White House Letter: How Bush tries shaping new laws to his liking

[Ian David]

White House Letter: How Bush tries shaping new laws to his liking
Elisabeth Bumiller International Herald Tribune

SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2006
WASHINGTON Shortly after 8 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 30, 2005, the White House sent out an e-mail message with an innocuous "Statement by the President" in the subject line. As might be expected of a seemingly routine announcement released in the dead time before New Year's weekend, almost no one paid attention.

But last week, Washington opened its eyes. President George W. Bush's quiet little statement not only set off fireworks at the Supreme Court nomination hearings of Judge Samuel Alito Jr., but also has ignited a new debate about the Bush administration's drive to expand the powers of the president.

To start at the beginning, Congress late last year passed what became known as the torture amendment, sponsored by Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona, to ban cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment of prisoners in U.S. custody. Bush at first opposed the amendment, but gave in when it became clear that it had overwhelming support from both parties on Capitol Hill.

The president then invited McCain, his old political nemesis, to the Oval Office to announce that he agreed with him and "to make clear to the world that this government does not torture."

More:
http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/01/15/news/letter.php

[gratuitous]

1. Oh please, Ms. Bumiller

She's been writing her weekly valentines to Chimpy for five years and she just now caught on that sometimes very momentous pronouncements come out of this corrupt White House during dead times? Stoopid twat.

And yes Elisabeth, sometimes this president does say one thing in public and then do something completely the opposite. In fact, he does it with alarming frequency, as we've been screaming in your insipid face for years. To find out now that you are shocked, shocked! to discover that Chimpy and the Truth don't always walk hand in hand beggars credibility. Double stoopid twat.