Roberts: If the President Does It, It’s Not Illegal

Sen. Pat Roberts on the separation of powers:

TIM RUSSERT: Senator Roberts, let me ask you a very serious question. Do you believe that the Constitution gives the President of the United States the authority to do anything he believes is necessary to protect the country?

ROBERTS: Yes, but I wouldn’t say anything he believes. I think you go at it very, very carefully. And that’s been done by every president that I know of.

In other words, the Constitution gives President Bush absolute power as long as he’s extra careful. Roberts should stick with Nixon’s version, it’s simpler.