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Al Gore Blasts Bush's Warrantless NSA Surveillance

By Jeralyn, Section War on Terror
Posted on Mon Jan 16, 2006 at 11:56:44 AM EST
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Al Gore rose to the occasion today and blasted Bush's warrantless NSA surveillance program as illegal. From the New York Times:

The speech in Washington was organized by the Liberty Coalition, a civil liberties advocacy group, and the American Constitution Society for Law and Public Policy, a liberal legal group.

"It is this same disrespect for America's Constitution which has now brought our republic to the brink of a dangerous breach in the fabric of the Constitution," Mr. Gore said. "And the disrespect embodied in these apparent mass violations of the law is part of a larger pattern of seeming indifference to the Constitution that is deeply troubling to millions of Americans in both political parties."

Raw Story has the text of Al Gore's speech. Crooks and Liars has the link to the video highlights. Peter Daou notes that the cable news stations didn't cover it, opting instead to feature an overturned tanker. Peter has more over at Huffpo. Firedoglake weighs in on the speech.

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    • Al Gore Blasts Bush's Warrantless NSA Surveillance | 27 comments (27 topical)
    Re: Al Gore Blasts Bush's Warrantless NSA Surveil (none / 0) (#1)
    by Lww on Mon Jan 16, 2006 at 01:55:20 PM EST
    Good ole Al Gore; demagogic doofus that he is... Bush the King. He's a lame duck if anyone cares to notice. Comparing Dr. King's wiretapping to the NSA's spying on folks who might try to kill us. Right. And the whopper of them all? If we had "known" how benign Iraq really was we wouldn't have attacked! This is the lie of the century(2003 on) I'm sure there'll be other bigger ones but for now it'll have to do. Does ANYONE with a shred of intellectual honesty think we didn't know Iraq wasn't a threat to the US? Anyone? Disgraceful, the whole lot of them.

    Re: Al Gore Blasts Bush's Warrantless NSA Surveil (none / 0) (#2)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Jan 16, 2006 at 02:03:48 PM EST
    Comparing Dr. King's wiretapping to the NSA's spying on folks who might try to kill us. Right. Comparing the government spying on folks in the 1950s they claimed were a threat to the nation - which is why, from 1963, the government was compelled to apply for a warrant to get a wiretap - with the government spying on folks in the 2000s they claim are a threat to the nation - but not bothering to apply for a warrant, because for a warrant, they'd have to show cause for a wiretap. If they only wanted to spy on people whom they could demonstrate were or even might be a threat - why didn't they follow the law, and apply for the warrants? The law even let them apply for a warrant after the wiretap, if the wiretap seemed urgent. But no: Bush thinks he's above the law, and he's got a right to do whatever he wants.

    Re: Al Gore Blasts Bush's Warrantless NSA Surveil (none / 0) (#4)
    by Johnny on Mon Jan 16, 2006 at 02:45:18 PM EST
    LWW-despite your repeated claims to the contrary, they really were not much of a threat, were they? I mean, that whole drawn out war, the huge cache of nuclear. chemical, and biological weapons, the vicious republican guard fighting to the last man... The overwhelming numbers of iraqis involved in terrorist acts on american soil... Your right! They were a threat!

    Re: Al Gore Blasts Bush's Warrantless NSA Surveil (none / 0) (#5)
    by Johnny on Mon Jan 16, 2006 at 02:49:17 PM EST
    Gore is well on his way to became modern American Cato. This voice is needed.
    This voice is needed, but it was needed more in 2000. Now, thanks to extremist,right-wing war-mongers, he just sounds like a hippie whiner... But, a high profile voice is a high profile voice, and there were more americans that voted for him in 2000 than voted for the winner. Maybe people will listen to him.

    Re: Al Gore Blasts Bush's Warrantless NSA Surveil (none / 0) (#6)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Jan 16, 2006 at 02:58:04 PM EST
    Hummm... Gore & the NY Times anti - Bush... what a surprise. Let them both blast away... who cares?

    Re: Al Gore Blasts Bush's Warrantless NSA Surveil (none / 0) (#7)
    by Sailor on Mon Jan 16, 2006 at 03:02:30 PM EST
    We only found out about the King spying after investigation. We haven't investigated who bush has tapped yet.

    Re: Al Gore Blasts Bush's Warrantless NSA Surveil (none / 0) (#8)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Jan 16, 2006 at 03:19:42 PM EST
    I wonder why Gore didn't open his yap when we were evesdropping years ago. Not that it is right to do now, but it must have been right in Gores book back then.

    Re: Al Gore Blasts Bush's Warrantless NSA Surveil (none / 0) (#9)
    by kdog on Mon Jan 16, 2006 at 03:19:55 PM EST
    Just saw a clip of the speech on the news...Gore was fired up boy! He had almost had this cynic believeing he wasn't playing politics. I think he's right, but I also think we need new voices if we expect the American people to listen and see the very real threat this administration is to our Constitution and continued quasi-free existence.

    Re: Al Gore Blasts Bush's Warrantless NSA Surveil (none / 0) (#10)
    by Edger on Mon Jan 16, 2006 at 03:45:09 PM EST
    kdog: Gore was fired up boy! ... I think he's right, but I also think we need new voices if we expect the American people to listen and see the very real threat this administration is to our Constitution I think more and more are listening, everyday: Of the 32% figure in Rasmussen's Dec 15 poll that favor impeaching Bush, let's give the right the benefit of the doubt and assume that at least 25% of that 32% are people who voted against Bush and for Gore in 2000, and Kerry in 2004. That would leave 7% that are people who voted for Bush. Fair? Higher than the difference in both elections 2000, and 2004. For an administration that seems to see all problems as "PR" problems, I'd certainly have to agree with them here. They have a little problem.

    Re: Al Gore Blasts Bush's Warrantless NSA Surveil (none / 0) (#11)
    by john horse on Mon Jan 16, 2006 at 03:48:23 PM EST
    Good for Gore. My respect for him just keeps growing. I hope people won't be distracted by the desperate attempts of some of the commentators on this site to misrepresent what he actually said. I could say that what they say is misleading and/or inaccurate but why take my word for it. Go to the links provided by TL and listen to or read the transcript of Gore's speech and judge for yourself. If the enthusiastic reaction of the Liberty Foundation to Gore's speech is any indication, it would seem that many libertarians are waking up to the real threat that the Bush administration and the GOP are posing to our liberties.

    Re: Al Gore Blasts Bush's Warrantless NSA Surveil (none / 0) (#12)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Jan 16, 2006 at 05:24:22 PM EST
    Insult deleted. (please refrain from name-calling and personal insults to other commenters. Refuting their argument is so much more effective and pleasant to read.)

    Re: Al Gore Blasts Bush's Warrantless NSA Surveil (none / 0) (#13)
    by pigwiggle on Mon Jan 16, 2006 at 06:12:06 PM EST
    Just watched it on CSPAN. Where was this Gore in 2000? It’s a weird feeling o be inspired by Al Gore. Weird.

    Re: Al Gore Blasts Bush's Warrantless NSA Surveil (none / 0) (#14)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Jan 16, 2006 at 09:13:06 PM EST
    Curiously silent in 1994: "The Department of Justice believes, and the case law supports, that the president has inherent authority to conduct warrantless physical searches for foreign intelligence purposes," Deputy Attorney General Jamie Gorelick testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee on July 14, 1994, "and that the President may, as has been done, delegate this authority to the Attorney General." "It is important to understand," Gorelick continued, "that the rules and methodology for criminal searches are inconsistent with the collection of foreign intelligence and would unduly frustrate the president in carrying out his foreign intelligence responsibilities." So it's only a problem for Gore during wartime and under a Republican President? It was ok during peacetime, and under an administration he was part of?

    Re: Al Gore Blasts Bush's Warrantless NSA Surveil (none / 0) (#15)
    by glanton on Mon Jan 16, 2006 at 09:41:44 PM EST
    Where was this Gore in 2000? It’s a weird feeling o be inspired by Al Gore. Weird.
    You said a mouthful there, brother. And you know, his speeches have gotten better and better the further we get from the 200 campaign. The only explanation I can think of is that he's no longer in the inner circles of power, he's no longer a threat to win the "girl, the watch, and everything." More and more I wonder if it is even possible, if it ever has been possible in the United States, for someone to be a decent human being who stands for liberty, and to win a national election.

    Re: Al Gore Blasts Bush's Warrantless NSA Surveil (none / 0) (#16)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Jan 16, 2006 at 10:47:56 PM EST
    wg; Which Cato do you wish Gore to be? The Elder who called for the annihilation of Carthage or The Younger who blamed the Greeks for bringing homosexuality and sauces to Rome and subsequently killed himself?

    Re: Al Gore Blasts Bush's Warrantless NSA Surveil (none / 0) (#17)
    by john horse on Tue Jan 17, 2006 at 03:37:31 AM EST
    Wile E Coyote Lets play a game. Remember when you were shown two pictures that were very similar and you had to pick out the differences. This is going to be that kind of game. Look at the title of Talkleft's post and the article you link to. The headline of TL's post is "AL Gore Blasts Bush's Warrantless NSA Surveillance." The headline of the article you link to is "Under Clinton, NY Times called surveillance "a necessity"". Now did you spot the difference between the two? Look carefully. Take your time. OK, times up. The difference is the word "warrantless". The criticism of Bush isn't that he is resorting to surveillance but "warrantless" surveillance. Makes a big difference. One is legal. The other is illegal. I won't tell you which one is which. I think you can figure it out.

    Re: Al Gore Blasts Bush's Warrantless NSA Surveil (none / 0) (#18)
    by Steven Sanderson on Tue Jan 17, 2006 at 06:32:42 AM EST
    Al Gore's speech was invigorating and vitally necessary in the effort to protect our Constitution and it's magnificent Bill of Rights. It was also the best speech that I've heard since Rev. Al Sharpton rode the Democratic donkey at the '04 Democratic convention.

    Re: Al Gore Blasts Bush's Warrantless NSA Surveil (none / 0) (#19)
    by pigwiggle on Tue Jan 17, 2006 at 06:47:06 AM EST
    James Robertson- You’ve misinterpreted what was actually said in that 1994 testimony. Actually, you’ve just reposted another’s misrepresentation, but that aside. The testimony was regarding physical searches (says so in your quote), which were not addressed in FISA at that time. The testimony was a request to fix a deficiency in the FISA process to cover physical searches in the same manner as electronic surveillance. The conspicuously excluded portion of the testimony …
    “That being said, the Department of Justice believes that Congress can legislate in the area of physical searches as it has done with respect to electronic surveillances, and we are prepared to support appropriate legislation. A bill that strikes the proper balance between adequate intelligence to guarantee our nation’s security, on one hand, and the preservation of basic civil rights on the other will be an important addition to our commitment to democratic control of intelligence functions. Such a bill would also provide additional assurances to the dedicated men and women who serve this country in intelligence positions that their activities are proper and necessary.”
    In 1995 congress addressed this deficiency and amended FISA. The Clinton administration in no way presented the argument that executive order 12333 exempted the executives from securing a FISA warrant for electronic or physical surveillance. In fact, if you read the executive order (sec. 2.5) it plainly states … “Electronic surveillance, as defined in the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978, shall be conducted in accordance with that Act, as well as this Order.” So no, as much as I love to see the left blasted by their petards, this certainly isn’t one. And even if it was, how on earth would Clinton’s disregard for judicial oversight justify this administrations?

    Re: Al Gore Blasts Bush's Warrantless NSA Surveil (none / 0) (#20)
    by Slado on Tue Jan 17, 2006 at 06:54:08 AM EST
    All you need to know about Al Gore is he blew the 2000 election because he couldn't win his home county in his home state of TN. Those people know the real Al Gore and they know he's a phoney. That speach by Al Gore was contradictory. On one hand he said that presidential power was important then he said Bush abused it. Then he called the internment of Japanese evil then he said WWII was conducted justly unlike the current war. Which is it? Somebody said "I wish this Gore had shown up in 2000" paraphrase...Yeah me too. Then Bush would have won in a landslide. If I was a lefty I'd stick to Hillary for advice and speeches. Not Goofy Gore and Teddy "I'm resigning from that club today" Kennedy.

    Re: Al Gore Blasts Bush's Warrantless NSA Surveil (none / 0) (#21)
    by Slado on Tue Jan 17, 2006 at 11:52:04 AM EST
    What do you know Gore's a hypocrite AP

    Re: Al Gore Blasts Bush's Warrantless NSA Surveil (none / 0) (#22)
    by pigwiggle on Tue Jan 17, 2006 at 12:03:12 PM EST
    Slado- Take a break from your navel gazing and read some other posts. This point was posted by James Robertson , January 16, 2006 10:13 PM and answered by pigwiggle, January 17, 2006 07:47 AM .

    Re: Al Gore Blasts Bush's Warrantless NSA Surveil (none / 0) (#23)
    by john horse on Tue Jan 17, 2006 at 02:55:08 PM EST
    Pig Thanks for throwing some light on the misrepresentation of Clinton's position on FISA. By the way, as weird as it is for you to be inspired by Al Gore it is just as weird for a lefty like myself to be agreeing with Bob Barr. Maybe Bush was right after all. He is a uniter.

    Re: Al Gore Blasts Bush's Warrantless NSA Surveil (none / 0) (#25)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Jan 17, 2006 at 07:23:44 PM EST
    wg-Good choice like Gore, Cato the Elder was an appointed and then self-appointed nag, who was generally wrong about everything he railed against from the time he was Censor till his death. Neither Cato nor Gore were loved but both were admired for acts as young men then tolerated with bemusement as they became cranks.

    Re: Al Gore Blasts Bush's Warrantless NSA Surveil (none / 0) (#26)
    by john horse on Tue Jan 17, 2006 at 07:51:54 PM EST
    Pat I think a person who has the courage to speak up the Constitution is not a "crank", but a true patriot. You say that Gore was wrong about what "he railed against" but you provide nothing to back up your opinion. In this regard, you can start by answering the question posed by pig, how can you justify the lack of judicial oversight by the Bush administration?

    Re: Al Gore Blasts Bush's Warrantless NSA Surveil (none / 0) (#27)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Jan 17, 2006 at 09:23:17 PM EST
    I realize that "railed" was inelegant but since the claim was made in comparing Gore to Cato the Elder and since Cato spent his life railing at homosexuals, foreigners, the wealthy, and women I guess it follows that Gore has done these things as well. I had hoped that the comparison was going to be with Cato the Younger, who stood against the Triumvirs and Caesar. Killing himself when he realized tha The Republic was lost. Gore continues to always speak out against things after the event has passed and when he is safely away from having to defend any unpopular decision he might have made. Both Catos would probably have looked down upon the timidity of Gore in finding his voice as a private citizen rather than when his words would have carried some weight as a public official.

    Re: Al Gore Blasts Bush's Warrantless NSA Surveil (none / 0) (#28)
    by john horse on Wed Jan 18, 2006 at 04:01:11 AM EST
    Pat, This is not about "homosexuals, foreigners, the wealthy, and women". The issue is about Bush's warrantless NSA surveillance. What is "inelegant" isn't your use of the word "rail" but that you resort to mudthrowing rather than argue against what Gore said on its merits. That you and others have avoided a defense for Bush's warrantless surveillance speaks volumes about whether what Bush is doing is defensible.

    Re: Al Gore Blasts Bush's Warrantless NSA Surveil (none / 0) (#29)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Jan 18, 2006 at 04:39:03 AM EST
    Yes, I would agree that the speech Gore gave did indeed bring up these electronic searches, however except for this comment I have never even addressed that issue. My original comment was only in regard to the rather weak and hopefully inaccurate comparison between Cato the Elder and Gore, which I pointed out is actually not complimentary. If mudthrowing is comment on Gore's rather late arrival as a Cassandra then I must simply accept the charge and move on.

    Al Gore Blasts Bush's Warrantless NSA Surveillance | 27 comments (27 topical)