McCain Endorses Bush’s Illegal Wiretapping Program, Despite Saying President Should Not ‘Disobey Any Law’
McCain Endorses Bush’s Illegal Wiretapping Program, Despite Saying President Should Not ‘Disobey Any Law’
The New York Times’ Charlie Savage reports that in a recent letter, Douglas Holtz-Eakin, top adviser to Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), said McCain believes that the Constitution gave President Bush the authority to wiretap Americans “without warrants,” bringing him “into closer alignment” with the Bush administration’s views of executive power. In the letter, Holtz-Eakin wrote:
[H]earings purportedly designed to ‘get to the bottom of things’ have already occurred; and neither the Administration nor the telecoms need apologize for actions that most people, except for the ACLU and the trial lawyers, understand were Constitutional and appropriate in the wake of the attacks on September 11, 2001.
As Savage notes, this exoneration of the Bush administration is a stark departure from McCain’s expressed views on Bush’s wiretapping without a court order. In December, McCain, when asked if he would authorize illegal wiretapping, said the President should not disobey “any law“:
McCAIN: There are some areas where the statutes don’t apply, such as in the surveillance of overseas communications. Where they do apply, however, I think that presidents have the obligation to obey and enforce laws that are passed by Congress and signed into law by the president, no matter what the situation is.
Q: Okay, so is that a no, in other words, federal statute trumps inherent power in that case, warrantless surveillance?
McCAIN: I don’t think the president has the right to disobey any law.
The flip-flop on Bush’s wiretapping program comes as McCain also recently embraced a key administration goal: retroactive telecommunications immunity. In May, a McCain lawyer said that the senator would support immunity for telecoms that aided the administration’s warrantless wiretapping program only if the companies offered “heartfelt repentance” for their actions.
Days later, however, the McCain campaign said the lawyer “incorrectly represented” McCain’s position. Furthermore, in his recent letter, Holtz-Eakin emphasized that telecoms do not need to “apologize.”
In the past, McCain has criticized President Bush’s executive power grab, stating, “As President, I won’t have signing statements.” Today, however, he is moving toward embracing Bush’s sweeping claims on surveillance authority.
Topic Cloud
ArchivesBlog Roll
He’s promising to perform impeachable acts even before accepting the crown!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
June 6th, 2008 at 12:11 pmTruly, McInsane Is BushIII! Having proved he never met a position he can’t embrace both sides of, he’s now going to out Bush Bush! He’s gone from Mr. Maverik to Telecom’s Best Friend in less than 1 month! What woderous tricks does the Fabulous Morphing Man have in store, I wonder? Lord, let’s hope and pray that McInsane has a public meltdown before this gets even worse!
June 6th, 2008 at 12:11 pmImpeach Cheney and Bush and Save the Constitution!
Just what we need, another president who thinks if the president does it, it’s not illegal.
June 6th, 2008 at 12:12 pmFigures. The single greatest insult to the constitution, and single most fascist act by bushco and McSame signs on. Sieg Heil Herr McSame.
June 6th, 2008 at 12:13 pmZooey - that’s only if that president is Republican you see.
June 6th, 2008 at 12:14 pmIt may be PanderFest 2008, but in the end, McShame won’t win over any of the groups he courts. Too many sides of too many issues, and no capacity to remember what he said, when or to whom.
How much fun are we having here on the internets, playing “truth or consequences”?
PEACE
June 6th, 2008 at 12:14 pmOf course, Zooey - he’s a Republican. Nixon, Reagan, and both Bushes committed criminal acts and never paid the price. Law and order is for the little people.
June 6th, 2008 at 12:15 pmAnd amazingly, the MSM in some quarters anyway is actually picking this up. Allegedly, the NYT has this story on the FRONT PAGE. I haven’t seen it yet, but if reddit.com has any credibility…
June 6th, 2008 at 12:15 pmliberal traitor Says:
And amazingly, the MSM in some quarters anyway is actually picking this up. Allegedly, the NYT has this story on the FRONT PAGE. I haven’t seen it yet, but if reddit.com has any credibility…
I posted a comment about this on the Thinkfast thread this morning and provided the link.
June 6th, 2008 at 12:16 pm“…and neither the Administration nor the telecoms need apologize for actions that most people, except for the ACLU and the trial lawyers, understand were Constitutional and appropriate”
MOST people??!! You mean, of course, except for the majority of the American people and their elected representatives don’t you? I know how easy it must be but let’s not forget about them now.
June 6th, 2008 at 12:16 pmInsane McCain has long since passed into a twilight zone that requires nothing from him but saying what is most expedient at the moment. If the American voter is so dense as to fall for this pandering old fools drivel it will get exactly what it deserves. More of the same. No wonder mcsame falls for lobbyists palaver it’s his mindset
June 6th, 2008 at 12:18 pmMcSame McCain sure is desperate. His campaign funds must be so meager that he has to suck up to Bush and Bush’s Rolodex for contributions. Obviously, richly Cindy isn’t giving him a big enough allowance to chase this dream.
June 6th, 2008 at 12:20 pmOff topic - but important breaking news.
Senate Republicans Block Climate Change Bill
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ wp-dyn/ content/ article/ 2008/ 06/ 06/ AR2008060600333.html?hpid=topnews
June 6th, 2008 at 12:21 pmIt seems to me that THE ONLY people supporting immunity are the Administration, the telecom companies and the representatives that are receiving large sums of money from said telecom companies. Oh, and their sycophantic water carriers in the Right Wing media along with their flying monkey trolls. When you take the nation’s population into account it appears to be an incredibly small number of people who actually support immunity. McCant’s team is doing all they can to make their nominee about as irrelevant as our lame-assed-duck of a presnit.
June 6th, 2008 at 12:23 pmHas there been any evidence that the illegal wiretapping directly resulted in foiling a specific plot and/or apprehension of convicted terrorists? When will I receive my Retro-active Immunity card in the mail?
June 6th, 2008 at 12:24 pmCHANGE WE CAN BELIEVE IN ???? What a bunch of crap!!!! If the American people are so stupid to vote for this idiot and party, GOD HELP US.
McCain has flip floped so many times, you can’t tell his ass from his face.
Nothing more to say accept PUKE.
June 6th, 2008 at 12:30 pmMcCain has criticized President Bush’s executive power grab, stating, “As President, I won’t have signing statements.
- - And then McCain issued a signing statement rescinding his prior statements on not issuing signing statements.
June 6th, 2008 at 12:30 pmomg, he’s so STUPID!!!
for real, guys, can someone just take this guy out and put him out of his misery? I mean he’s on his last leg anyway!
June 6th, 2008 at 12:31 pmThe ONLY reason Bush wanted warrantless wire taps was to SPY on - Democrats, journalists, protesters, critics and his fellow criminal republicans.
He could careless about Osama Bin Forgotten, they are his buddies, keeps the Low Information Voters in line.
June 6th, 2008 at 12:32 pmIt coesn’t have to be a cruel affair or anything. It could be merciful, ok, I’m kidding but something has to be done about McNoBrain!
June 6th, 2008 at 12:32 pmDoesn’t typo
June 6th, 2008 at 12:32 pmMcCain is the top recipient of donations from telephone utilities
1 McCain, John (R) $332,795
2 Clinton, Hillary (D) $223,092
3 Obama, Barack (D) $185,898
http://opensecrets.org/ industries/ recips.php?ind=B08&cycle=2008&recipdetail=S&mem=Y&sortorder=U
June 6th, 2008 at 12:33 pm.
The Fourth Amendment says:
Our FREEDOM to be secure from our Government is under attack by the president.
Our FREEDOM to be secure is under attack by members of our Congress.
Those that wish to give up this FREEDOM need not call themselves Americans as in being an American one is GUARANTEED the Fourth Amendment, AN NO LESS!
R E M E M B E R:
THEY(sic) HATE US FOR OUR FREEDOMS…
… And so THEY(sic) attempt to legitimise undermining the FREEDOM to be an American.
Q U E S T I O N:
What does John McCain support and defend IF NOT our Right to be an American?
When John McCain demonstrates a purpose of evasion or mental reservation to his Oath of Office, is that a faithful execution of that Oath?
Oath of Office says:
I WANT MY FREEDOM TO BE AN AMERICAN, BACK!
.
June 6th, 2008 at 12:34 pmThis is the first card in the usual IT’S SCARY OUT THERE! VOTE REPUBLICAN AND LIVE!! propaganda that they’ll be trotting out.
They’ll make up some stuff about some massive plot they foiled and the media will swallow it whole without fact checking. And the media will never ask the question that if this wiretapping was active prior to 9/11, why didn’t it stop that attack, which would tumble the whole house of cards the right wing and McSame are trying to create.
June 6th, 2008 at 12:35 pmMax-1 Excellent post!
June 6th, 2008 at 12:38 pmI think that Obama needs to start a “Burma Shave” type of advertising campaign against McCain. Use the same format and daily play something McCain said, then play what he said at a later date to completely contradict what he said the first time. End them all with “John McCain, panderer extrodinnaire”.
June 6th, 2008 at 12:38 pm#13 impeachcheneythenbush Says:
–
Off topic - but important breaking news.
Senate Republicans Block Climate Change Bill
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ wp-dyn/ content/ article/ 2008/ 06/ 06/ AR2008060600333.html?hpid=topnews
That bill needs to be canned and a real Climate Change Bill needs to be done. Libermann(R) and Warner(R) did that bill. Check out my post #1 on the Think Fast Thread, on part of the problem with that bill. Plus, cleaning up the gas emission until 2050, that isn’t solving the problem that is putting it off. Bad bill, alot of Nuclear subsidies involved. I wish we had a real Climate Change Bill, but a Democratic is probably going to have to write it.
Always beware if Lieberman is involved.. Have a good day..
June 6th, 2008 at 12:38 pmMcIIIrd must have the longest legs on the planet. He’s able to stand on both sides of the fence on pretty much every issue.
June 6th, 2008 at 12:40 pmHoly sh*t!!
So McZombie was for the Constitution - before he was against it???
Oh man, if he gets in, we are soooooo very focked.
June 6th, 2008 at 12:42 pmTop 2 recipients tele utilities for all cycles: (1990-2008)
Bush, George W (R-) $822,455
McCain, John (R-) $821,987
http://opensecrets.org/ industries/ summary.php?ind=B08&cycle=All&recipdetail=M&sortorder=U
June 6th, 2008 at 12:45 pmNo- FISA is different rogers… they didn’t want to get approval from ANYBODY…
June 6th, 2008 at 12:53 pmI agree FISA should be enough- why are Republicans against it?
Why are they against oversight of any kind? Even double-secret oversight like FISA? Could it be that they know what they are doing is ILLEGAL?
June 6th, 2008 at 12:58 pmSee- I know about Wikipedia, too…
‘the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court can grant emergency approval for wiretaps within hours, officials say.
Administration officials counter that they sometimes need to move more urgently, the officials said. Those involved in the program also said that the N.S.A.’s eavesdroppers might need to start monitoring large batches of numbers all at once, and that it would be impractical to seek permission from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court first, according to the officials.’
Within hours would be too slow?!
Why would they need to “start monitoring large batches of numbers all at once”?
What a bunch of bunk!
June 6th, 2008 at 1:05 pmThe Great Octagon: the eight-sided McCain. He is one of the eight Wonders of the Bush Crime World… Sorry, folks, but the McCain ate our Constitution…
June 6th, 2008 at 1:06 pmEvery GOP’er uses the defense of illegal spying due to their mistaken belief that the oath the president takes upon entering office says anything about protecting the American citizen. The oath of office says nothing about protect you and I. It does speak very specifically about swearing to uphold the Constitution.
Anytime our trolls try and claim the Presidents job is to protect us, they are mis-reading (probably on purpose) the nature of the oath of office. I don’t need to be protected. I need the Constitution & Bill of Rights protected.
June 6th, 2008 at 1:10 pmAnd FISA was only first passed in responce to nixon…why would that be?.
Because Nixon abused his office and spied on everybody from John Lennon to political adversaries.
BTW, many ex-nixon staffers populate our WH now. Now, why would that be? Same criminals, different time.
June 6th, 2008 at 1:12 pmMy friends, how old is John McCain? He is so old that he remembers hunting saber-toothed tigers when he was a boy…
June 6th, 2008 at 1:13 pmCorrect StratRat,
June 6th, 2008 at 1:17 pmIt is the Bill of Rights contained within the Constitution that provide me the tools for my protection and securities.
Max-1 Says:
Correct StratRat,
It is the Bill of Rights contained within the Constitution that provide me the tools for my protection and securities.
Both are wonderfully self-contained documents. If they are left alone - and followed - this would be the country it was meant to be. The founding fathers did a pretty good job creating this nation. Why does the right side hate the founding fathers and the documents they created?
June 6th, 2008 at 1:21 pmHe’s says he’s amended FISA- but that’s not what constitutional lawyers think- and that’s what this thread is about, just ’cause the President says, ‘I change this law!’ don’t mean it’s so… FISA doesn’t need amending- it works fine, unless you want to abuse the wiretaps illegally… that’s what we’re talking about here.
June 6th, 2008 at 1:23 pmOval12345678 aka James K. Sayre Says:
My friends, how old is John McCain? He is so old that he remembers hunting saber-toothed tigers when he was a boy…
Buckie, I think you have a request: One order of saber-toothed tigers and peanut butter and rocks sandwuches on table 8.
June 6th, 2008 at 1:26 pmIt’s hard to say what McCain stands for anymore. As Savage points out he’s flip-flopped on telecom amnesty and warrantless spying on Americans, he once denounced the religious right’s influence on American politics and then sought the endorsment of Hagee and he’s denounced signing statements but was completely silent when about Bush’s signing statement regarding the his own ‘torture’ bill, not that it made any difference, the watered down bill had already excluded the CIA from complying with it anyway.
The notion that McCain is a maverick who will stand up to his party is nothing more than a myth fostered by an unquestioning media that’s absolutely in love with this man.
http://progressiveworldreview.com
June 6th, 2008 at 1:28 pmYes, then all the white males would be happy with they’re constitutionally protected rights.who are you kidding?.
This thread has to do with illegal spying and abuse of office. My references to those great documents where in response to the topic of this thread. Is that hard to follow; or do you typically project your own wishes onto others?
June 6th, 2008 at 1:33 pmrogers Says:
No, bush has only ammended FISA with the patriot act, and protect america act…
No Bush ignored FISA and started wholesale tapping with no warrants, that is what the problem is.
Why don’t you actually read about an issue before wasting our time by posting ignorant crap?
June 6th, 2008 at 1:35 pmWhy don’t you actually read about an issue before wasting our time by posting ignorant crap?
It is really frustrating the trolls don’t care more about the laws and the abuse of those laws. Any American should be aware of governmental over-reach and how that over-reach will splinter the fabric of our nation. The issues we face about spying and the like affect EVERY American - not just Rep or Dem. Is the loyalty to the right side ideaology trump what is good for the nation? I appears so.
June 6th, 2008 at 1:40 pmFISA is legal, the warrantless wiretapping is not…
June 6th, 2008 at 1:40 pmStratRat Says:
Why don’t you actually read about an issue before wasting our time by posting ignorant crap?
It is really frustrating the trolls don’t care more about the laws and the abuse of those laws.
Most of the trolls are here either for attention or as apologists for Bush and the neocons. Stopping to think about something like the Constitution would just get in the way of a quick, meaningless response.
June 6th, 2008 at 1:47 pmBut it’s a legal process with SOME oversight… do you understand the difference, rogers.
June 6th, 2008 at 1:51 pmOne is legal, the other is illegal.
It’s black and white, your favorite kind of issue.
StratRat says:
Both are wonderfully self-contained documents. If they are left alone - and followed - this would be the country it was meant to be. The founding fathers did a pretty good job creating this nation. Why does the right side hate the founding fathers and the documents they created?
Strat,
It isn’t JUST Republicans. Please, let’s not feed the notion that it’s JUST republicans that lead to this mess. There are several Democrats that support and tolerate this behavior. Perpetuating the myth of it ONLY being republicans does just that, perpetuates the problem as it gives cover for the Democrats that seek to undermine American Principles because the myth says only republicans do it.
America is cursed with a Body of Congress Elites that seek to gain superior power over the People. THEY(sic) hate those FREEDOM granted to the People, this is why they can argue and debate the merits to undermining those FREEDOMS, and attempt to legislate away those FREEDOMS.
June 6th, 2008 at 1:51 pmStratRat Says:
And FISA was only first passed in responce to nixon…why would that be?.
Because Nixon abused his office and spied on everybody from John Lennon to political adversaries.
BTW, many ex-nixon staffers populate our WH now. Now, why would that be? Same criminals, different time.
Yup, the same TREASONOUS Rapeublicans that were in Nixon’s criminal gang of unamerikkkan THUGS.
70 YEARS of Bush TREASON–from Granddaddy Prescott laundering Nazi money to Daddy’s CIA, to TRAITOR Jr.–all unamerikkkan scumbags…
June 6th, 2008 at 2:02 pmI can’t wait until TRAITOR Bush DROPS DEAD.
And goes DIRECTLY to hell with his MASTER Satan and TRAITOR Ronnie Reagan, now DEAD and BURNING.
Satan is gonna take a 2×4 and WALLOP Bush’s head for ETERNITY.
As it SHOULD be.
GO Bush’s MASTER Satan!!!
June 6th, 2008 at 2:05 pmActually McSame may prove to be the best friend short wave radio and purveyors of spread-spectrum sat phones ever had!Not to worry,it has always been easier to disrupt communications and encrypt same than to protect and monitor!
June 6th, 2008 at 2:11 pmRogers sez:
June 6th, 2008 at 2:20 pmNo, it doesn’t give up any 4th amend. protection because it requires a WARRANT. Therein lies the difference…
If you wanna argue that the FISA court is TOO secretive and should be open to more scrutiny that’s another discussion.
I happen to think that it’s a reasonable compromise that affords ample protection while also giving law enforcement the tools they need.
But what we’re discussing is the concept that the executive branch can unilaterally declare that oversight too constrictive and bring into being a new law merely by wishing it so.
That is illegal, unconstitutional, and wrong. That’s why McCain is wrong to back it and why Bush is wrong to suggest it…
you are wrong when you start your ‘all evil is equal and all is therefore allowed’ rant again- it ain’t so, one is legal if secretive- the other is illegal, stupid and evil and leads us down the path to despotism.
It’s truly sad to see McCain sell out time and time again. I had always thought he got a raw deal running against GWB in South Carolina and if any republican would see an opportunity to break from this current administration it would have been the “Maverick”.
He’s now an insult to that monicker. More like LapDog.
June 6th, 2008 at 2:21 pmI’m trying to get rid of it… I’ve been working as hard as I can for the last seven years to rid our government of Bush’s insanity and fighting people like you the whole time…
June 6th, 2008 at 2:33 pmFISA is legal.
‘IT’ is illegal, what don’t you understand?
rogers sez:
Well, FISA was created for the same reason as what bush does…
For the first time on this thread, you are absolutely right… FISA and the Warrantless Wiretapping the NSA is doing were created for the same reason and they accomplish the same thing, that’s what we’ve been saying all along, except one is legal and has safeguards and oversight to prevent misuse and the other doesn’t…
June 6th, 2008 at 2:42 pmMcCain believes that the Constitution gave President Bush the authority to wiretap Americans “without warrants,” bringing him “into closer alignment” with the Bush administration’s views of executive power
I don’t need a shitty pilot who is an adulterer , full of crap , and is a pandering old skid mark to try and decipher the Constitution for me………….
BTW
I also finished 5th in my class ; but it wasn’t the bottom end of the totem pole
June 6th, 2008 at 2:50 pmrogers Says:
——————————————————————————–
belac Says:
Well, FISA was created for the same reason as what bush does… if you don’t like what he does, or think its wrong, get rid of it…or accept its nessesary.
June 6th, 2008 at 2:27 pm
FISA wasn’t created to illegally spy on Americans without a warrant , you Chimpy apologist stooge…….
June 6th, 2008 at 2:52 pmI wonder how roger_roger would react if it was BushCo coming after all his unregistered guns?
June 6th, 2008 at 4:24 pm.
Why does rogers hate American Freedoms so, that he supports their usurpation?
Why is rogers so willing to give up defining qualities to what it means to BE an American?
On what grounds can rogers call himself an American if he is so willing to divest himself from the very fabric his America was cut from?
Is rogers a Loyalist or a Patriot?
Patriots come in all shades of Blue, Red, White, Black, Brown, Yellow… Loyalists only bleed red.
.
June 6th, 2008 at 5:34 pm