so ... do the republicans have the power to spy on the obama campaign?

[unblock]

just askin'.

i mean, as long as shrub signs a note saying it's a matter of nashunal shecurity.

[Benhurst]

1. Yeah. Poor Nixon could have avoided a lot of trouble if the Democrats

of his day had only been so cooperative.

[unblock]

8. i remember the nixon apologists from the '70s -- the 17 pecenters or whatever

even after he was removed from office in disgrace and his popularity was nearly as bad a shrub's :evilgrin:, there were people who defended what he did, even the criminal break-in itself and the spying as all's fair in politics and the democrats were naive crybabies if they couldn't handle spying and all that. after all, the ruskies spied.... they said the proper response to campaign spying was to spy right back on the republicans, but democrats didn't have what it takes. so much for republicans being about law and order.

that same idiotic attitude now carries the day. warrantless wiretapping is SO OBVIOUSLY NOT ABOUT FIGHTING TERRORISM! if you're actually fighting terrorists, YOU CAN GET A WARRANT, DUH!!

it's only when you want it for OTHER REASONS that you need a way to avoid getting a warrant....


oh, the things nixon could have done, what with his enemies list and all....

[EFerrari]

2. Of course they do.

And they don't have to bother with a note unless someone asks twenty five times. :shrug:

[GoldieAZ49]

3. Maybe, once the FISA bill is passed

then it is just SOP, "nashunal shecurity" comes first!

[havocmom]

4. Good point. Pelosi and her Vichycrats do not seem enamored of the concept

of change.

On the brighter side: to get help defeating FISA bill in Senate, make sure all the GOP dopes are aware that the extraordinary powers the keep conferring on bush go to Obama come next January. That'll make them rethink rubber-stamping everything.

[unblock]

11. of course, they know that obama wouldn't use the powers for such evil

because if a DEMOCRAT were to do that sort of thing, they'd get impeached and removed in a heartbeat.

kinghis khan couldn't get himself impeached if he stuck an (r) after his name.

[Fovea]

5. Does the Obama campaign use email? Phones?

Then yes, from now on, the party that controls the whitehouse may spy on the opposition.

Still think there will be a fair election in Nov?

[unblock]

12. never thought it would be fair.

still think obama will win, though. cheating only gets you so far.

the real question is what kind of power will president obama actually have. republicans suck when they're in power, but they REALLY know how to manipulate things when they're the out party.

[Imagevision]

21. "fair?" surely you jest...fair?!?!

[NYC_SKP]

14. Fair election in November?

Do you mean "will there be irregularities with voting machines, etc.?"?

No, I don't think it will be fair everywhere, there will be shenanigans.

Two things I can think of to counter these:

Obama volunteers at every polling place that indicates a potential for abuse, ie, Ohio and Florida and wherever Diebolds are used; Harlem and other districts that have shown unlikely results, and other forms of vigilance before, during, and after voting on November 4th.

Win by such large margins as to make any irregularities ineffective.

[Fovea]

23. Specifically by that I mean

an election devoid of the kind of sabotage that derailed Ed Muskie and the whole of the Karl Rove lexicon, fueled by the sort of inside information only phone tapping, and email interception can provide.


It's a brave new world for shit eaters.

[Cruzan]

6. Not if they upgrade to tin foil hat version 1.27g

[NYC_SKP]

7. Yup, there's nothing they can't or won't do.

Spy on Americans, trash the bill of rights, take us into debt. L

They are going to leave the country, the treasury, the environment, and our global reputation in ruins.

[unblock]

13. and blame president obama for then stating the obvious.

and being president when the chickens really do come home to roost.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

9. and in Jan 09 Obama will have the same powers to reciprocate

[Breeze54]

10. YES via NSA ... n/t

[Breeze54]

15. Unblock... take a look at what you may have missed....

Getting it now?

[stray cat]

16. Not legally without cause but they are probably doing it anyway

[unblock]

22. the point is now "cause" wll be whatever the president decides is cause, right?

[Oak2004]

17. Ummm, surprise? Republicans have been spying on the Democrats for decades

The Republican campaign philosophy is that campaigning is total war, and anything goes in order to win.

As a College Republican in the 1970s I was not explicitly told "go spy on the Democrats", but there were more than a few hints that spying was welcomed by the party (spying, that is, that goes much further than the usual opposition research). The same deniable suggestions were given about dirty tricks in general.

I'd be shocked if the Republicans didn't have operatives at the highest levels of the DNC. I'd be surprised if they didn't have at least one operative well placed in the Obama campaign. In fact I've long suspected that the DLC is rotten with Republican operatives.

So now they don't need to burglarize some office to tap the phones? No big deal-- from their point of view, anyway. They probably already had moles in place reporting back on things. Domestic spying just gives them one more tool.

It's a really worrisome deal, however, if you like silly things like democracy.

[CanonRay]

18. You didn't think they quit after Watergate, did you?

That's why they don't want us to know who's been spied on.

[ladjf]

19. Of course the are able to spy on Dems. What do you think the FISA

is for? I only hope that the Obama people are able to circumvent the spying.

[Imagevision]

20. republicans are probably already monitoring obama's moves...

[Orsino]

24. Yes. The good news, however, is that they won't be able to steal his mojo.

Actually connecting with working citizens on issues relevant to their survival/prosperity, speaking from a history of activism? Beyond the power of any Republican candidate.

Their platform is absolutely antithetical to Obama's style.