Kerry calls Bush excuse "lame"

[ProSense]

Kerry: White House spying unconstitutional, Bush excuse `lame'
By Glen Johnson, AP Political Writer | December 20, 2005

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.


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."



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

[WinkyDink]

1. "lame"?

No, John; "lame" is what is LAME!!!!

[rkc3]

3. A fucking disgrace to the Bill of Rights would be more appropriate.

[Mass]

6. He also said that the program was unconstitutional.

[rkc3]

7. I know, but what will be shown on the tube is the "lame" comment.

The pundits will, again, paint Kerry as a pussy - rather than focusing on the unconstitutional nature of this offense.

[second edition]

10. He certainly can't say what you suggest. I personally don't see

anything wrong with using the term lame- like in a lame excuse for breaking the law and ignoring the constitution. You know, I don't get this dummying down of statements, I think most people can figure out what he says. It sounded plain and simple to me.

[rkc3]

11. This president shouldn't be offering excuses.

No excuse, especially from someone who has worked so hard to bring freedom to the Middle East (yes that's sarcasm), can be given in this instance.

Kerry doesn't need to offer comments on the excuse - just tell everyone the facts. Bush broke the law and ignored the Constitution, there can be no excuse for that. Bush circumvented the process and chose to spy on groups that are in no way associated with the war on terror, there can be no excuse for that.

And keep in mind that during his speech on Saturday, Bush pointed out that he broke the law by spying and he'll continue to break it. He can't be exucsed when he draws that line in the sand.

[ProSense]

12. This president shouldn't be offering excuses? But he is and

they should be responded to before the excuses drummed (by Bush and the media) into the mind of those only paying superficial attention to the issue, thereby becoming the story.

When there is no response, it's why is there no response? When there is a response, it isn't good enough.

And despite the exclusion of the word "F***ing, this was an extremely appropriate and effective response.

[second edition]

13. Keep in mind that Bush isn't saying who was spied on. He is

saying it wasn't abused and was used to keep the country secure. Bush isn't even admitting he was wrong to do this as you point out. He claims he is well within the Constitutional guidelines. That Kerry came out and called the wiretaps unconstitutional is actually a bold statement. Who else in the Senate has come out calling this unconstitutional? Didn't Feingold just say it was wrong and Bush thinks he is a King?

[ProSense]

8. The excuse is "lame," the act is unconstitutional. n/t

[Supersedeas]

14. Kerry needs to use stronger language here

[ProSense]

15. Where? (example from text) n/t

[fooj]

2. Exactly!

The Massachusetts Democrat, who lost to Bush in the 2004 presidential election, 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.

Peace.

[rkc3]

5. By more serious, he meant "not even in the same fucking ballpark."

If I didn't have an argument with a nutter this morning over bush I wouldn't be so mad about this topic. They are so blinded by their king it's amazing.

[sandnsea]

9. yeah, "a world of difference" n/t

[Mass]

4. Good - It is time to kill the TP that says that the leak about Plame

and the leak about this inconstitutional program are the same thing.