogs that you are.
Count me in as a dog killer!
Strong words, You Betcha!
Comment #17: Ron said on 2/16/06 @ 12:50pm ET...
Thats tyranny btw.
Take a look at this from Ted Kennedy
Resolution 350
Comment #18: Ohiodem1 said on 2/16/06 @ 1:43pm ET...
Ron #17 - I did not say you are one of those who are silencing strong voices against the administration. That was intended to identify the Ohio Democratic Pary and the DNC/Senate Democratic leadership were responsible for silencing a strong voice against the administration.
Just so you know where I stand, I demonstrated against Bush yesterday when he visited Columbus.
I was fully willing to go to jail to defend our First Amendment rights. Like you, I was involved in the Vietnam war, and I know that the Iraq war was started by an administration that was hell-bent for war with absolutely no justification or rational reasons. Instead, they stirred up unwarrented fear in the populace, and manufactured the evidence.
Then the Stonewall Congress fails to live up to its constitutionally mandated oversight responsibilities, and the abuses become more blatant every day.
My morning paper had a story where Secretary of State bragged about "finding a way around a law" that would permit the USA to feed $85 M to Iranian dissident groups, which seems to be an invitation for suppression by those in charge there, and then this repression will be morphed into a justification for a war with Iran, which is what the Bush adminstration really wants now. Will this compliant and stonewalling congress be complicit with another authorization for the use of military force so that another country can be invaded on cooked intelligence?
Will the republican congress fail to ask relevant questions? Will the administration choose not to plan for the aftermath of war, for an insurgency 10 times the size we are seeing in Iraq? Will they fail to send enough troops to do the job? Will they fail to send enough troops to secure ammo dumps? Will they send Paul Bremer to account for the money? Will they exhaust diplomacy? Will they properly arm and armor our troops, or will they "send the army they have, not the one they want"? Will they morph the AUMF to extend their spying on Americans? Will they decide that we are in such peril that they can suspend elections so that they can protect us?
Those are the kind of questions that need to be asked, and that should have been asked in 2002.
Ron, we both know what tyranny looks like, and we both know where each other stands on it.
Comment #19: LeslieB said on 2/16/06 @ 1:57pm ET...
Thank you Congressman Conyers for all your hard work and for not giving up. What can we do to help? I feel so upset and powerless right now.
Comment #20: Dr Alan H Levinson said on 2/16/06 @ 1:57pm ET...
Interesting??
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11389667/
Comment #21: Ron said on 2/16/06 @ 2:19pm ET...
Ok Od1
but where is the line of no return?
Is it 3000 dead kids,is it attack Iran,is it renew the (UN)Patriot act?
You know that this is the REAL question that everyone is dodging.
I am not attacking you,I do know where you stand,and I am proud of you!
I,m fed up with the gutless, murdering bastards that are ruining Our country!
Honorable people like Rep. Conyers are far too few.
We need 1000 more just like him.,but needing is not having , and logically ,those that are not with us ,are What!
Personally ,I have come to be against,and truly hate war.
I still would accept it as a compleat last resort,when all reasoning fails.
The ethics and reasoning of those now in "Control" of our country , are beyond all "NORMAL" thinking.
Those in charge expect us to believe what they say ,unquestioned. They expect us to shut up and do as we are told.
What's worse, they expect us to be complicit with their actions,by sending our kids to slaughter,and pay TAX to support their demise!
I know I am preaching to the choir, the question remains,Where is the line?
Comment #22: Ron said on 2/16/06 @ 2:30pm ET...
21: Dr Alan H Levinson
What chance do you believe they have ,receiving any pertinent information?
I think they will get the same documents that those interested in Project Blue Book got, sheets and sheets of marked through and deleted lines,if any at all!
Comment #23: keck said on 2/16/06 @ 2:37pm ET...
The rubber stamping Rethugs are nothing but enablers of shredding our Constitution and replacing it with a dictatorship far worse than any in history.
Members in Congress continue to think the rotting twig is open to discussion and compromise about his policy decisions. He's not. He is not interested in this country, its citizens, this planet, or anyone beyond his circle of war profiteers and the destruction of the Constitution and rule of law. Period.
And the most scary part is the effort he and his thugs are making to be sure we never have honest vote counting in this country, or even the opportunity to vote ever again. 9/11 9/11 9/11 Terrorist terrorist terrorist. The next attack on this country will ALSO be a home grown attack.
Comment #24: sanitysojourner said on 2/16/06 @ 2:50pm ET...
#7 Rusty: During a time when all the news is gloomy, it was a day brightener see your presence here again.
As repugnant as they are, the continued dissemination of pictures from Abu Ghraib might (please, please, please!) wake up some Americans.
Anyone who views those pictures will instantly realize that, "terrorists" or not, treating people that way is bad for our troops and for our country.
I'm not buying any "war is tough" crap, either. War is stupid, we know better, there are better options, plus, at the risk of appearing abominably ignorant, I'm not sure we are actually legally at war. Can anyone clarify that for me?
I agree with you, Ron. In our so-called modern age, resorting to war is an act of cowardice, a futile, gutless, immature response to complicated and delicate issues.
Comment #25: Citizen J said on 2/16/06 @ 3:04pm ET...
Echoing sanity- Rusty, it's good to see you back, brother.
Comment #26: feline said on 2/16/06 @ 3:10pm ET...
#23 Sanitysojourner, I'm a little confused about the technical aspects of what Congress has authorized, as well; but from what I can tell, Congress did not actually "declare War", they "authorized the use of force". So, I would say that, no, legally - constitutionally - we are not at War. This is one aspect that makes the Administration's justifications of Bush's abuse of executive power so ridiculous, among many others.
Senator Byrd's Speech
This is a section of this speech:
And the phrase, "war on terror," while catchy, certainly is a misnomer. Terror is a tactic used by all manner of violent organizations to achieve their goals. It has been around since time began, and will likely be with us on the last day of planet earth. We were attacked by Bin Laden and by his organization Al Qaeda. If anything, what we are engaged in should, more properly, be called, a war on the Al Qaeda network. But, that is too limiting for an Administration that loves power as much as this one. A war on the Al Qaeda network might conceivably be over some day. A war on the Al Qaeda network might have achievable, measurable objectives, and it would be less able to be used as a rationale for almost any government action. It would be harder to periodically traumatize and terrorize the U.S. public, thereby justifying a reason for stamping secret on far too many government programs and activities. Why hasn't Congress been thoroughly briefed on the President's secret eavesdropping program, or on other secret domestic monitoring programs run by the Pentagon or other government entities? Is it because keeping official secrets prevents annoying Congressional oversight? Revealing this program in its entirety to too many members of Congress could certainly have unmasked its probable illegality at a much earlier date, and may have allowed members of Congress to pry information out of the White House that the Judiciary Committee could not pry out of Attorney General Gonzales, who seems genuinely confused about whom he works for -- the public or his old boss, the President
Comment #27: sanitysojourner said on 2/16/06 @ 3:17pm ET...
#27 Thanks, feline. That was my impression also.
Senator Byrd's speech is on target. There always have been and always will be groups of bad guys. Does anyone remember the Tylenol Terrorists? Or how about Oklahoma City? Oh, or the KKK?
So can someone tell me how we ended up with a "war president" exercising "war powers?"
Comment #28: feline said on 2/16/06 @ 3:18pm ET...
Sanity and Citizen,
Rusty, it IS good to see you back, brother.
Wow, there really is an echo in here!
Please, keep it coming, Rusty, we need you.
JC, several of us have asked you for guidance; we realize that you're doing all you can do, far more than most of Congress. Are WE doing all we can do? It's frustrating to look for answers and solutions, ways to take action. I also realize there is much that you cannot say, and yet you communicate far more than the media and most of Congress. Please, if there is anything specific we need to know or do, let us know. This waiting game is maddening. Thank you for all you do!
Comment #29: The Forest said on 2/16/06 @ 3:44pm ET...
Patriot Act moves ahead despite opposition
"WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate overwhelmingly rejected an effort Thursday to block renewing the Patriot Act, the 2001 law passed weeks after the Sept. 11 attacks to help the government hunt down terrorists.
The 96-3 vote was no suprise to Sen. Russell Feingold, the Wisconsin Democrat who was the lone senator to oppose the law four and a half years ago and is the chief obstacle to extending 16 provisions now due to expire March 10.
Feingold, who is exploring seeking his party's presidential nomination in 2008, plans to make the Senate spend several more days on the bill and complained that Majority Leader Bill Frist had used procedural maneuvers to prevent him from trying to amend the bill.
'We still have not addressed some of the most significant problems with the Patriot Act,' Feingold said.
Only Sens. Jim Jeffords, I-Vt., and Robert C. Byrd, R-W.Va., supported Feingold on Thursday's vote..."
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-02-16-patriot-act_x.htm?POE=NEWISVA
----------------------------------
"Power always thinks it has a great soul and vast views beyond the comprehension of the weak; and that it is doing God's service when it is violating all His laws."
-John Adams, 2nd US president (1735-1826)
----------------------------------
Dear Benjamin Franklin:
I'm sorry. We weren't able to keep the Republic you brave patriots created for us. Your concerns were well placed. We became a country of political FACTIONS, titled of late "Democratic" (in a mockery of Jefferson's original party construct), and "Republican" (in a travesty of Lincoln's original party construct) -- just as so many of the Founders feared. It's over.
We have lost the Republic. Our federal government is an unchecked, out of control, Top Secret MONSTER. Its Executive Branch executes the crimes, and its Legislative Branch enables the crimes and covers them up, in return for favors paid.
Russ Feingold, Patriot: Thank you for defending me to the bitter end. Jim Jeffords, Patriot: Thank you for standing with him. You do Vermont proud. Bobby Byrd (D), Patriot: Thank you for trying, this time.
The only way out now, it appears, is complete economic collapse, which will take out the foundation stones holding up the criminal political Factions: Corporate and Political PAC bundles of cash. These are the building blocks of American political tyranny: PAC CASH. Votes and voters are nothing but window dressing to conceal the means and methods of tyranny. If and when the money's really all gone, the people may have a chance to reclaim and restore the Republic. But until that day, We, the People, are nothing but powerless subjects and pawns.
I'm sorry, Ben. I'm terribly sorry, Union Soldiers who gave your LIVES to keep this country united as one. The American God MONEY has defeated democracy. And it's going to get a lot worse, before there's any chance of it getting better. Batten down the hatches, Americans. We are on our own, against a violent domestic threat that pretends to be our federal government. A threat which only the citizens will be able to overcome -- should we ever decide we'd like to try to live free, and self-govern in the way that our Founders intended.
I am, respectfully, your unworthy fellow citizen,
Lost in the Forest of Lies
Comment #30: Citizen J said on 2/16/06 @ 3:59pm ET...
JC, would really LOVE to hear your comments on Cheney's claim that he can declassify any info he wants at any time, apparently for any reason at all, regardless of the damage to National Security and covert CIA agents and brownstone ops.
This CANNOT be true, can it?
Comment #31: sanitysojourner said on 2/16/06 @ 4:03pm ET...
#31 Citizen J: I, too, would like JC's take on this.
Steve Clemons on The Washington Note has a good overview, plus some links.
Clemons' conclusion: no, Cheney does not have those powers.
Comment #32: Ohiodem1 said on 2/16/06 @ 4:11pm ET...
On the question of "are we at War?", Jimmy Carter in his book Our Endangered Values makes the point that we are NOT at war. I do not have the book with me, so I cannot give a page reference, but I know that this statement is in the book. President Carter made the point emphatically, and underlined it. I believe that President Jimmy Carter, a moral man, is in a much better position to say this than our morally challenged current president.
J #31 - This is on its face an impeachable offense on Treason and High Crimes grounds. If one fabricates such a case, it is clearly to obstruct justice. Let's impeach him, then Bush, then Rummy, then Condolezza, then Gonzolaes and maybe a few others. Impeached and convicted people have no right to a Presidential Pardon, and are forever banned from holding any public position in any jurisidction in America.
Comment #33: Ron said on 2/16/06 @ 4:13pm ET...
#28: sanitysojourner
funny you should mention Byrd and the KKK in the same breath!
Byrd,s KKK Years!
Comment #34: Citizen J said on 2/16/06 @ 4:18pm ET...
sanity and OD1 (or should I write OI1?) thanks for the links and your comments. All other posters, please weigh in if you care to!
I just do not buy this BS cover-my-ass-'cause-Scooter-let-the-cat-out-of-the-bag stuff AT ALL.
CONYERS IN 2008!!
Comment #35: Frosted Flake said on 2/16/06 @ 5:00pm ET...
Ron, HPCharlie, Nolip, LeslieB, Keck, Jay, Citizen J, Ohio, T_I_A, P.O.A., The Forest, and particularly Rusty, in addition to the Lurkers About.
And of course Congressman Conyers.
The frusteration level is very high today. To lay it out in my words : I am concerned that the "leadership" of the Democratic Party is against Goerge Bush, but not against what he is doing to us. I am concerned that the plan is to win in November on the strength of the revulsion generated by the "Policies" of the Bush administration, and then mis-state that mandate. I am concerned that We The People are going to be dragged by a democratic victory in the same direction as would be the case should that victory fail to matirialize. I am concerned because of the the statements being made, the actions being taken, the signifigant ommissions of both and the theme defined by the foregoing. I am concerned because of the endorsement, by Democrats, of genuinely cockeyed things.
For example : The Abu Ghraib Photographs are said to be a danger to America and therefore should not be seen, by Americans. This is endorsed by Democrats. And this makes no sense, if the assumption is Democrats oppose torture. This is because it is those photos which will shame the Administration into rejoining civilisation, because they make apparrent what the deal is.
Note that I haven't seen these newly released photos. I am not among those who need to. It is the willfully ignorant Bush supporters who need to see them. And thier Kids.
"Mommy, which is the bad guy?"
How's that for a serious question? Whazat Ya say? Kids shouldn't be exposed to these photos? Well then, Just how do you suppose KIDs are going to make sure they don't become the SUBJECTS of similar photos? If these photos did not show REALITY, I would be the one saying kids shouldn't see them. But they do show reality, and Democrats are saying, I should not see them.
Am I being clear enough about why there is reason for concern? Let me be more specific.
Here is Senator Byrds' speech.
Just wonderful, Yes? No.
In light of Senator byrds' support for Alito, and for what Alito stands for, His words merit a scan with the readers' Bullshit Detector.
I did that, and here is what stands out:
"The question is, can the Congress, under control of the President's political party conduct the type of thorough, far-ranging investigation which is necessary? It is absolutely essential that Congress try, because it is vital to at least attempt the proper restoration of the checks and balances. Unfortunately, in a congressional election year, the effort will most likely be seriously hampered by politics."
The effort will most likely be seriously hampered by politics. Really? Why? How? Is this not the opposite of the truth? Isn't the truth that if the Rebulicans refuse to co-operate the Democrats will use the failure to co-operate as a campaign issue? What? It isn't? Well then, would that be for any other reason than that the Democrats don't want to?
Am I being clear enough now?
O.K. Let me put it this way. My Vote is going against the War. The war in Iraq, because it is based on B.S. The war on terror for the same reason. If I cannot Vote against the war AND vote Democrat, I won't Vote Democrat. This is not capitulation to the status quo, it is standing on the Moral high ground, looking down on those below. And let's not overlook that I am irritated that the Democrats abandoned the moral high ground for Alito. Talk about snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. (Insert swear words here)
I do not believe the Democratic Party is as hapless as it seems to want me to think. I believe instead that what they do speaks louder than what they say. And I have never been secretive about my affinity for the Greens, even if they are a bunch of, uh, flakes.
My pourpose in coming to this blog initally was to make a certin point. A point which occured to me when I first heard of the DSM. I said to myself,"You can't do that!" Then I asked myself "Why not?" Then I told myself. Then I said "OH! I better point this out to folks." and so I am here. Trying to make obvious what seems plain to me. But I am not a writer. It has taken a while to do a credable job of it.
Now that I have done a fairly decent job of it, I would like to know what you think of it. You may find it at comment #63.
Thank you.
Frosted Flake
Postscript: Citizen J. There is an office that declassifys stuff, and it doesn't say Vice President on the door.
Feline and Rainbowsally. Hi.
Comment #36: Ohiodem1 said on 2/16/06 @ 5:07pm ET...
Citizen J - Its still OD1 for now.
Interesting article on Vice President Cheney's apparent effort to spin a story that he has declassificaion authority. Compares and links Clinton declassification and Bush declassification Executive Orders, plus other links I have not followed yet.
Cheney Declassification article
. . . Very interesting, but erroneous on VP's part.
Comment #37: Ron said on 2/16/06 @ 5:12pm ET...
Here is a good source for Libby Info
I concur with Conyers in 2008!
"Cheney 'Authorized' Libby to Leak Classified Information"
Libby "testified to a federal grand jury that he had been 'authorized' by Cheney and other White House 'superiors' in the summer of 2003 to disclose classified information to journalists to defend the Bush administration's use of prewar intelligence in making the case to go to war with Iraq, according to attorneys familiar with the matter, and to court records," Murray Waas reported (http://nationaljournal.com/about/njweekly/stories/2006/0209nj1.htm#) February 9, 2006, in the National Journal.
"Beyond what was stated in the court paper, say people with firsthand knowledge of the matter," Waas wrote, "Libby also indicated what he will offer as a broad defense during his upcoming criminal trial: that Vice President Cheney and other senior Bush administration officials had earlier encouraged and authorized him to share classified information with journalists to build public support for going to war. Later, after the war began in 2003, Cheney authorized Libby to release additional classified information, including details of the NIE, to defend the administration's use of prewar intelligence in making the case for war."
Comment #38: Ohiodem1 said on 2/16/06 @ 5:17pm ET...
Off topic - More on Bush/Rice program to spend $85 M to propagandize inside Iran to destabilize the Iranian government.
My question is 'Did the Bush take food off of poor families' table, or did he make thousands of wounded veterans pay more for their medical care, or did he kill Head Start or some other program to pay for this? Propaganda? Remebmer Bush 41 encouraged the Shiites in the South of Iraq to foment revolution against Saddam and then abandoned them to slaughter. What will the Bush 43 admin, which has no scruples whatsoever do to betray those who they encourage to stand up against the Ayotollahs today? Or will they say, now that they encouraged them, use that as a justification for war, to protect the freedom fighters, that are in the positon because of Bush admin propaganda?
I just do not believe anything these guys say. Do you?
Here is the link.
What Social Program paid for this?
Comment #39: Reed31463 said on 2/16/06 @ 5:21pm ET...
#34 Ron,
I know you know this, but I want to re-emphasise this for other readers. We need every patriot who is willing to fight, regardless of the past. We must look beyond embarrassing affiliations and compromises, in order to free those who are willing to fight, but are afraid to take a stand because of the the past.
I accept Senator Byrd's new found patriotism and I am willing to forgive him of the past, if he takes up this most noble of fights.
Judging from his vote today, he has apparently decided to take a stand.
#36 last thread
Yes are representatives are compromised by blackmail, threats, bribes, and/or desire for more power. We must be able to identify those who will stand up for the Constitution and put aside their compromised position no matter how embarrassing or how threatening.
Who is willing to stand up for what is right, regardless of the past? We must find these answers before we vote again. Leaders who are afraid now and act contrary to the best interests of this country, must be put on the line and asked to chose. The choice must be clear: the Constitution or Tyranny.
Do not despair. We far outnumber this tiny circle of power hungry psychotics and I have faith that some people cannot bought.
I DO expect many many lies, distractions, and overwhelming outrages. But, as more whistleblowers come forward, the credibility of this administration in the eyes of the hypnotized 37% will erode away and add to our numbers.
Even if martial law is declared, I refuse to believe the troops will enforce such orders. Unlike Kent State in Ohio, social differences between the troops and the administration protesters are not as vast as before.
Additionally, the average age in each group would be older than it was back then, which would result in less spontaneous reactive behavior.
I thank you all that make this forum possible. From JC to posters, thanks.
Comment #40: cali said on 2/16/06 @ 5:32pm ET...
If the dems don't use this in 06 they are not doing their job. How does this make America more secure when even a British judge knows this is NOT civilized?
A top British judge on Thursday permitted three British residents being held at Guantanamo Bay to take legal action in order to force the government to facilitate their release.
Judge Andrew Collins told London's High Court that the United States' idea of what constituted torture was "not the same as ours and doesn't appear to coincide with that of most civilized countries."
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=1628003
Comment #41: Citizen J said on 2/16/06 @ 5:54pm ET...
#36-"I do not believe the Democratic Party is as hapless as it seems to want me to think. I believe instead that what they do speaks louder than what they say."
Exactly right. One begins to wonder if this seeming total incompetence and ineffectiveness isn't JUST what they want. "WE'RE doing just FINE up here in the Beltway, thank you very much. Sure, the peasants (us) are complaining, but that's what peasants DO. PRETEND to listen, but it's bidness as usual up here in the Ivory Towers."
Comment #42: Genghis Khan said on 2/16/06 @ 6:02pm ET...
"intellectual pornography"
(snort)
I nominate that for sound-bite of the year.. hilarious.
Thanks for the imagery, POA.
Comment #43: Truth_in_action said on 2/16/06 @ 6:09pm ET...
#36 and #42 - I AGREE.
NOTHING matters to this administration. No fact, and no law. This Administration has stated Saying Makes It So. We Do What We Want and we change history and the future as we go along. And if you look around you, it is working. Cheney says he can de-classify? Well, he said he can, and what is going to stop him. (JC – you enter here…)
America is asleep. America is watching MSM TV Idol and Survivor shows. America is watching MSM news and Tax Dollar Paid For Propaganda ($1.6 billion anyone?). America is listening to propaganda right-wing radio from Rush and Hannity – just three hours a day, every day! (You’re a Great American – NOT!) Americans are talking like puppets, repeating what stupidity they see and hear as if it were true.
One of the most BLATENT abuses of our Tax Dollars are the President’s propaganda televised speeches all over the country, with only Republican-party attendees, captive servicemen and women or veterans to give a “so-called” appearance of authenticity to these propaganda speeches. Why are our tax dollars being used for propaganda speeches??? WHERE IS THE OUTRAGE???
The abuses of this Administration are unconscionable, and unaccountable, because so many remain cloaked in secrecy.
I do not know where we go from here. I’m feeling over my head, and looking out at what would save us. As I look at the our Congresspeople and Senators, I just end up shaking my head as they willingly give away our Democracy, except for a very certain few. Hats off to Feingold today, and as always, to you, JC. Yes, it looks willing, and purposeful. I am not inherently given massive intelligence and I GET IT. I cannot believe that elected officials, servants of the public, do not see and get it. I believe they know exactly what they are doing. People just cannot be that stupid.
----------------------------------------
Folks, I propose a new plan – working on THE INSIDE.
I’m going to start meditating every day and work on the inside to see democracy and freedom restored to this country. I urge you all to do the same.
It just feels like the Matrix, you know? I’m going to start to do serious inside battle, as well as on the outside.
As within… so without… Change the inside to change the outside.
Comment #44: Ron said on 2/16/06 @ 6:14pm ET...
#40: Reed31463
I booted back up to answer your post:
First of all I'm not so worried about Byrds past,being southern ,I understand the IQ of those that join the KKK. What worries me is that ,as he seems to have forgotten his past, he has damned us to live under similar circumstances,with his enthusiasm for Alito. He was very vocal in his support for Alito,so for me ,he is a traitor!
Comment #45: Reed31463 said on 2/16/06 @ 7:16pm ET...
#35 Frosty,
I interpreted the meaning of the paragraph slightly different than you did.
Senator Byrd asked the question:
"...can the Congress....conduct the type of thorough, far-ranging investigation which is necessary?"
He answered his own question as follows:
"Unfortunately, in a congressional election year, the effort will most likely be seriously hampered by politics."
He also stated within the same context:
"It is absolutely essential that Congress try, because it is vital to at least attempt the proper restoration of the checks and balances."
Which begs the question, why it is vital, even though he knows it will be blocked and hampered?
The implied answer to why it is vital is because IT IS an election year. I believe this is what he is implying to his colleagues. Or did I get caught trying to steal third?
If a resolution can make it to the Senate floor for a vote, which seems to have at least a good chance, given some GOP support, this will help voter determine who is for and who is against the Constitution in the Senate.
Comment #46: Reed31463 said on 2/16/06 @ 7:29pm ET...
Ron,
I truly understand the seniment. There are many that also share it.
I sent several email to him during the Alito filibuster that started, "Sen. Shytbyrd,"
I was surprised to see his speech and his vote today. I just hope he truly means what he says. Actions do speak louder than words and he has 9 months to carry out his words.
Thanks Ron
Peace brother and keep fighting the good fight.
Comment #47: Jay Lechnyr said on 2/16/06 @ 7:40pm ET...
Off Topic My apologies in advance for the length of this post.
NPR's All Things Considered has an audio report of the House Armed Services Committee holding a inquiry into a secret project called "Able Danger".
After listening to it, I would like to direct everyone to an invaluable article archived by the New Yorker.
Allow me to provide a 'readers digest' version. Mr. Cambone took control of all Special Access Programs in the military. In other words, he was put in charge of all the most secret programs our military had. One of these SAPs was using our best military operatives to get insurgency information from people in the countryside in Afganistan - with excellent results. This program was so secret because nobody was ever supposed to know about how they were getting this information. These were highly trained soldiers, their methods were (and still are) something the rest of us really don't want to hear about (because it would certainly upset us). As long as it was out of sight, out of mind, we Americans typically don't care.
That's how it was supposed to work.
But Rumsfeld was in charge and he fosters an environment of 'getting the job done no matter what'. Thus the pressure was on to get useful intelligence on the Iraqi insurgency and to get it now. Thus the pressure was on.
Cambone had never run an intellegence network. And there he was in charge of them all. All the intelligence officers knew better, but Cambone would not listen. He transplanted a program that was highly successful in Afganistan into Iraq. Normally, this would not be a problem. But the reason why it remained secret in Afganistan was because of the back woods rural nature of the nation. A missing man here or there draws little attention. People can disappear for days and not be missed and those doing the dissappearing can do so without much chance of being seen. Iraq, was completely different, only the desert is rural enough for this program. The cities are no place for stealthy kidnapping.
But Cambone went even further by placing the program directly into one of the most populated places in Iraq. Every intelligence officer beneath him knew there was absolutely no way of keeping that program a secret under those conditions.
The article concludes that Rumsfeld has lowered the bar. Rumsfeld did not lower the bar. That bar was this low for decades, folks. A certain amount of killing and torture has always been a part of doing business for the intelligence community. But they have always known that to be discovered is death. Either death for the operative; or for the program. It was Cambone who lost control of it. It was Cambone who put it into a place where it could never remain secret. Don't bame Rumsfeld for doing what we've always done. Blame Cambone for screwing it up so badly.
So how does this segue into today's hearing?
Cambone testified that a large amount of data concerning operation Able Danger was destroyed and gave reason as to why it was destroyed. All nice and tidy, right?
Cambone had been ordering data destroyed for years now. Most of the destroyed data references his mishandling of the SAP that led to the atrocities at Abu Ghraib.
Intelligence does not destroy data for privacy reasons. Intelligence does not know privacy. Data get's classified, and only years after it's considered no longer of any possible intelligence value is it ever destroyed.
Consider: he's destoying data only 5 years old that concerns terrorism while the NSA still preserves data on Hinkly's asassination attempt on Fmr. President Reagan because it is still considered 'of possible intelligence value'.
Your BS meter should be buried to the right by about now.
And how does this Administration deal with colossal screwups who remain loyal? Mr. Cambone has been promoted twice since then.
The man primarily responsible for causing possibly the greatest terrorist recruiting bonanza in the history of the world, ever, get's promoted.
Twice.
Comment #48: Jay Lechnyr said on 2/16/06 @ 7:45pm ET...
Sorry for the broken link
invaluable article
Comment #49: Rusty said on 2/16/06 @ 8:30pm ET...
The Republicans are blocking an investigation into Bush's domestic spying jihad against progressives?
What a stunning development. I haven't been this stunned since the sun rose in the east again this morning for the 3,875,488,364,213,900,000,000,000,000 time in a row since the formation of our solar system.
I've been kind of busy since I walked out of JC's blog, and have basically been conducting damage control operations since then.
Things started getting hectic for me on February 1st after I accidently shot five of my friends in the face with my $20,000 shotgun.
They all laughed and joked about it except for Heather, who always goes into her drama queen hissy fit act whenever someone shoots her in the face. It's not like I only shot her in the face, I shot four other people in the face too, but they didn't get all huffy about it.
I would have gone to the hospital to see how they were all doing, but I had important phone calls to make and had to have dinner and sober up from that case of beer I drank for lunch because JC didn't walk out of the SOTU, so that whole day is kind of blur to me.
Besides, if these people were stupid enough to get within thirty yards of me and my $20,000 shotgun while I was demonstrating my hunting skills for my admiring mistress, they deserved to have their faces shot off and it's hard to feel too sorry for them.
With all the silly fuss and commotion about that, I wasn't able to spy on any of my neighbors for three days, so if that Muslim guy across the street crashes a 747 into Heather's house, she damn well better not blame me for it.
So as everyone can see, I didn't post here for two weeks because I had other priorities. Thanks to five convenient deferments from Admin, I was able to attend some college classes while Frosty and Sanity and feline and others were in the front lines of this blog, fighting for their country.
Meanwhile, I haven't been able to procreate a lesbian daughter yet, but it hasn't been from lack of trying. Thanks to inadequate body armor, I'm in my last throes. I've had four heart attacks in two weeks, my knees hurt, and I can hardly wait for someone else to stand up so I can stand down.
All things considered, I think the next time I get an urge to post anything about the SOTU, I'll wait until the urge passes.
Comment #50: Alma said on 2/16/06 @ 8:44pm ET...
Thanks everyone for all the posts today.On days like this when I don't get a lot of computer time its nice to get a good roundup from here.I'm sure almost everyone here feels the same when their computer time is limited.
Welcome back Rusty.
Comment #51: Patriot said on 2/16/06 @ 8:54pm ET...
What a delight to see you back, Rusty. Thanks for the chuckle.
Sheriff's Reports on Cheney Shooting Incident
These answer some questions.
Comment #52: feline said on 2/16/06 @ 10:02pm ET...
#35 Frosted Flake, #45 Reed, and All:
On the issue of specific members of Congress upholding their oaths to defend the Constitution vs. defending the Administration's rebellion against the Constitution.
I have been in the throes of what I can only describe as mourning and grief over what seems to be the terminal illness of our Democracy. It's been a new emotion for me; I've certainly experienced other types of death and the emotions associated with it. This is different. But the stages one goes through feels basically the same. I can't remember all of the stages, but I believe the first one is Denial, which is the stage most Americans are in at this time. Most people aren't even aware of the disease, or understand the cause. Reality has started setting in for some, at which point fear, anger and guilt can manifest. Eventually, when the terminal nature of the situation takes over, Grief and Acceptance can happen. I need to remind myself that Acceptance is not the same as Resignation. I've been refusing to accept the fact that most members of Congress are not going to stand up for the People and the Constitution, or for themselves. I've been stuck here for awhile, because accepting that fact is very painful - I'm literally grief-stricken. But, I have to face the facts, or there's no moving forward. The American body politic is very, very sick.
I received an interesting email from People for the American Way, asking citizens to send a letter to our members of Congress and AG Gonzales to appoint a special prosecutor. It's a noble effort, and I will make it; but the idea of asking Senators Bond and Talent, Representative Hulsoff, and Attorney General Alberto Gonzales for help is so rife with paradox, I can only laugh. And it's really not even funny. It's tragic that my options are so desperate.
DIRECT ACTION
The public servants are not listening or acting on my behalf or on behalf of the oaths they've taken.
ORGANIZE NOW. ORGANIZE NOW. ORGANIZE NOW.
The Administration doesn't need to spy on Americans if Americans act on the fear of being spied upon. If we paralyze ourselves, become disconnected, stop speaking out, silence our dissent - that makes their job easy.
Fight or flight?
Having gotten through denial, fear, anger, guilt, grief, and acceptance of the realities of the situation, I have no choice other than to fight this disease with every ounce of strength that I have left.
ORGANIZE NOW. ORGANIZE NOW. ORGANIZE NOW!
Comment #53: Genghis Khan said on 2/16/06 @ 10:04pm ET...
"Sheriff Salinas was informed shortly after the incident by Secret Service agents by phone due to incompatibility of radio equipment."
DHS at your service.
HOW MUCH have we spent on that debacle of bureaucracy?
Comment #54: Jay Lechnyr said on 2/17/06 @ 5:10am ET...
Thank you Mr. Gengis Khan.
It would seem that the shooting incident is more comedic fodder than anything else. But it has served to highlight some personality quirks in Mr. Cheney.
All in all, I have to agree with Mr. Bushs assessment. The only thing he seemingly did wrong after shooting that guy was keeping mum about it. But I'm still wondering about the White House doctors getting involved with a civilian case in Texas. Beyond that, I'm reasonably satisfied with the his actions here.
