Mitchell, Fineman portrayed bipartisan opposition to Bush as Democratic

Mitchell, Fineman portrayed bipartisan opposition to Bush as strictly Democratic

On two national security issues that received prominent media coverage this week -- President Bush's authorization of a domestic wiretapping program that appeared to violate provisions in the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) and Congress' 5-week extension of the USA Patriot Act -- Newsweek chief political correspondent Howard Fineman and NBC News chief foreign affairs correspondent Andrea Mitchell singled out Democrats for their opposition to the Bush administration's policies, portraying both issues as purely partisan disputes. In fact, several Republican senators have sharply criticized the wiretapping program, and several also joined Democrats in a filibuster of the vote to fully reauthorize the Patriot Act.

Fineman made his comments on the December 23 broadcast of NBC's Today Show when co-anchor Katie Couric asked him to gauge the public's reaction to the warrantless wiretapping program. Fineman suggested that Democrats "need to be careful" about objecting to it, given that, since the attacks of September 11, 2001, Americans have often felt uneasy about their safety within the United States. He stated: "And while the Bill of Rights is something we all cherish, I think the Democrats, politically, need to be careful because the president's going to argue -- as he already is -- that, post-9-11, strong surveillance measures are required."

But contrary to Fineman's suggestion, it is not just Democrats who have sharply criticized the administration over the wiretapping program. Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) said the program "does not constitute a check and balance," and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said, "I don't know of any legal basis to go around (the FISA laws)."

On the December 22 broadcast of MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews, Mitchell, who was guest-hosting the program, interviewed Gov. Bill Richardson (D-NM) about the temporary reauthorization of the Patriot Act that followed protracted negotiations between the House and Senate over revisions to the law. She asked Richardson, "Isn't the Democratic Party at risk of being painted as soft on the war on terror -- soft on war in general -- by having held up the Patriot Act and risking having it expire?"

http://mediamatters.org/items/200512230008

Andrea and company are carrying the stale and fetid water that Ari Fleisher used to haul!!!

Funny though...they are calling it a DEMOCRATIC issue???? I think that would shock the living hell out of many of us, especially since these clowns fail to realize that a lot of the militia groups and "home is my castle" right wingers find common cause with the lefties on this Big Brother issue.

Watch what you say and do, indeed! This could turn round and bite them in the ass faster than they can say "You're tapped!"

or a junior high school dick measuring contest. Mitchell is appalled that the Dems would be thought of as "soft" on terror? I guess all those "hard" repukes make her really moist (like Big Al)? Why the fuck do these assholes turn everything into some testosterone test? Maybe they have very "little" else to fall back on.

these two are my most recent - inspired by the fact that these issues are actually being "debated" as if they were even "debatable"! :banghead:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2329623&mesg_id=2329623

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2331300

But we've had other Presidents try to stretch their authority a lot too.

""And while the Bill of Rights is something we all cherish"

What the hell does that mean? The BoR and the Constitution aren't some soft and fuzzy antiquated notions about freedom.

It's the FUCKIN LAW and it's being trampled on. Fuck you Fineman you worthless propagandist. And Mitchell, go dress up like Ayn Rand, you dumb bitch.

Policy discusssions are for academics....apparently