I hate to be blowing my own Horn O'Prescience, because I am sure that there are other bloggers far more worthy than moi who pointed this out back well, several years ago...but Abu the Greasy is no friend of America. Or at least non-republican, non-Bunnypants-lovin' America.
Mr. Bush said he was confident that Mr. Gonzales would be "a steward of civil rights" as head of the Justice Department. He praised Mr. Ashcroft as "a superb public servant" and said Mr. Gonzales, whom he called a personal friend, would be a worthy successor.
President George W. Bush has acknowledged "FBI shortfallings" connected with the disclosure that the bureau improperly used the USA Patriot Act to obtain thousands of business, financial and other records in the United States.
...
The improper use of provisions under the USA Patriot Act has troubled even Republicans in Washington.
"This is, regrettably, part of an ongoing process where the federal authorities are not really sensitive to privacy and go far beyond what we have authorized," said Senator Arlen Specter, the ranking Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee.
I guess Spector feels like now that he's not under the boot of Karl the Inquisitor he can talk smack about the 1600 Crew. Gee...wasn't it his Chief of Staff who stuck the midnight provision into the un-Patriot-ic Act that enabled these partisan shenanigans to take place? Arlen, Arlen, Arlen...
Oh, silly me. I got off the topic of Abu the Ghraib. I guess that the fact that Preznits automatically get deference in their choices for high office, even poor choices of inexperienced "yes men" resonates not at all with the Senate. That Abu has lied and lied again while sitting as a witness resonates with no one in the Senate. Spector let him testify not under oath probably because he knew he would be lying, and accepted it with all the gravitas of his magisterialness as Chairman of the Judiciary Committee after being told the "check was in the mail, and no, I won't cum in your mouth Senator".
Yeah, right.
The unraveling is beginning. Not because the republicans have gotten stupider, but because they have lost two things (1) the power to totally spin the message (although they do try, hard) and (2) the power to control subpoenas. The Democrats haven't necessecarily gotten smarter either (look at how they're dealing, or not dealing with Iraq), they have just managed to snag some airtime in front of cameras and in committee chairs.
So let the Games Continue!!! (and pass the popcorn)
