Posted on 12/18/2005 11:43:05 AM PST by wagglebee
Sen. John McCain disappointed Democrats on Capitol Hill on Sunday by defending the Bush administration's decision to use the National Security Agency to monitor a limited number of domestic phone calls in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.
Saying that Sept. 11 "changed everything," McCain told ABC's "This Week": "The president, I think, has the right to do this."
"We all know that since Sept. 11 we have new challenges with enemies that exist within the United States of America - so the equation has changed."
McCain said that while the administration needs to explain why it didn't first seek approval from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, he suggested that the Patriot Act might have superseded the 1978 FISA Act, allowing "additional powers for the president."
McCain said the fact that congressional leaders - including top Democrats - were consulted on the NSA authorization "is a very important part of this equation." He suggested that any congressional hearings into the Bush decision focus on that aspect.
"I'd like to hear from the leaders of Congress, both Republican and Democrat, who, according to reports, we're briefed on this and agreed to it," he told "This Week." "They didn't raise any objection, apparently, to [whether] there was a, quote, violation of law."
Asked about House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi's claim that she "raised concerns" about granting the NSA new powers during one meeting with White House officials, McCain said: "I don't know about any meetings, but I certainly never heard complaints from anyone on either side of the aisle.
"When this process was being carried out I would imagine that the leaders of Congress would be very concerned about any violation of law as well," he said. "Apparently [those concerns have] not been raised until it was published in the New York Times."
McCain also warned that any congressional investigation should take care not to force additional disclosures from the White House that could help the enemy, saying: "I don't see anything wrong with congressional hearings but what kind of information are you going to put into the public arena that might help the al Qaida people in going undetected."
Damn, I'm getting confused...is this the week he's on our side??
Bush Right to Use NSA
My prediction for 2008 is George Allen with either Condi Rice or Rudy Guiliani as his running mate.
Makes me ill, he does
Been going on for years, you know? It's NOT going to happen
LOL! Or not!
I'm talking about the White House and the party leadership grooming him to be Bush's successor. Recent activity would point to that. And yes it can happen, they pushed a RINO on us out here in CA. They will do it to the nation as well. Just wait, you will see a bunch of people on FR talking about how only a moderate can win.
Not ever. Never. Never ever. No way Jose'. Not in this universe.
There's a rumor going around that he made a rare appearance on the Sunday morning talk shows.
Sort of like those rare appearances he makes on the ever tedious Don Imus Show.
Gee, imagine that.
NFW, no fnnn way, not me, not in this life time. Mcpain is insane and if by some chance he got the pubbie nod, the first thing you would see and read would be:
THE MCCAIN FIVE
Hey McCain! How about prosecuting the illegal leakers?
Bush is still trying to figure out how he could have allowed himself to support McCain's "Terrorist Bill of Rights".
We complain so much about McCain, but what do you call a Republican President who continually caves to a RINO?
A RINO.
When the hell is anyone going to focus on the LEAKERS who BROKE THE LAW!
Heh. Just because...
I wouldn't be a bit surprised to find out that those socialist twits, especially Hillary, have had conversations with our terrorist enemies without. It certainly makes sense that they would, since they, themselves, are our enemy within.
His little sidekick, Lindsey Graham, already went on the talk show circuit spouting the Dim party line. And notice he 's not ruling out congressional hearings - in fact, he seems to still be pushing them. Obviously McCain feels that the damage has been done, so now it's time to appear "objective and impartial."
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