Addington won’t talk about torture because ‘al Qaeda may watch C-SPAN.’
Addington won’t talk about torture because ‘al Qaeda may watch C-SPAN.’
In today’s hearing, when pressed by Rep. Bill Delahunt (D-MA), David Addington refused to discuss the specific interrogation techniques authorized by the Bush administration. “I’m not in a position to talk about particular techniques…or their legal status,” he said. The reason? Because al Qaeda may be watching:
DELAHUNT: Oh I can understand why [the President] doesn’t talk about it.
ADDINGTON: Because you kind of communicate with al Qaeda. If you do — I can’t talk to you, al Qaeda may watch C-SPAN.
DELAHUNT: Right. Well, I’m sure they are watching, and I’m glad they finally have a chance to see you, Mr. Addington.
ADDINGTON: Yeah, I’m sure you’re pleased.
Watch it:
The Bush administration has repeatedly used this excuse to stifle debate on controversial issues. Last August, National Intelligence Director Michael McConnell said “Americans are going to die” if surveillance is discussed openly. In July, Undersecretary of Defense Eric Edelman told Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) that “public discussion” of an Iraq withdrawal “reinforces enemy propaganda.”
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Oh SNAP, Bill Delahunt with the b!tchslap. Damn, I love living in Massachusetts sometimes. Now if only I could get my Rep. Mike Capuano to support impeachment…
June 26th, 2008 at 4:06 pmand your point is?
Oh wait, that’s right, I’m ignoring you from now on since you are irrelevant.
June 26th, 2008 at 4:15 pmrogerse Says:
addington only volunteered to testify when he was “subpoenad” anyway.
What’s this? rogerse is admitting that Addington is a weasel?
June 26th, 2008 at 4:16 pmAnother Addington lie. I have it on good authority that al Qaeda favors Spike TV — they love the wrestling and James Bond marathons.
June 26th, 2008 at 4:16 pmWho cares if Al Qaeda watches CSPAN and hears us talking about torture? It’s those who are pi$$ed off but are not yet in Al Qaeda who will be driven to them by our torture that we need to worry about. Having these men and women see that the US does not as a whole support this, and we are in the midst of a national political nightmare of farreaching proportions would actually be GOOD for our war strategy. Torture harms our troops, end of story.
June 26th, 2008 at 4:18 pmIs this a surprise? Authoritarians have always sought to control information. The less anyone knows about anything, the better it is for them.
Democrats, on the other hand (small “d” democrats) know that the better informed the populace is, the better the government will serves its needs.
June 26th, 2008 at 4:19 pmSo many snakes, so little snake-banishing balm.
Addington is one of many who should be hung by the _____s after his trial and conviction for treason.
June 26th, 2008 at 4:20 pmWe don’t want to give away our torture secrets? We wouldn’t want terrorists to know how to torture like we do? WTF?
June 26th, 2008 at 4:20 pmDiscussion of war crimes by sitting presidents only emboldens the enemy, right, David?
Right from the Yoo playbook.
June 26th, 2008 at 4:21 pmDoes this dolorous dimwit actually believe his own dreary, dismal dronings? Is Al Queda actually going to drop everything and send a hit team against him?? Where does the administration find humanoids like Addington? When, oh Lord When, will Congress actually start enforcing the Law and performing their Constitutionally mandated function of Oversight?
June 26th, 2008 at 4:21 pmImpeach Pelosi, Cheney and Bush and Save the Constitution!
I, for one, don’t want any of my tax dollars used to protect Addington or Yoo. Show their faces, let them deal with the repercussions of their criminal activities.
PEACE
June 26th, 2008 at 4:25 pmWhy is every criminal action by the Bush Administration a “Secret”?
Oh, yeah…forgot…it’s because they are all criminals, duh.
June 26th, 2008 at 4:26 pm…but…but…but…America doesn’t torture! So what in the world would Addington have to hide?
/snark off
June 26th, 2008 at 4:26 pmal Qaeda is too busy watching the Miss America pageant. ;)
June 26th, 2008 at 4:45 pmhate to even bring this up because i’d much rather this be an open hearing, but if these arseholes are going to play that game can’t conyers close it to C-SPAN?
DELAHUNT - Okay, Addington! AQ is no longer watching so now answer the goshdamn question!
TP moderators,
June 26th, 2008 at 4:46 pmIs that better? Geesh! Just calling ‘em as i see ‘em!
Wow. Addington said “al Qaeda may watch C-SPAN” with a serious face.
What a dingleberry.
June 26th, 2008 at 4:48 pmI tend to treat terrorists as secret agents. And secret agents get tortured. No problem. Fact of life. They don’t wear uniforms and they have no honor. But that does not mean you:
1. Publicly talk (brag ie. “Darkside”) about it.
2. And open torture facilities and advertize that you torture.
Which is what the goobers did.
June 26th, 2008 at 4:52 pmOh, fer the luvva Jebus….
*eyeroll* What an ass.
June 26th, 2008 at 4:52 pmTricky bit that admission to being a party to war crimes, crimes against humanity, federal crimes in the US against torture, crimes attributed to countries where rendition and torture were carried out by request. Violation of the Geneva convention. You know, technicalities.
June 26th, 2008 at 4:54 pmAddington is more proof that reich-wingers are the dumbest “humans” on the planet.
June 26th, 2008 at 4:54 pmThat’s an idea.
June 26th, 2008 at 4:59 pmDrop thousands of pictures of some of these people over the ME with captions that read ‘the men who ordered torture’.
He really doesn’t care if al Qaeda may be watching…
June 26th, 2008 at 5:02 pm.
He is really worried that Americans may be watching.
I happened to see some of the proceedings today and between Addington and Yoo, I don’t know which one is more despicable, more arrogant, or more loathsome.
June 26th, 2008 at 5:05 pmThey are a disgrace to public service.
Wow, Al Qaeda gets all its info from C-SPAN… who knew!!!! (And how come they can get accurate information watching our news when the American public can’t???)
June 26th, 2008 at 5:08 pmThat’s what I’ve gotten from just these clips on TP, Marie.
ARROGANCE
June 26th, 2008 at 5:08 pmAnd don’t forget CONTEMPT, Zooey. I should be passed even mild surprise at these scum, but, they still manage it.
And, I have a general question. Is anyone aware of a rule/law which prevents the Chair of a hearing from ordering everyone without a given level of clearance out of the room? Then COMPEL the witness to answer a question?
WTF is wrong with these people?
June 26th, 2008 at 5:18 pmMarie Says:
I happened to see some of the proceedings today and between Addington and Yoo, I don’t know which one is more despicable, more arrogant, or more loathsome.
They are a disgrace to public service.
And how can CalBerkley keep that scumbag Yoo on staff after all this? Are they afraid of him or do they actually feel he brings ANYTHING of value to their law program?
I am really confused here and would never want my child to go to school there.
June 26th, 2008 at 5:19 pmupside99 Says:
Marie Says:
I happened to see some of the proceedings today and between Addington and Yoo, I don’t know which one is more despicable, more arrogant, or more loathsome.
They are a disgrace to public service.
And how can CalBerkley keep that scumbag Yoo on staff after all this? Are they afraid of him or do they actually feel he brings ANYTHING of value to their law program?
I am really confused here and would never want my child to go to school there.
June 26th, 2008 at 5:19 pm
I have a feeling that “librul universities” are becoming as much a myth as the “librul media”. Not content with diploma mills and brainwashing factories like Liberty and Regent Universities, the Rheichwing is making their push in academia.
June 26th, 2008 at 5:26 pm“Addington won’t talk about torture because ‘al Qaeda may watch C-SPAN.’”
LOL! Addington is certainly Cheney’s Cheney. The most retarded comment that I ever heard. Al-Queda watching C-SPAN. Does Addington have the list of programs that Al-Queda watches?
Memo to Addington: Does Al-Queda watch Fox News or Food Channel Network or do they simply heart Jack Bauer on “24?”
June 26th, 2008 at 6:06 pmor you can look at it this way…http://www.tagg-lines.com
June 26th, 2008 at 6:51 pmWhy didn’t they tell him that he needs to respond because the American people are watching–and they need to know what the government is doing in their name.
June 26th, 2008 at 7:04 pmA question.
Is anyone else having trouble accessing the Youtubes of today’s hearing? I can watch anything else I want but Addington’s testimony won’t load.
June 26th, 2008 at 7:44 pmSP Biloxi Says:
Memo to Addington: Does Al-Queda watch Fox News or Food Channel Network or do they simply heart Jack Bauer on “24?”
Those Al Qaeda votes really tipped the scales for this season’s American Idol as well.
June 26th, 2008 at 8:00 pmI’ve been warning America about this scumbag Addington for years at this very web site…now we need to remove this a$$hole from government!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HE IS PURE FASCIST TO THE VERY CORE!!!!!!!
June 26th, 2008 at 8:14 pmAcademia has traditionally been more “liberal” because very often, intellingent, thinking people can see all sides to issues; they can intuit nuances, their minds are not generally closed, and they are accustomed to teaching young people to think for themselves by presenting complex issues and allowing debate — the students then clarify their arguments to themselves and others.
June 26th, 2008 at 8:53 pmWith the infiltration of, encouragement by, and kowtowing to the right-wing extremists, the universities can no longer be considered bastions of liberalism - but until they are totally in the vein of extreme conservatism as Regent University and its ilk, they will still be labeled “liberal” in a pejorative sense.
upside99 Says:
Marie Says:
I happened to see some of the proceedings today and between Addington and Yoo, I don’t know which one is more despicable, more arrogant, or more loathsome.
They are a disgrace to public service.
And how can CalBerkley keep that scumbag Yoo on staff after all this? Are they afraid of him or do they actually feel he brings ANYTHING of value to their law program?
I am really confused here and would never want my child to go to school there.
Actually,
June 26th, 2008 at 9:31 pmIf we were to “let these deans know” that they are NOT getting our money DUE TO these tratiors being on staff, that may an effect on them. Just like it does to corporations and feedback to advertising on bu||shit shows.
Addington and Yoo should be summarily hung. No trial, no judge, just taken out back and hung from the nearest tree, with a piece of piano wire.
Addington’s point is well taken. Torture would not occur to al-Qaeda unless we suggested it to them. Addington will become his local police chief in no time.
June 26th, 2008 at 10:06 pmScaryBrownHusseinChick (ThinkOutsideTheBush) Says:
Those Al Qaeda votes really tipped the scales for this season’s American Idol as well.
LOL! Is that how Kristi Yamaguchi won Dancing with the Stars? Honestly, Addington lost me at a hello with that idiotic comment.
June 26th, 2008 at 10:20 pmThese guys were great! Best time I had all day, and that’s not saying much. My favorite comment was from Nadler or one of the other Dems who said: We’ve all practiced law and we know what’s going on here.
They are so convinced they are god that they don’t know that any other person has the capacity to say they are full of it. Hopefully, they will all be humiliated. I think that may be the best we can hope for.
June 26th, 2008 at 10:43 pmI started to watch the replay just now, and quickly turned the sound off, it was too painful. THAT display by Addington is the Bush administration in a nutshell: smug, arrogant, flippant, lying, evasive, interrupting. Oh, but then people like Iowa’s Steve King get their turn, and it’s a mutual admiration society.
June 26th, 2008 at 11:23 pm15 Zed Leffin,
Are you sure Al Q is watching Tom and Jerry ?
My vision is that Al Q is watching CNN (and other propoganda machines) and PBS.
Shrub is watching Tom and Jerry and having trouble following the dialogue.
June 26th, 2008 at 11:30 pm“al Qaeda may be watching C-SPAN, huh? Sounds you guys have been doing a bang-up job with all the hundreds of billions of dollars and thousands of lives you’ve been given. Somewhere in the cold reaches of the Pakistan tribal regions, a cave is ringing with laughter…
June 27th, 2008 at 12:17 amZed Lefflin Says:
Come on people….. Al Qaeda only gets VHF in the caves where they are which means Fox, with rabbit ears, so they are all watching “The Buggs Bunny and Road Runner Show”. No fear, they all have their Acme RPG’s at the ready.
June 26th, 2008 at 4:41 pm
Really?
Damn - there goes my “paint a fake New York Skyline on the side of a mountain” anti-terrorism strategy. :(
June 27th, 2008 at 7:57 amThis guy is just more leftover Iran-contra scum along with Eliot Abrams. Check out his bio - it is laughable. Addington supposedly got his views as a teenager! Apparently he still has them. Now I understand. Totally useless and immature jerk.
June 27th, 2008 at 8:34 amAmerica’s first public taste of the one and only David Addington…
FUHQ squared.
Now, perhaps, those who have wondered aloud will have there answers when they ask where the HUBRIS comes from that has been the hallmark of this administration from the get-go.
June 27th, 2008 at 10:45 am