Bush Applauds Senate Vote To Extend Patriot Act

[sabra]

http://www.whiotv.com/news/5610681/detail.html

Bush Applauds Senate Vote To Extend Patriot Act
House May Vote As Early As Thursday

WASHINGTON -- The White House is hailing the Senate's vote to extend the Patriot Act for six months -- a day after vowing President George W. Bush wouldn't accept a short-term extension.

Press Secretary Scott McClellan called Wednesday night's Senate vote "an important victory for the American people."

Senators approved the extension after failing to agree on making most of the act's expiring provisions permanent. The vote clears the way for a final vote in the House possibly as early as Thursday.

After the late-night vote, Bush called the expanded law enforcement powers in the act a "vital tool for America in the war on terror." Critics contend those powers need more safeguards to protect civil liberties.

[goclark]

1. Trying to make a huge minus a plus

He must have a new PR person.

[maseman]

2. This is a defeat for Repukes

They hold the Executive branch, House and Senate and they cannot even renew their core piece of legislation? The next three months hopefully the Dems and moderate Republicans will boost the public awareness about the crap Patriot Act and expose it for what it is.

The Dems seem to actually be uniting and standing some firm ground...

[Lowell]

3. And just the other day he said an extension

would not be good enough. They are really loosing control and will say anything to maintain the image of success.

[indepat]

4. They must hate us for our freedoms

[MaineDem]

5. What an ass!

First he says he won't accept an extension and now he praises it?

Come on, media...call him on this!

[Tempest]

6. Flip-flop, flip-flop

The White House is hailing the Senate's vote to extend the Patriot Act for six months -- a day after vowing President George W. Bush wouldn't accept a short-term extension.

[Rose Siding]

7. LAT headline: New Life for Patriot Act Is No Bush Win

WASHINGTON — In a major setback for the White House on a top domestic priority, the Senate on Wednesday passed a six-month extension of the Patriot Act, due to expire Dec. 31, even though President Bush had demanded that most of the law become permanent.

The move effectively killed a House-Senate compromise that would have made permanent 14 of the 16 provisions of the statute, which gives law enforcement officials sweeping power to track and prosecute suspected terrorists. The House adopted the compromise last week.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-patriot22dec22,0,314184.story?coll=la-home-headlines

[Lasher]

9. I don't know if this is a win for Democrats

Haven't all 16 of the Patriot Act, including the 2 most objectionable ones, been extended for 6 months? I would rather to have seen the whole thing expire on December 31.

[MaineDem]

10. Now THAT'S a great headline!

Thank you for sharing it.

[NoodleyAppendage]

8. Classic Shrub Maneuver. Embrace a defeat as though you supported it.

The criminal cabal pulled the same PR move with the Torture Bill, Homeland Security, 9/11 Commission, etc.

Now, if the Democratic leadership were REALLY media savvy, they would innoculate the press with the idea that Bush is "once again flip-flopping" and that he's a "gracious LOSER." I particularly like the last meme, because it is not too vitriolic but still gets across the message that "BUSH LOST THE BATTLE."

JB

[Just Me]

11. The POTUS admits to illegal, unconstitutional abuse of power,...

,...and Republicans still want to give him the power to abuse. What an effed up party: the police state party.

[Walt Starr]

12. He deplored the effort to extend the Patriot Act

before he applauded it.

[Hyernel]

13. Bush also applauded when Karen Hughes pretended to get his nose.

CALP CLAP CLAP!!! WEEEEEEEE !!! Do it agin Aunt Karen!!

[ixion]

14. it's a victory AGAINST the American people

quite specifically. :grr:

[AzDar]

15. For the life of me, I cannot figure out why he NEEDS the Patriot Act

so desperately. They just circumvent those nasty Constitutional Protections as they see fit, anyway. Why bother with pretense?

[David__77]

16. Now he sounds like Schwarzenegger.

Every black eye the Gropenfuhrer gets, he says is "FAHN-TAH-STEEK!"

[Wordie]

17. Up is down; right is left; just more White House spin. MSM is going along,

unfortunately. :(

Bush lost BIG on this. But the public apparently will never know.