"Kerry Calls Eavesdropping Defense 'Lame'"

[GreenPartyVoter]

BOSTON (AP) - Domestic spying authorized by the White House "doesn't uphold our Constitution" and President Bush's defense of the practice is "lame," Sen. John Kerry said Tuesday.

The Massachusetts Democrat also said the alleged White House leak of a CIA agent's identity was more serious than the media's disclosure of the spying program.

Bush said Monday it was "a shameful act" for someone to have leaked details of the spying program that he authorized shortly after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

The program allows the National Security Agency to eavesdrop - without warrants - on international calls and e-mails of Americans and others inside the U.S. with suspected ties to al-Qaida.

http://apnews1.iwon.com/article/20051221/D8EKKN0G0.html

[Protagoras]

1. Now John...take the next step and call it CRIMINAL

and then for good measure throw in TREASONOUS!

It'll feel real good I promise.

[mirandapriestly]

2. yeah, "lame" is a bit lame. Not that I don't love Kerry....nt

[BrainRants]

3. Exactly, enough already with the nuance John, call it what it is.

nt

[ray of light]

4. no nuance in lame! As in LAME DUCK! LAME EXCUSE, LAME President.

geez..

[BrainRants]

9. Point taken.

My point being that the word "lame" carries an adolescent tone, where more directly framed words such as "dictatorship" or "obey the rule of law" are much more effective.

"Lame" sounds too Beavis and Butthead-ish.

I know, I know, splitting hairs. Just trying to think like Joe 6-pack.

[emulatorloo]

12. He said Bush's excuse is "lame," and the spying is unconstitutional

"I think the president's explanation is lame," Kerry said. "The fact is that there is no wording whatsoever in the law that permits what he engaged in. ... And the president's claim that he has some inherent authority to do this -- against the stated intention of Congress not to -- is simply wrong."

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2005/12/20/kerry_white_house_spying_unconstitutional_bush_excuse_lame/

[MemphisTiger]

5. Leave that to the attack dogs like Ted Kennedy

nm

[ray of light]

6. the quote said, "President Bush's defense of the practice is "lame"

But the act of spying without a warrent is criminal. Bush's excuse was indeed lame.

[CornField]

7. I've come to a conclusion & will follow grandma's advice

"If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all." I have nothing nice left to say about Kerry. From this point forward, I will be hiding any threads which come across my screen so that I will no longer be tempted to subject the rest of DU to my opinion of his too-little, too-late politics.

[emulatorloo]

10. so why did you post this idiotic counter-productive drivel then?

Don't worry, others will post the same knee-jerk BS if you don't

On the other hand, I am happy when Democrats speak out. If you want them to shut up, fine.

[ray of light]

15. lookee here:

So how about cutting the lame excuses, getting some guts, and start asking the damn question?


Posted by dickbell at December 21, 2005 10:58 AM

http://www.democracycellproject.net/blog/archives/2005/12/tell_us_richard.html

Somehow, the word lame doesn't sound so lame anymore, huh?

[ray of light]

14. thank you!

[newportdadde]

8. Are we sure John wasn't 'just joking'?

[emulatorloo]

11. In Honor of your ***ASININE*** post, a longer story w more Kerry Quotes

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2005/12/20/kerry_white_house_spying_unconstitutional_bush_excuse_lame/

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Kerry: White House spying unconstitutional, Bush excuse `lame'

BOSTON --Sen. John Kerry said Tuesday that the domestic spying authorized by the White House "doesn't uphold our Constitution," and that President Bush offered a "lame" defense in recent public appearances.

<snip>

Though leaking any classified information is against the law, "there is a world of difference between what the president's engaged in and what was leaked out of the White House," Kerry told reporters after addressing ironworkers at a local labor hall.
"The leak in the White House was an effort to destroy somebody and his family and attack them for telling the truth," the senator said, referring to former ambassador Joe Wilson and his wife, Valerie Plame. Her identity as a CIA analyst was exposed in July 2003 after Wilson challenged an administration justification for the Iraqi war.
"The leak that took place in this case is a leak that -- I'm not excusing it -- is to tell the truth about something that violates the rights of Americans and doesn't uphold our Constitution," Kerry said.

(my ed comment: here comes Nasty repuglican reply -- they are still scared of him)

The Republican National Committee batted away the criticism.

"While President Bush remains focused on defending Americans against those intent on doing us harm, John Kerry remains focused on attacking President Bush," RNC spokeswoman Tracey Schmitt said.

<snip>

"I think the president's explanation is lame," Kerry said. "The fact is that there is no wording whatsoever in the law that permits what he engaged in. ... And the president's claim that he has some inherent authority to do this -- against the stated intention of Congress not to -- is simply wrong."

<snip>

[The-Cynic]

13. subject

I want to see his entire statement, not just some nit-picky journalists choice of bites that would create chatter on online forums. "Lame," ok what context was that in, what did you ask him, how did he word the entire phrase? And why are we still caring what Kerry said, as if its something that should be brought to our attention...ok, well he's a ex-presidential runner up, but does he have any importance in the future of the party, or its workings? No, what we should be chuckling and clucking over is what Biden, Hillary, Franken, Reid, or Dean say, those men and woman are the future, the light at the end of the dark tunnel, Kerry, as much as I loved him, and his hair, is dead. He let the republican scum get the best of him and label him "Flip-Flop" or "Pancake" and now his career is over. And so is this post.