AP Reports Facts on White House Smear of Gore

[samhsarah]

This morning, ThinkProgress revealed charges of hypocrisy leveled against former Vice President Al Gore by Attorney General Gonzales were completely baseless. Now, the AP has updated its story on the Bush administration’s smear of Gore to include the facts:

McClellan said the Clinton-Gore administration had engaged in warrantless physical searches, and he cited an FBI search of the home of CIA turncoat Aldrich Ames without permission from a judge. He said Clinton’s deputy attorney general, Jamie Gorelick, had testified before Congress that the president had the inherent authority to engage in physical searches without warrants.

“I think his hypocrisy knows no bounds,” McClellan said of Gore.

But at the time of the Ames search in 1993 and when Gorelick testified a year later, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act required warrants for electronic surveillance for intelligence purposes, but did not cover physical searches. The law was changed to cover physical searches in 1995 under legislation that Clinton supported and signed.

Bush’s attorney general, Alberto Gonzales, made the same arguments as McClellan during interviews Monday on CNN’s “Larry King Live” and Fox News Channel’s “Hannity & Colmes.”

http://thinkprogress.org/2006/01/17/ap-reports-facts/

[marylanddem]

1. They are shameless liars. eom

[marmar]

2. The more swiftly and viciously they attack the messenger...

the more on-point the message was. Gore clearly hit the mark. Cornered rats fight to the death.

[lonestarnot]

7. Rat bastards!!

[PurpleChez]

28. Lousy Rat Bastards!

Or, as my pal Dan would say, Lousy Rat Scum Mother Fuckers.

[f-bush]

40. Dan has a better way of saying it

[unblock]

3. moreover, they had probable cause.

it was not a fishing expedition or spying on political opponents.

[Beth in VT]

5. Yes, Ames case and data mining God knows who

pretty weak analogy.

[Beth in VT]

4. It's one thing for McClellan to peddle this stuff,

but for Gonzalez not to know better is scary.

[existentialist]

16. Somehow I think Gonzalez knows better

He just doesn't give a shit about the truth.

[Peace Patriot]

6. "Bush’s attorney general, Alberto Gonzales, made the same arguments...

...as McClellan...."

...all of them getting the fax from Karl Rove, who is guilty of perjury and obstruction of justice in Treasongate, and probably of willingly endangering the lives of CIA agents, for a President who has committed hundreds of felonies, and has stated his intention to CONTINUE committing felonies, who is the front man for a junta that is more corrupt than any regime in the history of government, that 'disappeared' a billion dollars in Iraq never to be seen again, slaughtered tens of thousands of innocent people, and tortured many more, and whose "pod people" in Congress were routinely taking bribes and writing legislation to strip the poor of all protection and assistance, and to pad the pockets, and the buckets, and the Porsches, and the second and third vacation homes of the super-rich with mountains of cash, overflowing.

It makes you want to throw up. Toadies like McClellan and Gonzales.

But know this. You and I are being played, in a way that many of us may not realize. We are being played not so much by the content of these broadcasts--I'm convinced that most Americans see right through the content--but by the fact that these outrageous lies are given any air time, and print inches. Even if the lies are--on rare occasions--revised, it still seeps into your unconscious that these clowns are even taken seriously, that they are given the time of day, that they are not dismissed out of hand, and run out of DC on a rail, by a vigilant press. They are allowed to run on and on and on. And then the rightwing bullshitters are allowed to run on and on and on, bullshitting about the Bushite bullshit. And then a liberal whiner is permitted a few seconds. And then more lies. on and on and on. Sucking up all the air. And creating an ILLUSION that there is some significant support for this crap, and making all the rest of us--the members of the great progressive majority in this country--feel all alone, isolated and powerless.

It's insidious. Watch out for it. Think about it. Don't let it get inside of you.

[samhsarah]

9. At times I feel like it already has...

Amazing post, Peace Patriot.:patriot:

[Olney Blue]

13. Peace Patriot, you could not have said that better.

:toast:

[glitch]

18. Second that. nt

[NJCher]

26. Bravo, PeacePatriot

I'm gonna' save that for re-read after re-read.




Cher

[pauldp]

30. Great Post. It's what happens when War Profiteers provide the "news". n/t

[txindy]

8. Fifth recommendation. AP actually updating with facts.

I'm amazed.

:kick:

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

10. Ames was CIA.

I'm sure that he gave away many of his Constitutional rights when he signed on. Much like the military.

AND the facts are wrong. :eyes:

[ripple]

14. Exactly!

I can't believe Scotty pimped the Aldrich Ames thing. That's straight from the RW talk radio "If we repeat it enough, they'll believe it" play book. Scotty FAILED to point out that Ames was a CIA agent who was suspected of spying.

My mom did computer work for Bendix-King a long time ago. They made munitions for the government and she underwent an extensive background check (including looking into her personal life and the activities of her minor children) AND she was informed that they had the right to look into her life and actions at any time she remained in their employ. Is Scotty implying that CIA AGENTS don't, and until Clinton, have NEVER undergone the same scrutiny? Bullshit.

They're getting desperate. :crazy:

[rpgamerd00d]

11. I posted this first ! Neener, Neener !!!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x167021

:D

[samhsarah]

12. I'm sorry, I did a thread search and nothing came up....

but sorry.:dunce:

[wysiwyg]

37. And I noted it 3 hours before that! :-)

I also wrote Ms. Pickler when the story came out. She told me before it was updated that she was working on updating it. I'm sure she received lots of messages on this. :-)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2046325

[spanone]

15. 'Clinton did it too' tired old bullshit.

[existentialist]

17. and as if it would make it right if Clinton did it

I would be amazed if George Bush, upon getting caught with his pants down in the Oval Office WOULDN'T immediately come out with the statement, "Clinton did it too."

And, it could be pointed out, Clinton got impeached, hope its your turn soon George.

[noahmijo]

33. I was in freakin middle school when Clinton was Prez

I'm 24 now for Chrrisake. I've grown up a little I've moved on since those days.


When the hell are these pissants going to grow up and move on?

[existentialist]

39. I'll read this as putting more emphasis on my point.

It seems to support it.

Thank-you.

[noahmijo]

41. It's not worthy of giving your fantastic emphasis a point

Your point is a great one and I feel silly for not actually helping to bolster it but it speaks for itself.

I'm just ranting in general that I am so sick and tired of these idiots bringing Clinton up and trying to make up all this nonsense about the way his administration approached terrorism.

Wanna know how the Clinton Administration approached terrorism? read a book called "Ghost Wars" It touches on the steps the Clinton Admin took from the terror attack on the US embassy in Africa to the moment shitstain took office-and the transfer of information from the Clinton Admin to the incoming * administration-which of course they completely ignored.

I would say ultimately the Clinton Administration did everything it could to stop terrorist groups such as Al-Queda short of outright bombing targets that included civilians.

Maybe the Clinton Administration didn't cease sanctions on Iraq and maybe it didn't take the best stance on stopping our dependence on oil and working towards pulling our influence completely out of the middle east, but at the bare minimum they actually gave a damn about national security, they shut their mouths and took action, they studied the enemy, they invested in a homeland security like policy which didn't involve having to spy on American citizens without a court order and violating the Constitution (their version was one that involved gathering intelligence, hardening terrorist "hotspots" and scouring the globe for known terrorists and assembling plans to capture or kill them...oddly makes sense in times like these to perform these kinds of acts) and that's the major difference between the Clinton Administration and these useless fucking clowns in power right now.

[Zinfandel]

19. Kick!

:kick:

[Stephanie]

20. Their web of lies is now so vast and elaborate that it must collapse.

They just can't keep it up. Their lies become more and more extravagant in an attempt to explain their previous lies. And the new lies require more and more people to go along. It has all spun out of control. They can't sustain it. There is going to be a spectacular crash and burn.

[LittleClarkie]

21. Ed Schultz just about popped a bloodvessel at that

he played an Alberto Gonzalez soundbite from the King interview, and ended up shouting at Gonzalez in the middle of it, about how dishonest the comparison was.

Ed was supporting Gore all over the damn place today.

[Apollo11]

22. www.algore.org

Check out this website and forum for Gore supporters: www.algore.org

Registration is free, and it's a good way to show your support for Al Gore.

In Gore We Trust :)

[Bluzmann57]

23. Kind of sad really

A correction by a supposedly reputable news organization to include real facts has to be posted on a Liberal website's front page because it is so rare. It just seems to me that maybe these news gathering organizations should just gather all of the facts and simply report. Then it wouldn't be such a big deal on Liberal websites and we could concentrate on nailing the illegal administration's balls to the wall.

[classof56]

24. You know, when the 10 Commandments replace the Constitution

The "thou shalt not bear false witness" enforcement squad is going to be kept very, very busy--starting at the White House. And if there are penalties for enablers, the MSM crowd should get nailed next. Hope there's enough prison space to house all these lying liars.

Tired Old Cynic

[mikeiddy]

25. They may have a point

As much as I hate to admit it, I think they may have a point.

If true, the statement "Clinton’s deputy attorney general, Jamie Gorelick, had testified before Congress that the president had the inherent authority to engage in physical searches without warrants", is just as wrong as Bush's position on presidential authority. As I understand it, warrantless physical searches are constitutionally acceptable only under "exigent circumstances" or with consent.

Of course, since FISA has been amended to foreclose the "physical searches without warrants" position, Bush's position is far worse - a blatant violation of law and thumbing of his nose at the authority of Congress.

[Cogito_ergo_Democrat]

43. Yep

I agree with almost everything you said, except "...warrantless physical searches are constitutionally acceptable only under "exigent circumstances" or with consent". There is no where in the constitution that allows searches without a warrant...not even under "exigent circumstances". That idea is brought forth in FISA as a reason to enable searches prior to actually getting a warrant, with the proviso that a warrant will be obtained within 72 hours, but it is not "constitutionally acceptable".

[mikeiddy]

45. SCOTUS exceptions

The exigent circumstances and consent exceptions were the result of supreme court decisions - not in the text of the constitution itself. I recall there is a "plain view" exception as well.

[savemefromdumbya]

27. McClellan and Gonzalez on the list for indictments

I expect they are having their last stab before the prosecutor comes....

[PurpleChez]

29. Oooo! Someone at AP is gonna be in trouble

when Reichsmarschall * hears about this!! How dare they report the truth about our beloved moron president?

[davidlynch]

31. As Mentioned on The Majority Report, Gonzo Prefaced Each Statement...

With "It is my understanding", which Sam rightfully observes is a red flag that indicates that Gonzo knew he was lying; otherwise, he would have simply described Clinton Administration actions (with respect to laws) as facts. I love this type of analysis.

[kentuck]

32. They depend on the truth staying undercover....

Because the truth exposes the emperor with no clothes...

[raysr]

34. I don't think Gore

would get up in front of the country and lie about that, knowing that whatever he said would be looked at through a microscope.

[ClintonTyree]

35. You can't put the toothpaste back in the tube.........

unfortunately their lies have already been reported and repeated ad nauseum throughout the Corporate Media. It's probably already too late for the truth to win out over this deceitful pack of lies by the GOP. As always, the Corporate Media was all too willing to "catapult the propaganda" for the bush administration without checking facts first. Once again, bush's lies have become the truth simply by constant repetition. :mad:

[ColonelTom]

36. Why does the AP hate freedom? n/t

[greiner3]

38. Go AP! n/t

[Cogito_ergo_Democrat]

42. Whoa. WHOA!

Hey, let's not start acting like Republicans and say that if there ain't no law to cover it, anything goes. That isn't the way it works. The US constitution provides certain rights to individuals...one of those rights being privacy and protection against illegal search and seizure. If the Clinton administration performed warrantless physical searches in 1993, it doesn't matter that FISA only covered wiretaps at that time. That doesn't mean the 4th amendment didn't exist in 1993. The 4th amendment is what prohibits govt from spying on us, not FISA. In fact, FISA ENABLES the spying that would otherwise be restricted by the 4th amendment.

If the original post of this thread has it's facts correct and the Clinton administration did indeed perform warrantless physical searches, then the Clinton administration broke the law as much as BushCo, and McClellan is right that Gore is being hypocritical.

That said, BushCo can't excuse their criminal act by pointing out the previous administrations criminal act. That dog don't hunt. I say congress should appoint an independent counsel to investigate the matter, and let's restore our democracy.

[Che_Nuevara]

44. I think the title of this thread should have been ...

"AP Reports Facts", plain and simple. That would have been enough to get my attention :P