Senator Edward M Kennedy: " Waterboarding is torture. Torture is unacceptable. Period."

[kpete]

I oppose Michael Mukasey
by Senator Edward M Kennedy
Thu Nov 01, 2007 at 03:24:20 PM PDT
Waterboarding is torture. Torture is unacceptable. Period.

If Michael Mukasey won't stand up to President Bush and tell him that, then he doesn't deserve to be Attorney General.


The Department of Justice lost its way under Alberto Gonzales. It became a rubber stamp for Bush Administration policies -- from torture to warrantless surveillance to unprecedented secrecy -- instead of a staunch defender of the Constitution.

The consequences have been alarming. The United States has lost its moral high ground in the world, and the rule of law has taken a back seat to Presidential power and political agendas.

We now have an opportunity to stop this trend and restore our American values. The U.S. Senate is considering President Bush's nomination of Michael Mukasey as the next Attorney General. After Alberto Gonzales' disastrous term, we must thoroughly examine Mukasey's positions to determine if he is the right person for the job.

After meeting with Judge Mukasey and listening to his testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, I'm convinced that he is not the right person. With his deeply troubling positions on torture, civil rights, and executive power, Judge Mukasey has failed to prove that he will put the rule of law above the priorities of the White House.

Therefore, I cannot in good conscience support his nomination.

..................

more at:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/11/1/173858/353

[Solly Mack]

1. by the same token, Congress can't just stand back and say

it was only the office of the AG that rubber-stamped Bush's torture policy...the GOP controlled 109th Congress did as well. And the 110th Congress has the responsibility to hold the Bush admin. accountable now...and said accountability MUST be equal to the crimes. ..and we're talking war crimes.



See, people in Congress are acknowledging that water-boarding is torture and that America does water-board...so if you're in Congress and acknowledging this , then do something about it.


Simply stopping torture isn't enough...the Bush admin. MUST be indicted for war crimes...and it would serve America well if it was America that did the indicting.

I'm glad Kennedy won't be voting yes on Mukasey...but it goes ever so much deeper than that.

[opihimoimoi]

2. Good for the Senator....I applaud him....Bush, on the other hand seems determined to force the nom

through despite concerns voiced by many.

Thats being a spoiled child trying to have more than his share of andy...look at him throwing a tantrum on TV in front of the heritage tent...

[Jacobin]

3. It is so odd to me as an older American that his statement

would be considered as 'liberal' or 'out of the mainstream' or even subject to debate. :shrug:

I mean, wtf is there to disagree about?

[Jade Fox]

4. Thank you Senator Kennedy. n/t

[Trillo]

5. Good. This is much more authoritative than the mealy-mouthed

wire story on Yahoo! earlier today.

[Disturbed]

7. The McLame Bill regarding Torture was signed by Busholini

but he did a signing statement on it. Did McLame or anyone in Congress protest that?

The Congress will not indicte Busholini & his Regime of War Criminals.

Congress could establish a Law that Water Boarding is Illegal & make it retro-active. Any Attorney General could then indict those that authorized it & those that practiced it. It is fairly certain that this will never happen.

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

6. Torture is criminal. It's horrible. Torture can NOT be "ok" in any civil realm of humanity.

Incredibly, the U.S.A. has engaged in torture. It's government funds torture with taxpayer funds.

It's gross.

It's evil.

[mogster]

8. Thank you, Ted!

It's the only option for me.

[deacon]

9. and bush "we do not torture' supports torture - and so does mukasey.

right back where we started from with gonzo.

[Blackhatjack]

10. It really is that simple ... "Next?" n/t

[gratuitous]

11. Simple, direct and to the point

Which means that it will completely bamboozle the talking chuckleheads with exclusive access to our nation's broadcasts. They will be completely unable to discern what Kennedy's statement means, except to the extent that he's a tax-and-spend librul and did you hear about Chappaquiddick?

Yes, the Attorney General is supposed to enforce the law. ALL the laws, even the ones this corrupt administration is working so hard to break, ignore, or hold of no account. Mukasey's testimony at his hearing, and his subsequent written clarifications show that the concept of "equal justice under law" isn't a concept he's willing to embrace. That disqualifies him from consideration.

Next nominee, please.