Well, I cribbed that from some stuff he said on the campaign trail:

http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/attytood/Barack_on_torture.html

...but, obviously, it would be easy for him to backtrack on that, especially if - as I think is the case - there'd be no political price paid for doing so.

Pelosi, Obama, and the Dem leadership are hoping and praying that Bush issues pardons, because then the Dem politicians can scream "war crimes" and anything else that will help them politically, but can claim their hands are tied from investigating, because of said pardons.

This way they don't embarrass Pelosi, Rockefeller, and others who were complicit (which investigations would likely expose), but can still use it as political capital (issuing pardons is essentially an acknowledgment of crimes committed).

If Bush were crafty he'd issue blanket pardons for his neo-con cronies and then for Pelosi, Rockefeller, etc. as well - even without their consent.

Either I truly don't know, or I am thoroughly confused.

I'm not sure I can find the page you reference, where all of the questions are ranked. What I see when I go to:

http://change.gov/page/content/openforquestions20081229/

are categories for questions; from The Economy to Additional Issues, and a search feature. I don't know whether the top five questions in each category are selected, or the top five out of ALL categories combined. Apparently, you have found a page that ranks across categories. I can't seem to find that page. Is it possible that you're looking at an older page from the last round?

Under the category Additional Issues, Bob Fertik's question

"Will you appoint a Special Prosecutor - ideally Patrick Fitzgerald - to independently investigate the gravest crimes of the Bush Administration, including torture and warrantless wiretapping?"

is listed as being in the lead with 10,116 votes in favor, and 356 who don't like it (as I write this).

• The top econ question is at 13,259/798,

• the top national security is at 3,764/433,

• top foreign policy is at 3,788/365,

• top education is at 3,212/224,

• top health care is at 7,943/367,

• top energy and env't is at 4,201/221, and

• top science and tech is at 2,588/158.

In 2002 and as late as 2004, the majority of the American people considered George Bush a hero of sorts.

Those who did not support the Iraq war were unpatriotic (and literally, in Cheney's words, traitors).

As in Vietnam, mounting resistance to the war only began as the public began to believe that the war was having a deleterious effect on their pocket books.

Don't expect this issue to generate any major concern from the American people ...... they are still mourning and grieving the "slings and arrows of outrageous fortune" that prevented them from engaging in another orgy of spending this holiday season.

Don't expect them to show the slightest interest in bringing members of the administration to justice thru the courts ..... to do so would be to engage in self-incrimination and self-judgment as the majority of them supported these bastards while the crimes were being committed.

That's just the way it is. You are surrounded by cretins.

As I wrote early this morning in the previous thread, I was very excited to see Glenn's reax. to Ruth Marcus' mindbending column that I caught hot off the press before turning in. And I have to say, he doesn't disappoint. I didn't figure Glenn would just retread his previous takedown of Marcus, but I wasn't sure what to expect exactly. I did NOT expect a devastating takedown like this, however. Where does he find this stuff? Unreal. On a holiday, no less.

Goodbye 2008, Hello 2009! I thought it would never get here, but I think we're going to make it (eight more hours where I sit). My one New Year's wish is for President Obama once he has his Justice Department fully staffed to quietly empower the best U.S. Attorney in the department to investigate all Bush administration actions in the detention, interrogation, and surveillance realms to the exhaustion of all legal questions. That -- real DOJ investigation -- is the sine qua non of our federal law enforcement system; if no lawbreaking is found, or it is found but deemed not provable, such a finding should be accepted as legitimate. But if no true investigation with possible prosecution is pursued, that will constitute a total, historical breach of our rule of law, and if statutes of limitation are passed by, the breach will become irreparable.

So that is what I am hoping and wishing for this New Year's Eve; that for all reading this to have a safe, healthy and happy New Year.

Cheers!

We'll see if, over time, the shine on Obama wears off -- that's the big question -- but for now, many of the groups and other factions that one would count on to push back against Obama simply are boxed in and won't do it.

More a question of when, than if. The process begins as soon as he starts making decisions, as you've pointed out.

On this story , as usual, and in the MSM manner that Glenn often critiques , AP left out something significant. Taylor is a US citizen, having been born here, before his father became president of Liberia. He was prosecuted under a law that makes torture committed outside of the US, by Americans, illegal . He could be (not necessarily was) propsecuted precisely because he is (legally) American .

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/top10-2008/index9.html

Jeff S, (& others?) waterboarding, and other types of water torture (yes, there are several) is worse than you seem to imagine . Here's a detailed account of someone who did it to himself, thinking that it's not so bad . Read it, if you can stand it. or link at my sig.

http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=448717

I see what you mean. He apparently has already been quoted making that statement.

The people of the United States have been trained that their nation has a special role to play in the world, an ethical role of promoting truth and justice. The primary business of the American government ought to be advancing the cause of justice. Justice is meaningless without accountability. Before President Obama tackles the problems of the economy, medical insurance, environmental degradation, or any of the other pressing issues that the Bush Administration has ignored or exacerbated, he needs to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate and prosecute those responsible for the reckless and illegal violations of human rights and Constitutional processes that have occurred over the last few years. Without such a concerted effort to identify and punish those who have perpetrated these abuses, our government and people lose all credibility in the world for providing positive leadership.