BUSH - I am NOT a Dictator with Transcripts from Hotline

Evolving wisdom and original reporting from the staff of the Hotline

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December 19, 2005
What Limits Are There -- Or Should There Be -- On the President?

"To say unchecked powerful is ascribing some sort of dictatorial position to the president, which I strongly reject...."

"There is oversight. On this program, to suggest that there is unchecked power is to not listen...we have briefed the United States Congress a dozen times."

Posted at 11:05 AM | Comments (0)



Whoops
Bush calls the NSA "Nasa"...

Posted at 11:05 AM | Comments (1)



Does The Intelligence Debacle Bear Responsibility For Current Divisions?

"We'd looked at the intelligence and felt certain that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction. Intelligence agencies around the world and felt the same way. There was universal feeling that he had weapons of mass destruction."

"When the weapons weren't there, like many Americans, I was concerned and wondered why. ...

"I will continue to speak to the American people on this issue to not only describe the decision-making process but also the way forward."


Posted at 10:58 AM | Comments (0)



Why Didn't Bush Seek Law Formalizing His Authority?

Bush: "An open debate about law would say to the enemy 'here's what we're going to do.'"

If the threat is so great, why not monitor calls within the country?

"We will, within current law, if we have to. And that's why there is a FISA law. And there's a diffrence between detecting so we can prevent and monitoring and it's important to know the difference between to do."



Does Bush support an independent investigation?

"There are two committes on the Hill which are responsible. Public hearings on programs will say to the enemy: here's what they do....adjust. This is a war."

Posted at 10:53 AM | Comments (0)



The Biggest Mistake
Again: the biggest mistake he's made?

"There's going to be a lot of analysis on the decisions on the ground in Iraq. I'm aware that it was a mistake not to put enough troops there..or more troops immediately. I still think it was the right decision to make, but history will judge. I said the other day that a mistake was trying to train a civillian defense force in the Iraqi army but not giving them...the tools..to battle a group of thugs and killers."

Posted at 10:51 AM | Comments (0)



Bush: My Optimisim About Iraq Was Confirmed By Elections
Does Bush fear a civil war in Iraq?

"My optimism..was confirmed when more than 10 million people went to the polls...constitutions tend to bind societies. It's going to take a while. ... So you're going to see a lot of give and take and it's important for us to get this process moving forward....the Iraqis want to live in a free society. What's important in this election is, Iraq will become an ally in the war on terror and Iraq will serve as a beacon in a part of the world that for freedom and liberty."

Posted at 10:47 AM | Comments (0)



Bush: Disclosing The NSA Program "A Shameful Act"
Will Bush authorize a leak investigation?

"I presume that process is moving forward . My personal opinion is that it was a shameful act for someone to disclose this very important program in a time of war. The fact that we're discussing the program is helping the enemy. I hope the American people understand there is still an enemy that would like to strike the American people."

Bush cites the Bin Laden/sat phone example from '98.


Why did you skip the basic safeguard of asking courts for permission of these intercepts?

"Right after September the 11th, I knew we were fighting a different kind of war. I asked people in my admin. to analyze how best for me and our government to do the job people expect us to do, whcih is detect and prevent a possible attack. We looked at the possible scenarios and the people responsible...came forth with the current program. It helped us to be ...faster and quicker. FISAs is for long-term monitoring. What is needed to protect the American people is to move quickly. Do I have the legal authority to do this? And the answer is: absolutely. The legal authority is derived from the constitution as well as the authorization of force by the United States Congress."

Posted at 10:41 AM | Comments (0)



Bush/NSA/PATRIOT Act Statement
He defends the NSA's domestic collection program:

"Al Qaeda was not a conventional enemey...and communicated from here..." to
"After September 11, using the authority that I have, how do we effectively detect enemies hiding in our midst and prevent them from striking them again? To save American lives, we need to act fast ... so, consistent with the law and the constitution, I authorized of international communications of people with known links to Al Qaeda and to terrorists. The program is carefully reviewed every 45 days to ensure that it is being used properly. Leaders in the US Congress have been briefed more than a dozen times."

"I've reauthorized this program more than 30 times since the September 11th attacks and I continue to do so for as long as the nation...faces On the PATRIOT Act: "The nation cannot afford to be without this law for one minute."
He demands that Senators withdraw their filibuster and renew it immediately.




Posted at 10:35 AM | Comments (0)

Bush Starts: Give Iraq Time, Give Me Patience
"In a nation that once lived by the whims of a brutal dictator, the Iraqi people now enjoy constitutionally protected freedoms."

"The formation of the new government will take time as Iraqis work to build consensus."

"As I said last night, this election does not mean the end of violence. But it is the beginnong of something new. Constitutional democracy at the heart of the Middle East."

http://hotlineblog.nationaljournal.com/

"Once upon a time in America..."

he scares me.

Maybe they be terrarists........ They on the list now?

"leaders in congress", I'm interested that he doesnt say "Democrats and Republicans" or something like that. Wonder if that's a meaningful lack of information there.

Hitler's "war against 'Judaic Bolshevism'" was also a "different kind of war." And Goebbels' propaganda was much more sophisticated than is McClellan's or Bush's.