White House Set to Fight for Hayden (Specter(R-Scotland)may try to hold up confirmation)

Wash Compost ^

[hipaatwo]

The nomination of Gen. Michael V. Hayden to take over the CIA would trigger a fresh battle over the secret warrantless surveillance program he oversaw on behalf of President Bush, a debate that could help shape the contours of the fall midterm congressional elections, officials in both parties said yesterday.

Barring a change of heart, aides expect Bush to name Hayden tomorrow as his choice to succeed CIA director Porter J. Goss, who resigned under pressure Friday. Hayden, a former director of the National Security Agency and now deputy director of national intelligence, has become the most forceful defender of Bush's eavesdropping program since its disclosure in December.

Rather than steer away from a Hayden nomination because of the controversy, the White House seems ready for a new fight over it, convinced that it has public support and that Democrats opposing Hayden's confirmation would risk looking weak on terrorism. Democrats yesterday began formulating a strategy built around grilling Hayden during hearings and then determining whether any refusal to answer questions provides enough justification to oppose his confirmation.

"By nominating him, they are looking for a confrontation and forcing the Congress to take sides, so I am troubled by this," said Rep. Jane Harman (Calif.), ranking Democrat on the House intelligence committee, who has a close relationship with Hayden and considers him "very professional and dedicated."

[hipaatwo]

Not only Democrats expect to use a Hayden nomination to revisit the legality of the surveillance, however. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), who has held four hearings on the matter, said he may try to hold up Hayden's confirmation if the administration does not provide more information about the eavesdropping. He said he would try to persuade fellow senators to use the confirmation as "leverage."

[hipaatwo]

PING!

[goodnesswins]

WTH..........!!!!!!!!!!!!!?????????????

[Calvinist_Dark_Lord]

Bloody shame that they couldn't save his brain when they took out the tumor.

[hipaatwo]

HE'S MY #%$^$w% SENATOR!

[Perdogg]

If Arlene Spectre wants to be a Richard Cranium, go right ahead, senator. Leave the agency without the head, we'll do all of the spy work in at the Pentagon under the watchful eye of someone who is competent.

[woofie]

mean mean mean

[MaineVoter2002]

With republicans like Specter, who needs democrats.

[hipaatwo]

I have called his office a lot in the past 2 weeks. He doesn't listen. He doesn't care what the voters think.

[Howlin]

Is it any wonder the GOP is in the shape it's in?

We can't fight the Dems for fighting these jerks and the unappeasable purists among us.

[p23185]

He said he would try to persuade fellow senators to use the confirmation as "leverage."

Clearly disgusting IMO. Didn't the FISA Supreme Court rule that President Bush was completely in his right to conduct foreign intel operations when one end was intercepting a domestic target that was on the watch list? FISA judges say Bush within law

AND

President may constitutionally authorize warrantless wiretaps

[Perdogg]

He and the Cape Cod Orca are reasons people support term limits.

[roses of sharon]

Bingo!

[hipaatwo]

I really want his head on a platter. I wish this state would recall him. I'm calling Santorum on Monday AGAIN to tell him to tell Arlen shape up or he's going to help lose him the election.

[potlatch]

Ping

[Darkwolf377]

I wouldn't be surprised if one (not THE but one) of the reasons for this choice is to stick it to Specter. Bush helped him get re-elected and is probably regretting it, esp. on the wiretapping stuff.

I also think a fight like this will get Bush's poll numbers up among Republicans.

[jveritas]

Excellent move by President Bush. Now the hateful democrats and their media will bring back the subject of the NSA and wiretapping of terrorists in the US, and President Bush will have the upper hand again and beat them very hard.

[hipaatwo]

From your mouth to G-d's ears!

[devolve]

[jazusamo]

I have no idea if Specter could be voted out of his chair seat on the Judiciary Committee at this point in time by the other Repubs. If it's possible, I think it would be time to start contacting those other Repubs on the committee to give them an earful on the subject.

[jveritas]

I also think a fight like this will get Bush's poll numbers up among Republicans.

Agree 100%. Not only President Bush will rally Republicans with him on this issue but many independents and few democrats as well.

Please see my post # 17.

[hipaatwo]

I can't express how angry I am right now.

[jveritas]

Liberals and their media always re-use failing strategies and this will be one of them.

[KoRn]

He should just make a recess appointment and be done with it.

[hipaatwo]

think it would be time to start contacting those other Repubs on the committee



Great idea!

[Prost1]

I believe Chairman Roberts of the Senate Intell Committee has jurisdiction and NOT the judiciary, regardless of what Specter thinks.

[tobyhill]

It doesn't matter because in 3 weeks the Senate goes on break and he can be recess appointed anyway till Jan. Between November and January all the politicians, Specter Included, should be done pandering to what they think their constituents want and will be ready to confirm him.

[hipaatwo]

Off topic


Monday I'm sending your translations to my local radio talk show host Dom Giordano.

[potlatch]

Bump!!

[Darkwolf377]

What Bush is doing here, in part, is what the MSM/Dems do all the time--revisit a past success. It simply doesn't matter that the facts about Katrina have come out--they keep going back to the "Bush failure" story whenever they need something to bash him with.

What Bush is doing is the opening shot of the 06 campaign; he's setting the Dems up--again--to denounce the WOT, and defend the terror suspects in Gitmo, and the idea of detentions. The Boston Globe sneered at Bush the other day while approving of the Moussawi verdict, saying that it proved we didn't need military tribunals, because this verdict showed The System Works! or whatever.

Bush is setting the stage for the summer into the fall: Republicans are the ones fighting the WOT. If he could only get an economic angle in there, the Republican majority would be same in November.

And if WE fight for conservatives and anti-illegal Republicans in the primaries, we'll all be happy about that.

[Lancey Howard]

Bush should just "recess appoint" Hayden and get it over with.
The Senate has become a bunch of toddlers sitting in a sandbox playing with cat turds.

[jazusamo]

Here is the link to the members on the committee. They don't have a contact email list, each one has to be contacted separately.

http://judiciary.senate.gov/members.cfm

[Lancey Howard]

THAT's a great post!

Regards,
LH

[hipaatwo]

Thanks. Looks like I have a lot of phone calls to make Mon.

[zeaal]

With each new day I am more convinced that there is a group of Republican lawmakers that have some sort of interest and agenda in seeing to it that the dems get back in power in the fall.

[hipaatwo]

BUMP

for morning. I'm going to go relax. Have a great night all.

[SCHROLL]

screw Arlen, recess appoint Hayden.

[jazusamo]

That would be great, it would not only pi** of Arlen but all the Dems.

[Txsleuth]

Just damn. hip!

I bet President Bush, and Santorum are kicking themselves everyday for backing Specter in the last election.

Could Specter possibly be more difficult???

Re: Hayden, I think Bush would nominate him now not just because he is the best nominee..but in order to tell Specter just who is POTUS, and who isn't. Hey, Specter, it isn't you!!

NOW, we need Frist to go into Specter's office and tell him that our national security is more important than anything right now...and to get over himself...and stop thwarting Bush at every turn.

[FairOpinion]

"Not only Democrats expect to use a Hayden nomination to revisit the legality of the surveillance, however. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), who has held four hearings on the matter, said he may try to hold up Hayden's confirmation if the administration does not provide more information about the eavesdropping. He said he would try to persuade fellow senators to use the confirmation as "leverage."

===

Specter is disgusting.

[jveritas]

Thank you very much for helping to get the truth out regarding these very important documents.

[jveritas]

I think President Bush will make a bold proposal regarding the borders security come this summer.

[Txsleuth]

Specter is supposed to be a guest on Fox News Sunday...I am hoping tha Chris Wallace will have the guts to ask him about this..

[dr_who_2]

"Hayden" you say. Don't know him too well. Any relation to Harriet Miers, perhaps?

[jazusamo]

Thanks, that's interesting. Think I'll send an email to Chris tonight and maybe one in the morning before the show.

[Txsleuth]

Yeah...they are Siamese twins, joined at the hip.

[Txsleuth]

I think Specter waa originally scheduled to talk about immigration..because Gilchrist of the Minutemen was also scheduled...but, I think this CIA thing came up...

So they kept Specter, but also got (gulp) Joe Biden to come on....sigh

[Darkwolf377]

I agree. He sees the handwriting on the wall and cannot abide the illegals pouring in anymore. If he still wants to fight for his "temporary guest workers" then no one can stop him, but if he comes out in favor of a wall, billions more for armed security, and simply stopping the inflow, he will gain the support of Republicans NOW, and we will fight those other proposals later.

But if the Dems win in November, the chance of doing anything at all with immigration are exactly zero; they'll be too busy trying to impeach Bush--and they WILL try to impeach him.

[jazusamo]

Sorry to hear Biden will be on, can't stand him. I just fired off an email inre to Specter though, we'll see what happens.

[dr_who_2]

"By nominating him, they are looking for a confrontation and forcing the Congress to take sides, so I am troubled by this," said Rep. Jane Harman (Calif.), ranking Democrat on the House intelligence committee, who has a close relationship with Hayden and considers him "very professional and dedicated."

Right. If nothing else, it'll be entertaining.