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Cheney: 'We Have All the Authority We Need' for NSA Spying Program

By Jeralyn, Section War on Terror
Posted on Tue Feb 07, 2006 at 04:22:43 PM EST
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VP Dick Cheney, on the NewsHour tonight, discusses the Administration's warrantless NSA electronic surveillance program. He sees no need to revise the law:

In an interview to air on Tuesday night on PBS' "Newshour," Cheney was asked whether President George W. Bush was willing to work with Congress to settle some of the legal questions about the spy program.

"We believe... that we have all the legal authority we need," Cheney said.

Cheney also said members of Congress are backing down from their opposition to the program:

When they were briefed privately on the classified program, they had been supportive, he said.

"I presided over most of those briefings, there was no great concern expressed that somehow we needed to come get additional legislative authority," he said.

How about some names, Mr. Cheney?

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    Cheney: 'We Have All the Authority We Need' for NSA Spying Program | 24 comments (24 topical)
    Re: Cheney: 'We Have All the Authority We Need' fo (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Feb 07, 2006 at 04:52:35 PM EST
    Interesting. Cheney has exposed the ultimate source of the criminality: notice he said "we", i.e., "I". (Usually, he speaks on behalf of Bush hole.) It's clear from his words that he wants "the Program" to continue. . . and the torture . . . and the renditions . . . and the secret prisons . . . and . . .

    Re: Cheney: 'We Have All the Authority We Need' fo (none / 0) (#2)
    by Edger on Tue Feb 07, 2006 at 04:55:03 PM EST
    It's an all or nothing bet for them now. He can't and won't say anything other than this. Can't allow even the most minute chink to open or the whole house of cards starts to unravel.

    Re: Cheney: 'We Have All the Authority We Need' fo (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Feb 07, 2006 at 04:55:46 PM EST
    . . .so it should really be read as saying: "I" have all the authority "I" need.

    Re: Cheney: 'We Have All the Authority We Need' fo (none / 0) (#4)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Feb 07, 2006 at 04:56:48 PM EST
    From the reuters article, Cheney:
    "I presided over most of those briefings, there was no great concern expressed that somehow we needed to come get additional legislative authority," he said.
    Straight enough. But he can be so forgetful, though, you know? Like in that debate with Edwards:
    "The first time I ever met you was when you walked on the stage tonight."
    Re: Cheney: 'We Have All the Authority We Need' fo (none / 0) (#5)
    by Edger on Tue Feb 07, 2006 at 05:04:28 PM EST
    "no great concern" "that I ever saw"

    Re: Cheney: 'We Have All the Authority We Need' fo (none / 0) (#6)
    by Molly Bloom on Tue Feb 07, 2006 at 05:06:03 PM EST
    Didn't Bush believe that Dick Cheney was a man of "great integrity, sound judgement and experience." Didn't they believe Brownie was doing a "heckuva Job?" Didn't they believe there was WMD in Iraq? Didn't Cheney believe that we would be greated as liberators in Iraq? Didn't Cheney believe he had never met John Edwards before the 2004 VP debate? Didn't Cheney believe they were in the last throes of the insurgency? Didn't Dick Cheney believe that "the streets in Basra and Baghdad are sure to erupt in joy in the same way the throngs in Kabul greeted the Americans?" Now Dick tells us he "believes" they have "all the authority" they need...

    Re: Cheney: 'We Have All the Authority We Need' fo (none / 0) (#7)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Feb 07, 2006 at 05:10:04 PM EST
    Now we all know how Kent felt, in King Lear:
    CORNWALL Why dost thou call him a knave? What's his offence? KENT His countenance likes me not. CORNWALL No more, perchance, does mine, nor his, nor hers. KENT Sir, 'tis my occupation to be plain: I have seen better faces in my time...
    Re: Cheney: 'We Have All the Authority We Need' fo (none / 0) (#8)
    by squeaky on Tue Feb 07, 2006 at 05:24:45 PM EST
    I think that there must be a typo here:
    When they were briefed privately on the classified program, they had been supportive, he said.
    When thay were blackmailed privately.... Ah NSA knows no bounds.

    Re: Cheney: 'We Have All the Authority We Need' fo (none / 0) (#9)
    by jimakaPPJ on Tue Feb 07, 2006 at 05:37:28 PM EST
    et al - Come now, do you think it news that Cheney believes he is right? punisher - I once met Jimmy Carter. In fact, flew with him from Portalnd to Denver, only one seat away. Somehow I doubt if he would remember me today.

    Re: Cheney: 'We Have All the Authority We Need' fo (none / 0) (#10)
    by Pete Guither on Tue Feb 07, 2006 at 05:40:54 PM EST
    We have all the authority we need. And yes, you may kiss our ring, now.

    Re: Cheney: 'We Have All the Authority We Need' fo (none / 0) (#11)
    by phat on Tue Feb 07, 2006 at 05:49:52 PM EST
    All the more reason for Democrats to speak out like Feingold. There can be no dithering. phat

    Re: Cheney: 'We Have All the Authority We Need' fo (none / 0) (#12)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Feb 07, 2006 at 05:57:04 PM EST
    PPJ:I once met Jimmy Carter... Somehow I doubt if he would remember me today. Jim, you're being silly again. But anyway, pick your favorite answer: a) Don't sell yourself short. He probably still, every once in a while says, "Lillian, remember that fella on that Denver flight that time? The guy who kept talkin' about how what he really wants to do is to irritate Democrats into insomnia? I wonder how things worked out for him?" b) If you were a Senator, Carter would've remembered you. c) If you were Edwards, Carter would've hit you up for a big-time donation to Habitat For Humanity, and would've remembered you frequently. d) Cheney and Edwards actually met on at least 3 occasions. e) Maybe Cheney did meet him all those times and really didn't remember him, but if that's true, then when he says "I presided over most of those briefings, there was no great concern expressed" then we could easily believe that concerns were expressed and he's just conveniently forgotten.

    Re: Cheney: 'We Have All the Authority We Need' fo (none / 0) (#13)
    by Quaker in a Basement on Tue Feb 07, 2006 at 05:58:03 PM EST
    Shorter Cheney: Try and stop us.

    Re: Cheney: 'We Have All the Authority We Need' fo (none / 0) (#14)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Feb 07, 2006 at 06:18:26 PM EST
    I'm watching right now the Lehrer interview of Cheney. Cheney just said:
    people are straining here, trying to find an issue...
    He claims to not even see an issue? My... brain... is... meeeeltiiing...

    Re: Cheney: 'We Have All the Authority We Need' fo (none / 0) (#15)
    by jimakaPPJ on Tue Feb 07, 2006 at 06:20:38 PM EST
    punisher - His wife wasn't with him. He was on his way to Aspen (changed planes in Denver) and flew coach. Which impressed the heck out of me. I promise you that if I was an ex-President I wouldn't be in row 25 on a wore out United 727... Did Cheney remember Edwards? Who knows, or cares outside of those looking for any snarky remark about Cheney. Maybe Cheney did, but Edwards, in trying to "channel" Cheney, wiped out all memories.... (snarky is as snarky does....;-) Oh yeah. I told him that I voted for him and he smiled from ear to ear... And yes, I did vote for him...one time.. Something I'm not proud of, mind you, but everyone has things in their past...

    Re: Cheney: 'We Have All the Authority We Need' fo (none / 0) (#16)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Feb 07, 2006 at 06:22:51 PM EST
    His wife wasn't with him. I was assuming that he would've told her about you as soon as he got off the plane :)

    Re: Cheney: 'We Have All the Authority We Need' fo (none / 0) (#17)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Feb 07, 2006 at 06:24:10 PM EST
    Did Cheney remember Edwards? Who knows, or cares... please refer to previous answer, option (e)

    Re: Cheney: 'We Have All the Authority We Need' fo (none / 0) (#18)
    by ltgesq on Tue Feb 07, 2006 at 09:37:41 PM EST
    Cheney has all the power he needs -- it comes in those little black boxes that plug into his neck. Once he gets his fresh chips switched over in his central processing core, he should be able to do all the spying himself. How much are the republicans going to give away? Is there any point at which they will say "enough is enough." Why the heck did they get elected for? Governing doesn't just mean taking turns being the bagman.

    Re: Cheney: 'We Have All the Authority We Need' fo (none / 0) (#19)
    by Che's Lounge on Tue Feb 07, 2006 at 11:20:25 PM EST
    Badges? We don't need no stinking BADGES!

    Re: Cheney: 'We Have All the Authority We Need' fo (none / 0) (#20)
    by Lora on Wed Feb 08, 2006 at 06:23:40 AM EST
    Cheney is effing smart. He's covered all bases. He is stating that the spying *will* continue. Period. The way he framed it, there was never any question about THAT part. Just whether or not the law needed to be changed to give him the authority to do so, and he has said it doesn't. Doesn't anyone remember when the argument was whether the spying should occur AT ALL??!! Cheney has sent it down the memory hole. I truly believe our Dems AND Repubs of conscience - the ones we actualy elected - have been cowed by this administration. They are definitely and appropriately afraid. And we'd better be, and get someone as smart as Cheney to figure out what to do, and fast.

    Re: Cheney: 'We Have All the Authority We Need' fo (none / 0) (#21)
    by Lora on Wed Feb 08, 2006 at 06:29:01 AM EST
    Clarification: I erroneously implied that the argument had been whether or not there should be any spying at all. I meant: spying without a warrant; spying on non-terrorists.

    Re: Cheney: 'We Have All the Authority We Need' fo (none / 0) (#22)
    by Edger on Wed Feb 08, 2006 at 09:14:37 AM EST
    "We believe... that we have all the legal authority we need," Cheney said. Stuff it, dick

    Re: Cheney: 'We Have All the Authority We Need' fo (none / 0) (#23)
    by scarshapedstar on Wed Feb 08, 2006 at 10:20:39 AM EST
    Hey, at least he didn't literally tell us to go f*ck ourselves.

    Re: Cheney: 'We Have All the Authority We Need' fo (none / 0) (#24)
    by Edger on Wed Feb 08, 2006 at 10:35:11 AM EST
    Scar, Yeah... and he's not Janet Jackson either, and NewsHour isn't the superbowl, but they would have bleeped him anyway if he'd said what he meant.

    Cheney: 'We Have All the Authority We Need' for NSA Spying Program | 24 comments (24 topical)