BUSH: "If I wanted to break the law, why was I briefing Congress?"

[kpete]

Bush Says Surveillance Legal and Necessary By NEDRA PICKLER, Associated Press Writer
6 minutes ago

MANHATTAN, Kan. - President Bush on Monday rejected critics' assertion that he broke the law by authorizing domestic eavesdropping without a warrant, saying he was doing what Congress authorized him to do to protect Americans from terrorist attacks.


With congressional hearings set to begin on this issue Feb. 6, Bush kicked his administration's new intensive public relations effort to win support for the program run by the National Security Agency. As part of that, he attempted to give it a new label — the Terrorist Surveillance Program.

Bush noted that Sen. Pat Roberts (news, bio, voting record), the Kansas Republican who is opening hearings into the program, was among the lawmakers on Capitol Hill who were given regular updates about the surveillance by the White House.

"It's amazing that people say to me, `Well, he's just breaking the law," the president said, with Roberts sitting behind him on stage at Kansas State University. "If I wanted to break the law, why was I briefing Congress?"

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/bush

[graywarrior]

1. Was he smirking?

Bet he was smirking.

[elehhhhna]

34. yes, and he "he-he"'d, waited for the laughs, and damned near winked.

LOTS of inappropriate giggling & grinning throughout todays debacle.

[leftchick]

42. MANY looks today including the smirk..... Photos!

Lost.....



Smirk...



penis size...



just pulled a nose hair....



needs a depends change....

[graywarrior]

43. He needs a new act.

This one's getting old.

[Richardo]

2. The law says you have to 'brief' the FISA court, not Congress, you dipshit

That's how you're breaking the law.

We're not ALL as stupid as you and your supporters.

[FreedomAngel82]

30. And the fourth amendment says a warrant too which he didn't have

because he didn't go to FISA. Oy.

[gratuitous]

3. The kingpins often needs fall guys

Someone to throw under the wheels to distract the coppers when the law is closing in.

That answer your question, George?

[sandnsea]

4. Nedra Pickler

Running at break neck speed to take the place of Judith Miller.

[MarianJack]

23. Always was a bush butt kisser...

...and always will be!

[kentuck]

5. Anyway, it says the President is to brief the "full committee"..

Not one or two of his buds or a couple of wimpier Democrats who might be too intimidated to say anything...

[helderheid]

6. anyone who buys that needs to see this:

www.c-span.org

RECENT PROGRAMS >>

Democratic Hearing on Domestic Surveillance (1/20/2006)

[spanone]

7. If he wanted to fight terrorism, why was he breaking the law?

[Vinca]

8. Hmmmm - let me guess. He was breaking the law and he

notified some members of Congress because . . . . HE'S A DIMWIT.

[XNASA]

9. What is it with Repubs and non-sequiturs?

What does briefing Congress have to do with breaking the law?

It's kind of like, "If I was driving wrecklessly, why did I have my seatbelt on?"

[Oreo]

10. When did KU move to Texas?

Did I miss something?

The White House says none of the questions was prescreened. The site chosen for Monday's event, however, was in friendly Bush territory in the reliably "red" state of Texas.

and wouldn't it be "none of the questions were prescreened"?

[KansDem]

15. Actually, K State

If it were KU, I believe he'd been torn apart...

And "none" really means "no one" so "was" is appropriate here as you wouldn't say "no one were home."

[FreedomAngel82]

32. Because it's Kansas

They knew they would have "friendly" question's and didn't have to.

[bullimiami]

11. I FEEL LIKE IM TAKING CRAZY PILLS!!!!!!!!!

Is it just me?

[SharonAnn]

12. By not getting OK from FISA, he was breaking law. We don't know why

he chose to break the law. But he did break the law.

DOn't answer their questions. State the facts!

[Kansas Wyatt]

38. Bingo! Without FISA, there is absolutely no oversight and protection....

From BushCo's unrestricted abuse of power and authority, nor will there be a record of how far he went.

[Beetwasher]

13. Idiot Criminal's Defense Strategy: "If I Did It, Would I Be So Stupid As

To go around bragging about it to all my friends?"

Yes, you would, because you're an idiot.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

14. If he was briefing them, it only means he's a dumb crook. n/t

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

16. Covering your sorry ass. That's why.

"Look, my lapdogs went along with it."

[insane_cratic_gal]

17. Why was I briefing 3 republican members of congress?

Is what he should be saying!

Spin Spin Spin... Rovian Spinning is alive and well in the white house. When is Fitz shipping his fat lying ass off to prison?

[flordehinojos]

18. because you were playing a game in which you were mocking congress

by pretending to keep the law while breaking it...just like a man who tells his wife how much he loves her while all the time he has a mistress on the side. same dynamics but we are on to you. darn bastard boy!

[kpete]

19. From Digby on Bush's "break the law" Statement

Killing Me Softly

by digby

I'm feeling down right now. I know I shouldn't. The fact that Tom DeLay has stepped down is such a huge victory for humanity all by itself that I should be dancing a jig for the next six months. But, I'm down in the dumps, mostly because I am watching George W. Bush repeat his patented mantra for the 514,346th time. It's filled with lies, mischaracterizations and simple-minded gibberish, as always, and I'm watching it go out unfiltered, in its entirety, unchallenged by the media, no Democrats in sight, on every cable channel. I think they are personally trying to drive me crazy.

There is one new wrinkle. Regarding the illegal wiretapping, he just said, "it's amazing to me when people say I just wanted to break the law. If I wanted to break the law why would I brief congress?"

His masterful sound guy is there, compressing the sound, building the audience response to statements like that from a distant chuckle to a soft moan of appreciation, slowly ratcheting it up to a low roar until it reaches a crescendo of ecstatic, sustained hysteria. I think I even saw some rending of garments in the fourth row.

They are going to the 9/11 well again. They say that Democrats are sending talking points to Osama and giving aid and comfort to the enemy. Rove says we don't believe that the government should monitor al Qaeda's telephone calls. The next several months will be spent fending off accusations that if we don't let the president do anything he damned well pleases we are all going to die.

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2006_01_22_digbysblog_archive.html#113804286022555906

[democrat_patriot]

20. I'm sorry...Roberts was there!?!?

At least the hearings will be impartial. I mean, I can relax now.

Was Roberts f-ing clapping, leading a cheer, standing ovation????

[Beaverhausen]

21. Bush: "You elected me your king. How can you question what I do?"

help meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

[Village Idiot]

22. If you weren't breaking the law...

then why were those on the Intel Commitee that were TOLD about the NSA Adventures ALSO TOLD they couldn't reveal the program to anyone?

AssClown. Fucktard. Loooooooser.

[spanone]

24. It's called cover. And a few select congressmen is not 'Congress'.

[underpants]

25. Please don't forget to vote

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x217691

Sorry kpete I didn't see your thread

[kpete]

27. No problemo, I like your poll

just voted...

[dave29]

26. Did he just admit to breaking the law?

One could parse the President as saying he "accidentally" broke the law.

ADDENDUM: Democrats should come out in force in response to this and say "At least he finally admits he broke the law"

[FreedomAngel82]

33. Didn't he do that shortly after the news broke?

He admitted what he did was illegal and because he claims "security" than it's okay when both are bs.

[FreedomAngel82]

28. Republicans only right?

[BR_Parkway]

29. If you wanted to disregard the torture amendment, why did you sign

the law?

Same logic, actually more logical question than his.

[seabeyond]

31. he partially briefed one that didnt show laws broken, briefed another

that showed enough concern for rockefellar handwriting a letter saying he is concerned the president was breaking the law, but he would break the law if he said anything

this isnt a tough one. ONE reporter want to remember this. pelosi adn rockefellar needs to get back on camera and repeat what they initially said, along with the rest of congress that knew NOTHING

[Marie26]

35. If you weren't breaking the law,

why did you only inform 4 members & swear them to secrecy?

[Imagevision]

36. Bush notified selected members of the Congress - end of story!

[Saphire]

37. This seems to be Buschco's new rational......I heard it this AM on CNN.

[annabanana]

39. ...because "briefing." isn't. "asking." . . . . . . . . n/t

[slaveplanet]

40. He got one thing exactly right...

naming it "The Terrorist Surveillance Program" describes the situation exactly.

These Terrorists have had us under surveilance for quite some time.

[Raydawg1234]

41. Thats an easy one, So that he can deny breaking the law