Your President Speaks! Again!

Today, at the White House.

Poor Michael Mucousy

I believe that the questions he's been asked are unfair; he's not been read into a program -- he has been asked to give opinions of a program or techniques of a program on which he has not been briefed. I will make the case -- and I strongly believe this is true -- that Judge Mukasey is not being treated fairly.

Holy Crap!

And then finally, I'll conclude the speech by reminding people that this concept of stability has -- in other words, that foreign policy ought to promote stability as opposed to freedom has led to dangers, and that the only way to solve America's long-term security needs is to remember that the enemy that we face can only recruit when there's hopelessness and despair; and that liberty has got the capacity to transform societies from hopeless societies to hopeful societies; and that this administration will continue to press the freedom agenda; and obviously, that freedom agenda is being tested in places like Lebanon, Iraq, and the Palestinian Territories and Afghanistan.

Awesome!

Q Judge Mukasey is experienced in terrorism trials, he's been around. Why is it wrong for him -- or why will you not let him say whether he thinks that waterboarding is illegal torture?

THE PRESIDENT: He has not been read in -- first of all, let me put this in perspective. The Congress did pass a law, the Detainee Detention Act [sic]*, that I signed into law. The techniques we use informed that law and members of the Senate and House -- select members of the Senate and House, both parties, have been briefed on the law.

Secondly, he doesn't know whether we use that technique or not. And thirdly, it doesn't make any sense to tell an enemy what we're doing. One of the fundamental questions that the American people have got to know is that in order to protect America, if we capture somebody who may have data about whether or not he's going to -- he is ordering an attack or there's an impending attack or there's a threat, we need to know that. And the techniques we use by highly trained professionals are within the law. That's what's important for America to know.

*Detainee Treatment Act of 2005

Muddle-Huddle

I think it's -- I think this is -- I'm just extremely disappointed that a good man with a good reputation, who has met with a lot of senators, his nomination is being held up.

Whether Or Not This Is Politics Or Not

You can listen to the voices that are out there talking as to whether or not this is politics or not.

Get Down With Your bad Self, Mucousy!

Mukasey just needs to get -- get on the floor and get him an up or down vote. They've had plenty of hearings, plenty of ideas, get him out there and get him up and down.

Brainwreck

Well, I think there is a tendency for people to say, well, maybe -- let me just say, there are some who say, don't call this a war on terror.

Scary

Either way, the attitude is dangerous because I will have quoted the words of the enemy in the speech, an enemy that said, we're going to come and kill you.

The Speech Has Intentions

And I think -- I'm not going to -- this speech doesn't intend -- this is a comprehensive speech about what Congress needs to do to make sure that we have the tools necessary and the people necessary to protect America.

Comments

[MapleStreet]

Isn't a shame that Graham and McCain have lowered themselves to playing partisan politics against the opposing party by questioning Mukaskey's (non-)answer on waterboarding ? Oh wait, they're repubs!

And logically, he was asked if waterboarding is torture. What does that have to do with whether we do it or not ? And as pointed out on Countdown last night, if they want to resolve it, they can give Mukaskey clearance to be "read in" on what we do with it.

[joejoejoe]

I say up-or-downs all around! Maybe Bush and Dems can agree on:

An up-or-down vote on Judge Mukasey

as well as...

An up-or-down vote on..
-SCHIP
-Iraq withdrawal timelines
-Stem cell research funding

Will Dems seize on Bush's own words or continue to bumble?

I've got $20 on bumble.

[knobboy]

Damn. How you can wade through all this stuff on such a regular basis without going absolutely mad is beyond me.

I yam in awe.

[Nora]

Of course, if someone were to know that we were going to waterboard detainees if we thought they might have some information we could use, then they could prepare themselves to resist!

Where did I read that CIA officers cracked after about 20 seconds of waterboarding? Point is, nobody can prepare himself to resist that -- it's a basic reflex.

AND IT'S TORTURE AND IT'S ILLEGAL, AND ANYONE WHO DOESN'T SAY THAT -- WITH OR WITHOUT BEING 'READ INTO' THE PROGRAM -- IS UNQUALIFIED FOR A POSITION IN THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT!

Sorry to shout; this is pissing me off big time.