Bush's Surveillance Program: Massive! Explosive! Mind Boggling! Staggering! - All Hyperbole Aside!

And Bush Didn't Give A Rat's Ass
About Ashcroft's Health, Either!

I realize that President Obama has more to concern himself with than the shenanigans of his predecessor, the guy who left him with the most ungodly mess ever for an incoming president, but there will be a time when President Obama will need to address Bush's flagrant violation of the law. In times of war and sthe trengthening of national security, warrentless wiretappings are granted to the authority of the President. However, these surveillance techniques cannot be used lightly. George W. Bush wanted as many communications tapped as possible - for whatever reason.

And the volume of tappings has now presented such a clear violation of American's rights that President Obama will need to act.

By PAMELA HESS, Associated Press Writer Friday, July 10, 2009

Rep. Jane Harman, D-Calif., told The Associated Press she was shocked to learn of the existence of other classified programs beyond the warrantless wiretapping.

"The notion that basically one person at the Justice Department, John Yoo, and Hayden and the vice president's office were running a program around the laws that Congress passed, including a reinterpretation of the Fourth Amendment, is mind boggling," Harman said.

Bush wanted the power of super-surveillance so much that he was willing to risk his Attorney General's life for it. Remember the bedside scenario starring future Attorney General Alberto Gonzales? The notes from Ashcroft's FBI security detail have come to light: evidently, after Mrs. Ashcroft replied a stern but polite "f*ck you!" to President Bush's call asking to speak to Ashcroft, she was then told in no uncertain terms that Gonzales was coming over to speak to Ashcroft.

Washington Examiner:

One warrantless surveillance mystery solved. My friend Marcy Wheeler beat me to this: George W. Bush personally ordered White House Counsel Alberto Gonzales and Chief of Staff Andy Card to visit an ailing Attorney General John Ashcroft in the hospital in March 2004 after Ashcroft’s deputy Jim Comey refused to certify the warrantless surveillance program.

Jack Goldsmith remembers that after a seriously-ill Ashcroft told Gonzales and Card to follow Comey’s legal advice, Goldsmith seriously thought Ashcroft might actually die right then and there. Ashcroft earns himself a place in the patriot’s pantheon just for that. I truly can’t wait to see how Bush’s presidential library treats this incident.

It won't. Bush's bio in the library doesn't even mention Iraq!

All I can say about the memos, the wiretaps, the approval of torture: more, more, more, bring 'em on! They have to bring out the first signs of justice in the Obama administration. Every piece of evidence brings Bush closer to prison or Paraguay.

Just a thought.