“It is not all that I would want. But given the legitimate threats we face, providing effective intelligence collection tools with appropriate safeguards is too important to delay. So I support the compromise, but do so with a firm pledge that as President, I will carefully monitor the program, review the report by the Inspectors General, and work with the Congress to take any additional steps I deem necessary to protect the lives – and the liberty – of the American people.”

Duros: Well, no, Sean, that’s not exactly what I meant. He’s gonna get the “soft on terror” bullshit anyway. His actions will be perceived that way by the opposition if he votes against it, no matter how strongly he defend his vote.

You’re saying if he votes against it he’ll get picked on. Yeah? So? Is that a reason to not do th right thing? Is that what we want in a LEADER? “I know voting against it is the right thing to do, but I didn’t because I don’t want to be teased.”

Alright. Supporting it will draw criticism. SO FUCKING WHAT?

You stand up. You say the bill is shit. You say I will fight against it. And you convince people you are right (with the majority of the country ALREADY convinced).

Or you say “Oh, yeah. I just remembered I’m a Democrat. So I have to cave at the first sign of disapproval from those who will disapprove of me no matter what I do.”

Delayed till after the 4th? Whew, crisis averted! everybody knows you can’t eviscerate the fourth amendment after fireworks.

It’s been speculated that Reid is using FISA to force the GOP to support a housing relief bill for people hit by the mortgage crisis.
That may be true, but it’s already been revealed that the Dems running to join with the GOP on this got a fist full of cash from the very telcos they are falling over to protect. What’s more, this bill was effectively dead in the water until Steny Hoyer went out of his way to resuscitate it and Reid and Pelosi stepped aside and let him (lying about the “compromise” all the way, to boot). There is NO evidence of any “centrist” part of the population eager to throw their civil rights down the well, either.

Any way you slice it, this is a huge failure.

“Settle down” indeed.

Which would be an admission of guilt.

Instead Obama not only gave the bill a pass,

It’s not gonna come up for vote until after the July 4th break anyway.
Settle down.

Well, no, Sean, that’s not exactly what I meant. He’s gonna get the “soft on terror” bullshit anyway. His actions will be perceived that way by the opposition if he votes against it, no matter how strongly he defend his vote.

Again, I think he knows something we don’t.

The FISA vote, however, is his biggest misstep and it is HUGE (let’s save his support for mega-douche John Barrow for another thread). While some may hold out hope that protecting telcos from civil liability, but not criminal, leaves the door open for Obama to get them later with a special prosecutor, it’s pretty clear that that will never happen. For starters, the burden of proof in a criminal trial is far higher than in civil cases. in addition, Bush can simply pardon the telcos on his way out of office and shield them from any future prosecution (yes, he can do that even before any charges have been filed). Now had Obama come forward and loudly opposed this bill as a gift to the telcos and a massive blow to the fourth amendment, his stature as the Dem nominee and massive media access would have gone a long way toward scuttling a disastrously bad bill and thwarting bought and paid for Dems like Steny Hoyer. Instead Obama not only gave the bill a pass, but he went out of his way to re-iterate a raft of Republican talking points (we face “grave” threats and need this bill so we have the proper tools to fight terror…BOO!).

It’s not a right or left thing, it’s a right or wrong one, and shifting from the “left” to the “right” to find the “center” is nearly always a run away from doing what’s plainly right and choosing to instead do what’s wrong but superficially convenient.

Nice work Obama. No money from me.

Next.

Sheesh, Duros. You don’t usually say things that strikingly dumb.

By whining “I don’t want to be thought of as soft on terror” you cede the win to the Repubs without even putting up a fight, and on a issue on which they are losing when anyone keeps enough spine to point it out. And you advocate voting for something that everyone knows is shitty.

I want, for just once at least, a leader who will LEAD. One who will say, “This is shitty. I will NOT vote for it. And you shouldn’t want me to.” And then goes and convinces the public that he’s right. Again, someone who LEADS.

The guy is smart.

Dunno if anyone saw John Dean’s assessment on Countdown last night, but I for one find it very interesting that immunity extends to civil liability but not criminal lawsuits.

Hmmmm.