were in charge on 9/11 too, so ipso facto if FISA is responsible for 9/11 then Bush and the republicans must also be responsible for 9/11. I kind of like that phrase ipso facto actually.

Ipso facto, what happened to the anthrax in the mail investigation? Anyone know?

These guys are so full of shit, it's starting to bubble.

Just checking.

To White House Spokesmodel Dana Peroxide, STFU.

ipso facto too. and, presto. also alacazam! and open sesame.

i will enjoy seeing democrats becoming bolder on this one small card they have here.

hope springs eternal, doesn't it.

Delete the words: "on Protect America Act extension" and you've got a completely accurate headline usable on any article regarding repubs in govt.

Add another mouthpiece for the "right side," Darrell Issa, R-CA, in an op-ed in the LA Times:

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oew-issa25feb25,0,1843063.story

perfect timing: I just received a fundraising letter from the DCCC; i returned a note in the prepaid envelope saying: "I will contribute only when the house permanently rejects telecom immunity." Probably won't do any good, but it FELT good.

if most GOP voters understood what "trial lawyers" actually do much of the time (get big awards for average folks damaged by corporations), they might realize that trial-lawyers are their natural allies, not their enemies.

Of course, trial-lawyers are in no way involved in the telecom suits, and I sure hope like hell that whoever responds to this criminal gabble makes that clear: that non-profit corporations devoted to protecting our constitutional rights are the people initiating these lawsuits..and that the lawyers involved make next to nothing.

The GOP shows its utterly lack of integrity, morality, and decency when they shovel this pure bullshit onto the national media. WHEN are these reporters going to finally just throw it all back at them? When? Because if reporters for papers started writing the simple truth, that I just wrote above, you'd see all that shit suddenly disappear, as the GOP was shown to be a group of rank liars.

Pricks. We just *have* to crush them this time.

And we want to promote democracy in the world?

It's unfortunate that is lost in all of this spin is the fact that two legal actions against the Telecoms insist that the warrantless surveillance programs began more than six to seven months before 9/11.

Joseph Nacchio who was the former head of Qwest Communications refused to cooperate with the NSA request for warrantless taps in March 2001 because he believed them to be illegal. He alleges the government withdrew potential contracts worth millions of dollars from Qwest and was then sued by the SEC for insider trading for which he was convicted. His appeal was unsealed in in Denver last October and is still pending.

The other legal action filed against the other telecoms alleges AT&T began prepping for wireless phone and internet taps starting as early as late February 2001.

Could it be the shrill scare tactics and hissy-fits from the White House and Republican Congress members has more to do with protecting and covering up a crime that leads to a bigger crime. This could be the loose thread that once pulled, will unravel our government.

It is facinating that Wolf Blitzer; every CNN correspondent; as well as every other talking head covering this story without fail uses the phrase "after 9/11" when discussing the ongoing tug-a-war regarding warrantless surveillance. The fact the MSM is constantly drilling into the public mindset that this happened "after 9/11" begs the question as to why they feel this is necessary.

Perhaps the answer lies with the endless advertising revenue stream pouring into the news media from the likes of AT&T and Verizon. Whatever the truth is, it's not going to come from anyone in the Whitehouse press corps asking Ms. Perino questions.

... is a pretty pathetic press secretary. She's not doing a very good job at making Bush look credible. In fact, she's been instrumental at exposing the blunders within the administration. When she speaks to the press, she has a strange look in her eye, as if she's hiding big secrets. Or more like a scientologist that can't take the brainwashing anymore and is about to crack.

Koppelman,

You're a fine writer but if I wanted a full-on exchange I'd read Greenwald... shorter is better. At the pace you're going, you wouldn't be allowed to post a reply to your own postings.

Keep up the goods,

Alford

The television ads began running here in southern Arizona tonight, urging us to call our representative, Gabrielle Giffords, to tell her that we want the House to pass the bill.

Unfortunately for them I stopped making phone calls once I learned the phone companies were spying on us...

Those trial lawyers sure are slim, eh Dana?

why does the press allow the white house to constantly claim that it is the president's job to protect americans? It is NOT.

Here's the oath: "''I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.''"

He has a solem obligation to defend the rule of law. And frankly I think he's a pisspoor job of it. It be great if any reporters in washington had read the constitution or could ask a decent question.

he'd have read the PDB of August 6, 2001. Given the "buzz" in the air at that time, "blindsided" is a bit thick.

Where's the response from democratic lawmakers that it was the PRESIDENT who killed the compromise bills because he's an all-or-nothing never-met-a-millionaire-he-didn't-like jerkstore?

I'm sorry, but I just did a quick search of the full text of the report and could not find the quote "A bipartisan congressional inquiry into why our nation was blindsided by those attacks later concluded that 'difficulties with the FISA process led to a diminished level of coverage of suspected al Qaeda operatives in the United States,'" in the report. Maybe I missed it, but I searched on all key words.

In any event, I don't think one can state that the requirements of FISA in place at the time directly led to not detecting the 9/11 attacks which is what he is trying to say.