"If The President Does It it's Not Illegal!"

All The President's Men...

In the wake of the revelation of the domestic-foreign surveillance program President Bush's spinners and bobbers have been doing their best to turn this controversey into a political gain for the President.
Some of their arguments have been reminiscent of another President who ran afoul of the law and eventually Congress, resulting in impeachment and resignation.
Not everyone, including, some prominent Republicans, are buying these arguments.
"The president does not have a blank check," said Judiciary Chairman Arlen Specter, R-Pa., speaking to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales in a committee hearing concerning wiretapping without a warrant.
Gonzales didn't respond directly to Specter's comment, instead he said "We are continually looking at ways that we can work with the FISA court in being more efficient and more effective."
Gonzales asserted that the president's authority was strongest in a time of war. " He claimed there was no need for any new legislation to authorize the program and that it should continue as is.
"To end the program now would be to afford our enemy dangerous and potential deadly new room for operation within our own borders," he said.
The president and the Justice Department have a constitutional duty to faithfully execute the laws," said Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy, the committee's top Democrat. "Nobody is above the law, not even the president of the United States."
"We're only focused on international communications where one part of the communication is al-Qaida," responded Gonzales.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., wondered if "any other secret order or directive" would be prohibited by law.
Said Gonzales : "The president has not authorized any conduct that I'm aware of that is in contravention of law."
Some Republicans expressed doubts. Sen. Mike DeWine, R-Ohio, said that the President needed "statutory authorization" to ensure the program, and national security would be stronger.
Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., said changes may be needed in the law to permit this type of monitoring.
Gonzales, Vice President Cheney and the others continue their deception. No one is trying to stop the surveillance. Those in opposition merely want the President to follow the law.
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