Since January, the White House has tried to re-brand their domestic warrantless wiretapping program as a “terrorist surveillance program.” The goal is to make critics of the program’s legality seem weak on terrorism.
So far, the White House press corps hasn’t bought it. But today, Fox News correspondent Carl Cameron became the first reporter use the term “terrorist surveillance program” during a White House press conference.
From today’s Press Conference:
THE PRESIDENT: Carl.
CAMERON: Thank you, sir. On the subject of the terrorist surveillance program -
THE PRESIDENT: Yes.
CAMERON: — not to change the tone from all this emphasis on bipartisanship, but there have been now three sponsors to a measure to censure you for the implementation of that program.
Cameron is not only doing the administration’s bidding – he is not doing his job. The term “terrorist surveillance program” could refer to any number of programs, many of which have been around for decades and are not at all controversial.
The program at issue is different precisely because it is conducted a) without a warrant and b) involves people on U.S. soil. That’s why it’s accurately described as a warrantless domestic wiretapping program.
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