Official Senate Committee Hearing - Electronic Surveillance - Thread 11

[Viva_La_Revolution]

Thread 1
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x333072#333197

Thread 2
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x333378

Thread 3
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x333608

Thread 4
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x333872

Thread 5
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x334130

Thread 6
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x334437#334473

Thread 7
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x334816

Thread 8
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x335132

Thread 9
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x335494

Thread 10
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x335786

[myrna minx]

1. Is Senator Feingold up next?

[me b zola]

18. yes he is :^)

Senator Feingold joked during the Alito hearings that his testimony always preceeds or follows a break.

[myrna minx]

24. Yay! This should be good.

Do you know if Leahy gets another shot at Gonzales? I want Gonzales to produce that start dates of this program.

[myrna minx]

2. Thank you Viva_La_Revolution for putting these threads

together! :bounce:

[dogday]

10. You are doing a great job

A great big Thanks from me too:thumbsup::hi:

[Roland99]

3. Every question from a Dem should be prefaced with....

"I cannot believe the chairman will not put you under oath, Mr. Gonzales. Therefore, I have no faith in your answers to the questions I'm about to ask you."

[bluethruandthru]

7. Excellent!

Or...at the very least, ask Gonzo if he will agree to be put under oath..before each question!

[Nutmegger]

14. Well put!

Like I'm suppose to believe what he's saying...:eyes:

At least if they lie under oath they *might* face punishment.

[in_cog_ni_to]

4. Link for Powerline News......the guy who questioned Durbin. Is this it?

http://www.powerlineblognews.com/

[DainBramaged]

17. Guy was SUCH a douchebg

Was that a veiled threat about Rather, or how he swift-boated him?

[emulatorloo]

32. Power Line and Rathergate -

http://www.vanityfair.com/commentary/content/printables/051114roco01?print=true

Mary Mapes, producer of story writes:

<snip>

Things began to change at about 11 a.m., when I started hearing rumbles from some producers at CBS News that a handful of far-right Web sites were saying the documents had been forged.

I was incredulous. That couldn't be possible. When we'd shown the president's people the memos, the White House hadn't attempted to deny the truth of the documents. In fact, the president's communications director, Dan Bartlett, had claimed that the documents supported their version of events: that then Lieutenant Bush had asked for permission to leave the unit.

Within a few minutes, I was visiting Web sites I had never heard of: Free Republic, Little Green Footballs, Power Line. They were hard-core, politically angry, hyperconservative sites loaded with vitriol about Dan Rather and CBS. People posted their questionable recollections that electric typewriters in the 1970s did not do "superscripts," the small "th" or "st" suffixes following a number and lifted higher than the other letters. This was important because, in the Killian memos, "111th" was sometimes typed with a superscript. Other bloggers claimed there was no proportional spacing on old typewriters—using different widths for different characters—even though some of the old official documents had proportional spacing. The claims snowballed.

I remember staring, disheartened and angry, at one posting. "60 Minutes is going down," the writer crowed.

<snip>

much more in story if you get a chance

<snip>

[FreedomAngel82]

107. That was Jeff Gannon

[notadmblnd]

19. here's an interesting little bit

http://72.14.207.104/search?q=cache:UfUPkzEN5WcJ:www.powerlineblog.com/archives/007760.php+&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=2&client=firefox-a

an ancestor of Talon News?

[in_cog_ni_to]

25. surprise, surprise! They have a Stop the ACLU ad on their site..

that explains where that guy was coming from. No wonder he was so rude!

[FreedomAngel82]

114. If you watch the video of Durbin

you know that's Jeff Gannon. When Durbin asks him who he is with he says at first "Talon" and than very quickly corrects himself (or maybe to let us know he's back).

[Pryderi]

5. Is Leahy angling to get the Buffalo video played?

[in_cog_ni_to]

6. Specter has already said he will NOT allow it to be played.

rat bastard.

That's why they played it on the lunch break.

[Pryderi]

8. Can't the Senators quote it in their questioning?

[in_cog_ni_to]

9. Yes and DiFi read the entire quote from the tape when she questioned

Gonzales.

[myrna minx]

11. DiFi brought it up, but Gonzalez said that The President was

referring to the Patriot Act when he answered that question. It was some nice tap dancing. :eyes:

[Pryderi]

15. So was Gonzalez saying that warrantless wiretaps were ok b4 Patriot act?

[in_cog_ni_to]

22. He didn't answer ANY of her questions. n/t

[myrna minx]

23. He wiggled around that question.

Leahy tried to pin him down on the dates that these activities started. LEahy asked if they happened after Sept 11th and before the signing of the Patriot Act. Gonzales said he didn't know the dates. Leahy demanded that he return with the dates after the lunch break. We shall see...

[dogday]

12. It is time to bombard his office with

calls, letters, emails, and faxes and let him know how we feel...

[rodeodance]

124. but cspan played it earlier in a newsconference.

[wicket]

120. what is the buffalo video?

Sorry for being so clueless- I'm cube-bound.

[mrcheerful]

13. Well this should tell you where powerline stands

Pat Leahy was completely over the top:

"My concern is for peaceful Quakers who are being spied upon, and other law-abiding Americans and babies and nuns who are placed on terrorist watch lists," Leahy said.
Seems like they are really in the RW kool aid drinking crowd.

[dogday]

20. oops

sorry...

[myrna minx]

26. Powerline was a part of the Gannon thing.

They are a huge part of the swiftboating of Senator Daschle in 2004.

[Sydnie]

16. Pajamas Media - interesting article here

http://www.buzzmachine.com/index.php/2005/11/20/but-seriously-folks/

I’ll start the ball rolling: I think you should be a conservative Huffington Post. Stop trying to act fair and balanced; have a worldview and be proud of it. Thank your liberal tokens who were kind enough to join in and give you beard and come out and be right and be proud.

To be Huffington, you’d need to convince some blogless conservative celebrities to contribute. That may ber tough, considering your PR now. But I’d try to call in a few debts.

Ask for suggestions not just in content but also in business: in advertising and, Lord knows, in PR.

[Emit]

27. What is pajamas media and how does it relate to

Senate Committee Hearing - Electronic Surveillance? I must've missed something...thanks in advance for any explanations.

[Sydnie]

29. Pajamas Media asked questions of the dems in their hearings

break press conference. I am doing some research on who they are and what their mission is.

Example: Charles Johnson, Founder & Chief Technology Officer of PJ Media appears to be the guy that "broke" the story about the AWOL/CBS Rathergate bullshit. Check out this link -


http://72.14.207.104/search?q=cache:gbWSDgPH_roJ:www.littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/%3Fentry%3D12526_Bush_Guard_Documents-_Forged+Charles+Johnson&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=2

[Emit]

50. Oh, okay, I did miss that

Although, were they the ones questioning Kennedy during the lunch break? I caught part of that and the 'reporter' seemed pretty aggressive with the questions and, especially, in attitude. But, trying to keep track at work, so I'm missing a heck of a lot! Thanks for the info.

[Sydnie]

30. Roger L. Simon, Founder & Chief Executive Officer PJ Media

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0800363/

Screenwriter and Novelist

[Sydnie]

31. Charles Johnson, Founder & Chief Technology Officer PJ Media

http://72.14.207.104/search?q=cache:gbWSDgPH_roJ:www.littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/%3Fentry%3D12526_Bush_Guard_Documents-_Forged+Charles+Johnson&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=2

Appears to be involved in the Rathergate mess. Deeply involved.

[Sydnie]

58. Jill Stewart, Western US Editor PJ Media

http://www.jillstewart.net/php/index.php Very right wing columnist. http://www.lukeford.net/profiles/profiles/jill_stewart.htm

[Viva_La_Revolution]

21. B*sh's 2007 budget plan is being released today...

interesting. Which story will be the one covered on faux?

[mrcheerful]

28. Shrubs clean up man, we are protecting americans by spying on them

[Viva_La_Revolution]

33. Back in 3 min... Is Snotty going to finish in time?

taking bets...

[LSK]

35. nope

[myrna minx]

39. C-span cut off Les' weirdo question

in order to go back to the panel.

Spector says that they do not have enough time to finish today. They will return for another day.

[in_cog_ni_to]

34. They're baaaaaaaaaack! n/t

[dogday]

36. 2 days of Republican ass-kissing

whoopee

[Viva_La_Revolution]

37. Spector announcing a second round, Gonzo back tomorrow

till 5pm

[in_cog_ni_to]

38. They will go until 5:00 ET and shedule a second hearing with him.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

40. Feingold !!

:)

[HereSince1628]

41. Go Russ!

Cut them no slack!

[dogday]

42. Someone posted that every Democrat should start their

questions with the swearing in issue...

[dogday]

46. Lindsey Graham having a bad hair day

:rofl:

[HereSince1628]

56. Back to Gonzales credibility and respect for the rule of law!

Hot Damn!

[HereSince1628]

69. Feingold is impeaching Gonzale's confirmation hearing testimony

Feingold is deep into a VERY serious charge.

[myrna minx]

43. Feingold wished that the AG was sworn in. n/t

[helderheid]

44. Feingold - not happy Gonz isn't sworn in

[in_cog_ni_to]

45. Feingold's up. He's praising the repukes on the other side? Huh?

Did I miss something?

[LeftNYC]

47. No he is saying that this should be a bi-partisan issue...nt

[Catchawave]

52. He named names from across the aisle who agree with this issue!

[myrna minx]

48. The Admin has a pre-1776 mentality. LOL! Go Russ. n/t

[in_cog_ni_to]

49. Why do we need FISA? PLEASE, Russ, ask that question! n/t

[Sugarcoated]

51. Beautiful!

Duhboy has a pre-1776 view of the world

[The Witch]

53. This is about possible WRONGDOING!

RUSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :loveya: :loveya: :loveya: :loveya: :loveya: :loveya: :loveya: :loveya: :loveya:

[giant_robot]

54. YES!

It's so nice to see a democrat with balls take these bastards on.

[myrna minx]

55. Feingold: The Admin violated the law and is coming up

with excuses to explain their actions. They mislead.

[EFerrari]

57. Feingold: "This hearing is not only about (making changes

in the future); this hearing is also about possible wrongdoing.

[wiggs]

59. I don't understand: who does AG work for?

Why is he an apologist for WH policies? Does he represent WH? Is he supposed to be independent? Is he catapulting the propaganda or offering the public an independent legal opinion? Does AG work under executive branch or judicial branch?

I understand when WH counsel comes out with defense of WH policies, trying to do the work of the WH. But Gonzales is no longer in that job and I don't understand why he is still acting that way.

[Catchawave]

64. Gonzales is a CRONY , Bushie YES-man :)

[rodeodance]

65. He has his roles confused--thinks he is still council to Jr--instead of

working for the country.

[rodeodance]

79. Fiengold is going after that scumball!

[rodeodance]

84. and tells gondo that the Pres has been very misleading.

[EFerrari]

67. Bottom line, he is a Bush appointee. n/t

[EFerrari]

60. Please nail him, Russ. n/t

[myrna minx]

61. Did you or anyone else ask the chairman to not have you sworn in?

Gonzales and Spector: No.

[in_cog_ni_to]

62. Ruh, Roh...did you ask to not be under oath? Did anyone ask Specter

to not swear you in? "not that I know of."

Russ must have caught him in a LIE. Here we go!

[myrna minx]

63. Russ is nailing him down about his previous testimony.

[in_cog_ni_to]

66. Gonzales is getting testy.

[EFerrari]

70. Yes, and this is the wrong guy sent out with the wrong message.

I hope Russ hangs him out to dry.

[mod mom]

68. Go Russ!!!!!!

[in_cog_ni_to]

71. rat bastard's going to lose his temper soon.

:7 Can't WAIT. Russ is calling him a liar(in a round about way). Told him he deliberately misled the committee.

[TexasLady]

75. gonzo raising voice! hehe

[Catchawave]

77. Oh I hope so.....Russ is calling him a LIAR !

[The Witch]

83. I can hear him seethe.

I'm waiting for him to say "Why do you hate America?"

I hope he says something STUPID and it all blows up.

I want a Tom Cruise/Jack Nicholson moment here, damn it!

[myrna minx]

72. Let the semantics begin.

Does the president have the authority? Mr AG, you were misleading this committee.

[myrna minx]

76. You wanted to be confirmed so you didn't tell us the truth.

K/O!!!!!!!!!!

[LeftNYC]

73. Russ is basically calling Alberto a liar...I love it...nt

[LSK]

74. holy crap, Feingold is going for the throat!

[ewagner]

85. Go russ!!!!

:bounce: :bounce:

push him hard....

make him lose his temeper on TV

push him over the edge!!!! :applause:

[Catchawave]

87. Ain't it great :))))))))

[HereSince1628]

91. When he said Mr. Chairman I thought he was going to move a motion

to condemn Gonzales for his confirmation hearing testimony.

[Mist]

78. Feingold to Gonzales: "You are taking mincing words to a new high" nt

[gumby]

80. Nothing we do is against the law

Because we ARE the law.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

81. yehaw!

Feingold is ripping him up!

[myrna minx]

90. Bringing up the 1967 Katz case saying that

phone calls are protected.

[radio4progressives]

112. I don't remember the Katz case...

guess i'll have to do a google on that one..

[jane_pippin]

82. Go Russ!! Call this guy out!

:woohoo:

What did he say, Alberto is "taking mincing words to a new level?"

Go RUSS!!

[tgnyc]

86. Russ eviscerating Gonzo. "You misled this committee;" "You didn't want

to jeopardize your confirmation.

[in_cog_ni_to]

88. Russ told him he knew the question wasn't a hypothetical and he keeps

saying he was answering hypothetical questions when he LIED. Good grief!

[LSK]

92. kiss up time from Graham, what a fucking waste of time

[in_cog_ni_to]

96. UGH...every one of them (repukes) is covering up this crime! SICK

[blm]

97. This is the best I have ever seen Feingold - he's well prepared.

.

[More Than A Feeling]

89. Sweet, calling the Roosevelt example irrelevant

which it definitely is. No FISA at that time, buddy boy!

[ShortnFiery]

94. Oh no! His time went by so fast :(

[rodeodance]

98. but MY Senator used it well:-)

[Mist]

93. Miss Lindsey up now-has an Alfalfa hair-do today n/t

[ewagner]

100. It's deliberate

it's the "aw-shucks-I'm-just-the-boy-nextdoor" look.... :puke:

[Mist]

117. He forgot to comb over his bald spot n/t

[in_cog_ni_to]

105. Miss Lindsey

:rofl:

[myrna minx]

95. Damn-I need a cigarette after that satisfying series of questions. Whoa. n/t

[Twist_U_Up]

99. give me 5 mins alone with lyndsey

5 mins

[The Witch]

102. give ME 30 seconds

I would slap him silly.

[Twist_U_Up]

104. slap ? hehehe

slap ? hehehee im not usually a violent person but I can make exceptions

[The Witch]

113. why? what were YOU going to do?

Twist him up, perhaps? :evilgrin:

[adigal]

121. He would "Clean your Clock," remember??

Tough guy Graham threathened the Dems last week.

God, I can't stand him.

[dogday]

122. He is having a BAD HAIR DAY

:rofl::rofl::rofl:

[The Witch]

101. Oh, Robbed of Russ, here comes Rindsey...

I'm so Ronery for Russ.... :pffft:

Please be aware of how Graham's sliminess translates into "No, all of these Rwing Senators who feign concerned are, in fact, bought out already."

The question is not whether or not GONZALEZ believes he broke the law. The question is whether or not he DID.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

103. Graham , ask a f'inq question already! Not a rhetorical one either!

It's the snarkiness that drives me nuts.

[ShortnFiery]

118. Yes lets not NEUTER the Congress or Courts under President Hillary Clinton

ROTFL ... President Hillary is a freeper's worst nightmare. I don't agree with a lot Hillary does but she got big cajones and I'd love to see the Right Wing spontaneously combust with seething resentments.

[jane_pippin]

106. Who's this little weasel now? You can introduce a legislation if you think

a law was broken?

NOT WHEN YOU HAVE TO HAVE 'FORUMS' IN THE BASEMENT BECAUSE YOU'RE THE MINORITY! So take your little jabs about the courage of your convictions somewhere else, Droopy Dog.

[The Witch]

108. Actually Graham is doing OK

He IS a sleaze, but he's at least giving lip service to concerns in a very finessed way. I don't doubt he'll sleaze out in the end, but still.

[HereSince1628]

109. Lindsey seems a bit skeptical even if he is partisan

[Twist_U_Up]

119. its an act,its all an act

I'm surprised gonzos wife isnt balling her eyes out on camera yet

[Viva_La_Revolution]

110. THREAD 12

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x337036

Mods please lock this one. :)

[rodeodance]

123. this is one reason why this is important--posted in LBN

Mon Feb-06-06 11:33 AM
Original message
Telecoms let NSA spy on calls (AT&T, MCI and Sprint)


The National Security Agency has secured the cooperation of large telecommunications companies, including AT&T, MCI and Sprint, in its efforts to eavesdrop without warrants on international calls by suspected terrorists, according to seven telecommunications executives.

The executives asked to remain anonymous because of the sensitivity of the program. AT&T, MCI and Sprint had no official comment.

The Senate Judiciary Committee begins hearings today on the government's program of monitoring international calls and e-mails of a domestic target without first obtaining court orders. At issue: whether the surveillance is legal, as President Bush insists, or an illegal intrusion into the lives of Americans, as lawsuits by civil libertarians contend. (Related: Committee chief says program violates law)

In domestic investigations, phone companies routinely require court orders before cooperating.

SNIP

The New York Times, which disclosed the clandestine operation in December, previously reported that telecommunications companies have been cooperating with the government, but it did not name the companies involved. (Related: Bush says NSA program is legal)

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2006-02-05-nsa-...

[LeftNYC]

111. Schumer is next...

New York in da house...

[EFerrari]

115. The President's liar just said we do not engage in torture.

I hope he has a good confessor.

[democrank]

116. There you have it....

not one Republican senator willing to stand up to the Bush administration. Why bother with these sham hearings?

[rodeodance]

125. but Lindsey Grahmn asked good questions

[951-Riverside]

126. Hey Sam Brokeback!

If there are people talking to "Al Qaeda" members why are they still allowed to carry on with their lives.


Personally I think "Al Qaeda" and "Osama" are made up to keep the masses in fear of the unknown and trustful of their goverment.