...are, according to Politifact.com:

#180:

"Barack Obama opposed the Bush Administration's initial policy on warrantless wiretaps because it crossed the line between protecting our national security and eroding the civil liberties of American citizens. As president, Obama would update the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to provide greater oversight and accountability to the congressional intelligence committees to prevent future threats to the rule of law."

Note the weasel word "initial" in there so that he cannot be called out for his disgusting vote for the ultimate version of the FISA revisions. Also note how the greater oversight and accountability will only be vested in Congressional committees, vs more broadly changing the law to be less personally invasive to begin with.

#390:

"Will strengthen privacy protections for the digital age and will harness the power of technology to hold government and business accountable for violations of personal privacy."

Suh-Wiing...and a miss.

Link at sig.

One wonders if he looks over his shoulder a lot when leaving buildings and restaurants at night.

I know I would.

Of course, someone as completely deranged and mentally ill as he must be to do the things he's done probably doesn't give it a second thought.

I call that "Rovism."

It continues to amaze me how these people can continue walking around and not be publicly stoned. We surely must look like fat, lazy, stupid citizens to the rest of the world. And we are.

From Anonymous Rethuglican Senator Buff Oone:

"I believe this Congress has many more important issues to confront than rehashing conspiracy theories related to a case that has already been solved and closed."

From Blue Dog Representative Hugh Jass:

"Liberal Score Settlers who are still looking for someone from the Bush Administration to hang for what they perceive to be poor policy decisions will not get my support to spend further time and resources when we have an economy in crisis, people without affordable healthcare, and two wars being waged overseas."

From former Vice-President Dick Cheney:

"Fuck you."

9/11 Commission: 1 year, 9 months. $15 million.

Whitewater investigation: 6 years, 8 months. $60 million.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/9/11_Commission

http://www.9-11commission.gov/about/faq.htm

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/whitewater/timeline.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitewater_controversy

Palette-O-Money sent to Iraq with zero oversight or accounting of any of it: approx. 1 year. $9 BILLION.

http://www.projectcensored.org/top-stories/articles/13-tracking-billions-of-dollars-lost-in-iraq/

Now, what do you really think our priorities should be?

Link at sig.

I don't think it can be said any better than Kitt put it:

I'll have to admit that I've taken some pride in the fact that I was not only fortunate enough to discover your writings early on, but that I had the good sense to realize and recognize, without having previously known who you were or what your history was, what a splendid and engaging writer and source of information and perspective that I had discovered. You've been a blessing during these tumultuous times, and you've helped me to make what sense their is to make of it all as it has unfolded. This is my shout out of thanks to both you and to Amy Goodman.

You should be extremely proud of this award, Glenn. You and Amy are nothing short of the very embodiment of what it means to be truly independent, thinking, and critical.

And happy freakin' birthday, too! ;-)

On a related-to-this-post note, you really should watch John Oliver's bit on the WH press corp that aired on The Daily Show last night. It is absolutely apropos and hilarious.

http://www.thedailyshow.com/

Link at sig, scroll to the "White House Press Corps" clip. Absolutely spot-on!

Helen Thomas just asked Robert Gibbs about why Freeman withdrew, and all Gibbs could do is hmm haw and completely evade an answer. It was so bad that Thomas could be heard in the background saying "I just want a straight answer."

Gibbs is a fop.

Why has no one interviewed him? Why are none of our intrepid MSM asking him the tough questions? You know, like: "what did you know, and when did you know it?"

Of all the reporters in the MSM, of all the resources at their disposal, why has there not been a single interview done with this guy?

More broadly, why doesn't anyone from the Federal Reserve seem to get interviewed much, if at all, by the MSM? Aren't they playing a central role in all of this? Aren't they the ones pushing the levers here?

Oh yeah, now I remember.

Vapid

Insipid

Sycophantic

Corrupted

Duplicitous

Enabling

Access-Envy

Dereliction of duty

Etc

I bitch about him not being interviewed, and here comes Wolfy Wolfy with a "rare" interview of him tonight on CNN at 8 et.

I'll be hanging on the edge of my seat.....I expect it will be a fully adversarial, poignant exchange in which Blitzer pins Geithner down on all of his missteps so far. As a leading member of the 4th estate and a top "journalist" in his field, I will expect nothing less of him. I'm certain this will be very revealing and shed much new light to the public at large.

*snort*