Hayden Dodged Questions on Whether Spying Program Targets Political Opponents or Journalists
Hayden Dodged Questions on Whether Spying Program Targets Political Opponents or Journalists
Deputy Director of National Intelligence Michael Hayden appeared yesterday on Fox News Sunday and ABC’s This Week. On both programs, he was asked whether President Bush’s warrantless domestic spying program was being used to spy on individuals with no connection to terrorism.
Both of Hayden’s responses were missing an important word — “No.” Instead, Hayden claimed that NSA officials “don’t have the time” to spy on innocent Americans:
ABC’s GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: The concern, of course, is that it’s going to capture Americans that have nothing to do with al Qaeda.
HAYDEN: Right.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Let me try to give you a hypothetical. I went to Pakistan after 9/11. I interviewed a Taliban representative. If, after that interview, that person calls me, am I captured?
HAYDEN: I can’t get into operational details, but the way we do this is based on the people most knowledgeable of al Qaeda, its communications, its intentions, its tactics, techniques and procedures. And so we really don’t have the time or the resources, the linguists, to linger, to go after things that aren’t going to protect the homeland.
From Fox:
FOX’s MIKE WALLACE: Let me ask another question which I’m sure concerns a lot of people. Can you assure Americans that there is no spying on political opponents or political critics of the Bush administration?
HAYDEN: Chris, this is focused on al Qaeda. The only justification we have to undertake this program is to detect and prevent attacks against the United States. We don’t have the time or the lawful authority to do anything except that.
Multiple news reports have shown that the program was used to spy on thousands of innocent Americans with no ties to al Qaeda, and the Bush administration has been caught spying on political opponents on multiple occassions.
Bush officials cannot be allowed to spin this question. The burden is on them to show that the program has not been used to spy on journalists or political opponents.
UPDATE: Via MyDD, Hayden has dodged this question before:
Gen. Michael Hayden refused to answer question about spying on political enemies at National Press Club. At a public appearance, Bush’s pointman in the Office of National Intelligence was asked if the NSA was wiretapping Bush’s political enemies. When Hayden dodged the question, the questioner repeated, “No, I asked, are you targeting us and people who politically oppose the Bush government, the Bush administration? Not a fishing net, but are you targeting specifically political opponents of the Bush administration?” Hayden looked at the questioner, and after a silence called on a different questioner. (Hayden National Press Club remarks, 1/23/06) (video) (audio)
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28 Responses to “Hayden Dodged Questions on Whether Spying Program Targets Political Opponents or Journalists”
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Is today ground hog day?
February 6th, 2006 at 9:22 amOr Yes, as the case may be.
February 6th, 2006 at 9:22 amIndeed, Albert.
February 6th, 2006 at 9:25 amDidn't Hayden also say that the 72 hour time frame for obtaining an warrant was an "urban myth"?
February 6th, 2006 at 9:26 am"according to accounts from current and former government officials and private-sector sources"
"But officials conversant with the program"
"according to an authoritative account"
" Two knowledgeable sources"
Let's find each and every one of these people and throw them in jail. If the "journalists" refuse to cooperate with the investigation into who is "leaking" or "lying" information then throw them in jail as well.
February 6th, 2006 at 9:36 amThe General left out a lot. He has been forbidden to tell the truth as it would be out of LockStep with the president and the faith base and the neo cons.
Why and how does the American people and the MSM allow the Term of Our Homeland overtake Our Country
5000 citizens or more have been listen in on .how many emails and web searches has been mined?
By going around FISA is more than grounds for Impeachment
By going to War against a country that proved to be no more of a threat than Canada is grounds for Impeachment.
Invading Iran and setting off bombs is grounds for impeachment.
In Iran we will be at war with both China and Russia and the American Dollar will be worthless as Iran is quickly moving into the Euro Dollar and that will devalue the American Dollar.
That will also destablize this country and push Washington into moving faster to take Control of the Middle East . 2.5 Trillion dollars for Military Funding
NIH was frozen for research in disease... Medicaid/Medicare funding cut ,education funding cuts the list goees on and on but the Military Funding gets bigger and bigger and spying on Americans and destroying Civil Liberties is the way of Dicatorships ......
Its time for all good men/women to come to the aid of their country....
Its time for Fox News to take a stand For America!
Its time for all MSM to take a stand for America and the world.'Nuff Said'
February 6th, 2006 at 9:36 amIf it is true that only Al-Quada, and their Allies were targeted, then why not go to the FISA court? After all they would issue warrants to wiretap any terrorists and terrorist concluders in the U.S.
February 6th, 2006 at 9:42 amNeed to edit text which currently reads:
From Fox:
FOX’s MIKE WALLACE: Let me ask another question which I’m sure concerns a lot of people. Can you assure Americans that there is no spying on political opponents or political critics of the Bush administration?
That's Chris Wallace, the untalented partisan hack son of Mike, as noted in the response. After Mike Wallace dissed bush as to his incompetence and lack of intellectual curiosity, I doubt Faux news would hire him. Most shameful was how Chris responded by saying his old man had "lost it" and needed to be put in a home.
February 6th, 2006 at 9:52 amyes, bnutter #4, i heard hayden say that on stephenopolis yesterday morning...
February 6th, 2006 at 10:01 amoops - STEPHANOPOULOS - correct spelling.
February 6th, 2006 at 10:03 am#5 "Let’s find each and every one of these people and throw them in jail. If the “journalists†refuse to cooperate with the investigation into who is “leaking†or “lying†information then throw them in jail as well."
Comment by I-RIGHT-I
I come from a country where something called the "Internal Security Act" is used regularly to suppress legitimate dissent, to lock up middle-of-the-road opposition politicians, where the press is muzzled so that it can only say "supportive" things about political leaders (how they're doing a wonderful job, how concerned they are about the well-being of the people...yabada, yabada), and where you're locked up if you demonstrate against ANYTHING.
I-RIGHT-I: I've spent the bulk of my adult life wishing I had the freedoms you have in your country. You have no idea what's ahead of you when you talk like that...
You have no idea at all that your country is going downhill when you talk like that...
You have no idea what you're giving up.
February 6th, 2006 at 10:11 amI-RIGHT-I: I’ve spent the bulk of my adult life wishing I had the freedoms you have in your country. You have no idea what’s ahead of you when you talk like that…
You have no idea at all that your country is going downhill when you talk like that…
You have no idea what you’re giving up.
Comment by downhill
I come from a country where our Constitution and laws are twisted and perverted by Left Wing Thugs to dissemble and to manipulate public opinion for the purpose of destroying our country. It is an unfortunate fact that democracy and freedom are just words in the mouths of most Americans. As some man has recently put it, "The US Constitution is not a suicide pact."
I call your attention to a law that was written in a time of war when we again found ourselves with enemies both foreign and domestic....
THE ESPIONAGE ACT OF 1917
Act of June 15, 1917, ch. 30, title I, §3, 40 Stat. 219,
amended by Act of May 16, 1918, ch. 75, 40 Stat. 553-54,
reenacted by Act of Mar. 3, 1921, ch. 136, 41 Stat. 1359,
current version codified at 18 U.S.C. §2388
Sec. 3. Whoever, when the United States is at war, shall willfully make or convey false reports or false statements with intent to interfere with the operation or success of the military or naval forces of the United States or to promote the success of its enemies and whoever, when the United States is at war, shall willfully cause or attempt to cause insubordination, disloyalty, mutiny, or refusal of duty, in the military or naval forces of the United States, or shall willfully obstruct the recruiting or enlistment service of the United States, to the injury of the service or of the United States, shall be punished by a fine of not more than $10,000 or imprisonment for not more than twenty years, or both.
February 6th, 2006 at 10:54 amDownhill - all too correct. America has been going downhill for 5 years now, and will continue to go downhill until the people wake up, take control of whatever shard of government they have left, and oust the bastards in control.
It should be noted here that NSA has been spying on Americans ever since shortly after it was formed. Their net reaches wide and has no holes.
February 6th, 2006 at 10:58 amDownhill - all too correct. America has been going downhill for 5 years now, and will continue to go downhill until the people wake up, take control of whatever shard of government they have left, and oust the bastards in control.
Comment by Paul in Mexico
If I were you I'd worry about your own country. How did you like my idea about sending all of your citizens back home trained and armed?
February 6th, 2006 at 11:55 amDiebold OUT in TN. We proved to them how easy the machines were to hack (showing them actually, it was truly simple, even a troll could do it) and they told us they didn't care, we just have to trust them. We told them to take their snakeoil down to the next state who doesn't care about honest elections.
February 6th, 2006 at 1:09 pmWe told them to take their snakeoil down to the next state who doesn’t care about honest elections.
Comment by progressive and proud
The machines were a terrible idea from the get-go. Not only could they be hacked but how could anyone expect the majority of democrats who would use them to learn how to operate them when they can't even figure out the "punch a hole" method of voting?
February 6th, 2006 at 1:34 pmGeneral Hayden is a massive liar and a criminal!
He should be read his Meranda Rights and arrested for breaking the FISA laws regarding warrantless wiretaps!
He should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law!
February 6th, 2006 at 2:19 pmHe should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law!
Comment by Jay Randal
Yeah! That what he deserves for trying to protect his family and his country from your friends the Islamist Head Choppers.
February 6th, 2006 at 2:53 pmBlathering fools/tools for Bush: Spy on us, were scared of brown people.
February 6th, 2006 at 4:56 pmI wrongee. For information for you very addled brain, let me say to you that I am an American. I moved down here to get away from George W. Bush and other crazies like you.
Never regretted it one bit either.
February 6th, 2006 at 5:05 pmNever regretted it one bit either.
Comment by Paul in Mexico
I love Mexico and the Meskin peoples even though it is a shithole run by world class tyrants and crooks. But you're full of shit if you think you did anything but jump out of the pan and into the fire. That said I'm looking at some small villages on the West coast as possible retirement spots where I can paint nekkid Meskin womens and drink beer all day. I've almost raped and pillaged enough to retire early. Yeah for me.
February 6th, 2006 at 5:46 pmI-R-I > General Hayden is NOT a patriot > he is a criminal thug who spies on innocent people illegally without warrants!
February 6th, 2006 at 10:08 pmLooking thru the Links given, check this out;
California Attorney General Bill Lockyer issued guidelines in July specifying that state and local law enforcement agencies shouldn't spy on political protesters without reasonable suspicion of criminal activity. He said the guidelines were needed after U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft authorized federal agents to monitor political and religious groups without evidence of criminal activity, something Lockyer said is prohibited by California's constitution.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ashcroft resigned (loyalty issue?) soon after Bush Asked him to approve spying on (?) Ashcroft denied to do that. Now we gain insight into WHY Ashcroft DIDNT sign off on Bushes Taps.
Ashcroft did it once before and got Caught, even for King Bush he wouldnt do it again.
Ya know for once, Ashcroft actually grew some Huevos.
February 6th, 2006 at 10:25 pmCan the OLD GUARD Conservatives muster up some Nads as well?
I love Mexico and the Meskin peoples even though it is a shithole run by world class tyrants and crooks. But you’re full of shit if you think you did anything but jump out of the pan and into the fire. That said I’m looking at some small villages on the West coast as possible retirement spots where I can paint nekkid Meskin womens and drink beer all day. I’ve almost raped and pillaged enough to retire early. Yeah for me.
Comment by I-RIGHT-I — February 6, 2006 @ 5:46 pm
Rape and Pillage, you mean like the college republicans ripping off those old Men and Women with their "organizations"
February 6th, 2006 at 10:28 pmHow about Delay ripping off the Elderly with his "Family Values"
But hey your a Mysoginist Right IRI?
You hate women so then you hate your mother.
Im guessing she took one look at you and put you up for adoption.
SO tell us your sad story.
Hey I-WRONG-I
you still reading that Gary North Trash?
You want to abolish the Constitution right?
February 6th, 2006 at 10:31 pmCreate poor Farms?
Get rid of min wage?
Hey I-WRONG-I
you still reading that Gary North Trash?
You want to abolish the Constitution right?
Create poor Farms?
Get rid of min wage?
Comment by mr ho
Mr. ho, you are not making sense, again. I will gladly hand you your ass but first I must understand your point. Making up nonsense and putting words in my mouth will not get you the attention from me you desire. Kindly stay on (my)topic or STFU. Thank you Mr. ho.
February 7th, 2006 at 10:17 amWhat a waste of bandspace on the internet.
May 6th, 2006 at 1:24 pm[...] The creation of John Negroponte's job (Director of National Intelligence) in itself weakened the authority of the CIA director, yet the creation of Director of National Intelligence has less control over Pentagon's intelligence gathering apperatus. So because of the way DNI's job was defined in legislation contrary to the recommedations of the House-Senate Intelligence Committee accountabilty, breaking down barriers of communication and rapid response has been weakened. Yet the military has been given an incredibly free hand, to the point of acting outside of FISA law at the president's direction. Apparently the fringe right, ever faithful Bush lap dogs are trying to make the case that the military has always been involved with the CIA. As with most arguments made by Bush supporters they're cherry picking the facts. There haven't been any active duty military to head the modern era CIA, Sidney William Souers was active duty for about the first seven months after his appointment , but was relieved of active duty in July of 1946.(for key events in the evolution of the US intelligence community see here) Then there is the question of General Hayden's veracity. So far Hayden's record shows a tendency to cover for the administration at the expense of the rule of law ( if we are indeed at war isn't now the very time that devotion to the principles of democracy should be Hayden and his conservative supporter's guide, rather then misguided zealotry), Hayden Dodged Questions on Whether Spying Program Targets Political Opponents or Journalists HAYDEN: Chris, this is focused on al Qaeda. The only justification we have to undertake this program is to detect and prevent attacks against the United States. We don’t have the time or the lawful authority to do anything except that. [...]
May 16th, 2006 at 3:59 am