Kennedy on FTN

I didn't catch all of it, but he was great.
-He said censure may not be needed. Spoke of needing to both get the National security information and to follow the law.

-He answered Cheney's crack that Kennedy was pre 9/11. Kennedy said it was Cheney who was because in the wake of 9/11 he wanted to invade ... Iraq. He then listed many things Cheney was wrong on - concluded he was always wrong.

On Iraq - he sounded like Kerry - Diplomacy needed, within the country, with the countries in the region. Our presence fuels the insurgency - need to withdraw some troops.

- This is a transcript worth getting.

...and I hope this got through to most viewers: When Kennedy was on Bolger asked about Russia. Kennedy's response showed that he feels national security is the most important thing, and we should respond to Russia accordingly, including witholding economic relationships. Then Hadley got on and got the same question and his answer was the opposite. His response was to hem and haw and act like economic relations was more important--that we have to see, etc etc!

Lesson: Democrats are clear and unequivocal about national security. Republicans put money and business first!

I didn't see Hadley, because we changed the channel and watched a nasty Dr Rice try to spin things.

But you are right - Kennedy's spying answer also immediately spoke of National security (as have almost all Democrats). What is clear is that Feingold really did go pretty far out on the limb - and the party is refusing to climb after him. (I haven't been to DU-P today)

I don't listen to her (unless JK is cross examining her). I keep remembering her lying to the 9/11 Commission and think, what's the point of listening if I don't believe a word of it.

http://www.cbsnews.com/htdocs/pdf/face_032606.pdf


Video here of Kennedy's comments on immigration reform:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/03/19/ftn/main1419437.shtml

is censure vs. impeachment. Iraq is much too grave for censure, as this article points out (seems we can all agree that Bush lied to Congress):




Today Sens. Kennedy, Reed and Levin stated that censure is premature, but that they will consider it. They all indicate that serious investigations need to take place before deciding if censure is the right course or not.

This Kos poll is indicative of the disconnect. Nearly half the responders are pursuing the path to real censure, but more than half of the rest think the this is a sham.



If the idea was that both can happen, this wasn't the way to go about it. IMO, the idea that both can happen was never true because investigations would come before either---Democrats were never going to pursue censure without inquiry. If investigations occur, I doubt they'll end in censure.

So what will happen with Specter's move on Friday?

It depends on how Sen. Specter wants to pursue this. Specter is the chairman of this committee and he gets to come up with the witness list.

BTW, this hearing Tuesday in Judiciary is also very important.

"NSA III: War Time Executive Power and the FISA Court" "
Senate Judiciary Committee
Full Committee
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DATE: March 28, 2006
TIME: 09:00 AM
ROOM: Hart 219
OFFICIAL HEARING NOTICE / WITNESS LIST:

NOTICE OF COMMITTEE HEARING

TIME CHANGE TO 9:00 a.m. AND ROOM CHANGE TO HART 219

The hearing on "NSA III: War Time Executive Power and the FISA Court" scheduled by the Senate Committee on the Judiciary for Tuesday, March 28, 2006 will begin at 9:00 a.m. and will take place in Hart Building Room 219.
************************************

Watch what happens here and then carry those conclusions over to the Censure hearing on Friday.

I'll have to tape. It's going to be a very interesting week.

and then will be open for that second half of the hearing. Check the C-Span site on Tuesday to see if C-Span 3 is cutting in to show the live part.

Otherwise, check the capitalhearings.org site. They will have a blank pic up for the Judiciary hearing until they open the hearing up, then the broadcast will pick up.

This is tricky stuff to catch. Chances are, I'll miss it, but pick up the repeats later on on C-Span.

A lot of them are routine, but I try to listen to some of them and see if I can absorb anything. (I am, of course, not always successful at this, alas.)

The NSA/FISA hearing and the Censure Res hearing are tailor-made for great political theater. I wouldn't miss those for anything. They should be a great way to show the split between the Dems and Rethugs, just in terms of who is calling for an active investigation and who is covering up for the law-breakers.