Reply #56: Harman, like Vilsack, isn't sure these warrantless wiretaps are illegal [View All]

[ColonelTom]

First of all, Harman's op-ed piece is pretty much right on the money, which makes her appearance on MTP all the more frustrating.

Here's Gov. Vilsack, as reported in the Des Moines Register:

If the president broke the law, that's unacceptable. But I think it's debateable whether he did.

On MTP, Harman was right there with Vilsack:

We’re only 36 members total that we’re talking about, and those members should decide whether this program fits within the law, and if it does, which I think it does, we should all declare victory.

So I guess Harman opposes illegal wiretapping in the abstract, but isn't willing to say flat-out that the NSA program was illegal? That looks weak - not weak on national security, but weak period.

Similarly, she wasn't willing to say flat-out that the President misled the American people:

MR. RUSSERT: You think the president misled the American people?

REP. HARMAN: ...I—I think we should be listening. I support this capability, but I also think Congress should be listening. I think that this entire program now should be briefed to the two intelligence committees, as is required by the National Security Act of 1947.

Heck, even Joe Biden was willing to say the President "misled" the American people on Iraq. Now we Democrats can't even muster the courage to come out and say that on the warrantless wiretap program? Again, that's not weak on national security - it's weak period. And it's why we're struggling to find our footing for the 2006 elections when Bush's and the Republican Congress' ratings are about as low as they could possibly be.

I can't speak for the original poster, but that's why I'm upset with Harman and the DLC.