If the Democrats roll over and play dead on this one ...

Bush remarks on eavesdropping aim to put Democrats on defensive by Steven Thomma, Knight-Ridder 01/24/06.

Knight-Ridder is kind of an historical curiosity, an American news service that still does real journalism. Thamma reports the Republicans spin point:

Polls show that the American people are split evenly over warrantless eavesdropping, hardly the solid outrage that many Democrats had hoped for. And Americans still give their highest marks to the president for his work against terrorism. A new poll this week shows that it's the only issue on which Bush has the approval of even a slender majority, and another new survey shows that fighting terrorism remains the public's top priority.

But then - Omygod! - he explains that the Republicans' claims are bull-pucky.

... Democrats aren't the only ones questioning whether the government can eavesdrop on international calls to or from someone in the United States without warrants.

Those questioning the legality include Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Arlen Specter, R-Pa., and conservative activists who formed a group called Patriots to Restore Checks and Balances, including Paul Weyrich, the chairman of the Free Congress Foundation, Grover Norquist, the president of Americans for Tax Reform, and David Keene, the chairman of the American Conservative Union.

Keene said recently: "No one would deny the government the power it needs to protect us all, but when that power poses a threat to the basic rights that make our nation unique, its exercise must be carefully monitored by Congress and the courts."

He added: "This is not a partisan issue."

| +Save/Share | |