"If Cheney threatened to divulge something he had on Rockefeller, that would be a good thing."

I'm not talking particularly about personal blackmail, more so of the political kind. For example,

as others have mentioned the info might be related to foreign governments that we are allies with and the world wide instability certain disclosures might precipitate.

I frankly just don't see Richard Cheney bending to anyone. I think the distribution of his "restructuring" efforts were capillary deep and after a few years of unbridled intel gathering and stooge protected methods, we came across and a treasure trove of info on someone or some country that if that info was released it wouldn't be pretty.

Speaking of uber powerful, anyone remember the name of the group of world leaders that meets privately and did so a short time back and none of the media outlets covered it? I think it starts with a B.

What's to keep the document from being seized and destroyed prior to a formal review?

Will Lyman narrating this and the chill will be forever etched in my brain.

JerryB

I'm don't believe that the Obama adminstration would ever make use of this policy the way Bush did

Why don't you believe that this would "ever" happen? Not even in the event of a large-scale terrorist attack or other form of societal instability or upheaval?

Why don't you believe it would happen, and what you're view, then, as to why they're taking steps to preserve these powers?

-- GlennGreenwald

[Read GlennGreenwald's other letters]

Permalink Saturday, March 7, 2009 07:16 AM PST

I would venture to say that it's probably needed to deal exclusively with the Non State Actors from Syria and Iran. As long as the Iranian government knows that we still have the enemy combatant stick to wield they have to think twice about sending NSA groups into our current battlefield operational zones. Just a hunch.

in the" Independent" party. He should be challenged and all of his supporters should have to spend more and more money to support him. If they want to hide behind the scenes then let them whip out their wallets and really have to buy themselves an election. Make him want to run AWAY from the cameras not at them. Time for another NED.

I can't put the book down... without screaming my head off. Vile, self serving opportunist. Read it, the man is single handedly responsibly for 90% of the shit hole situations we're in right now. I thought Gibbs was too kind to "The former Vice-President".

By the way, the former VP doesn't apparently care about polls or what the American people think, so why should the media start caring for him.

Rush, Sean and Glenn are "NON- ELECTED" Leaders of the Right. They are like impotent old men gang banging a hooker by proxy.

The government plays the role of the narcissistically impaired adult who needs to be respected and obeyed and made to feel worthwhile. Might even head towards a form of patriarchal terrorism. If the government officials in charge don't see the media reflecting back to them, namely their own nobel goodness, then they become battering and abusive. All I can think of is the Wolf Blitzer interview with RB Cheney and his moment of dead silence when Wolf asked him about his daughter. Arrogance and abuse on the part of the politicians keeps them in line on "On Message".

Glenn you sound Exactly like Stephen Colbert doing his skit Tonight's "Word".Go back and imagine Stephen reading your points with the word "Logic" off to the side with snarky filler in between each one.

I actually saw Glenn smile during the intro to the Washington Journal segment. Unbelievable.

Simon Johnson, No Shit. they had him on NPR's Saturday show last year and he was dead on. Way to go Glenn. I know it's serious stuff, but come on man, smile just a little more often.

Can't the previous administration suspects just use the former President's signing statements as defense from the torture allegations? Have any of the signing statements ever been legally challenged?

Bad legal opinion? If Bush tortured, relying as a non lawyer on legal advice saying he is within the rights of his duties as CIC to do so until Congress changes the law and then Congress changes the law, and then he Trumps Congress anyway, with a signing statement that Congress doesn't challenge, why should anyone be held liable? Congress knew what he was doing. Prove they didn't. If the Bush folks blew smoke up everyone's ass is that a crime? Cheney blackmailed all the vulnerable ones, especially Rockefeller.

Isn't it pathetic that the standards of the legal profession are so high, but a few brilliant ones pawn all know ethical standards to polish their own sycophantic egos under the guise of "Public Service" happily wearing a nice short leash for their masters. AND WHAT HAPPENS? Nothing.

I blame the spineless legal profession for giving too much deference to their own corrupt brethren. After all Alberto Gonzales still has his license doesn't he? Michael MuKasey lied while he was Attorney General didn't he? Oh, I'm sorry he, actually just misspoke....

A lot of folks probably feel like they did as well with campaign contributions to Obama as they did recently in the stock market.

At least things are consistent and steady. We are consistently and steadily being fucked by our own government.