Newsweek downplayed Republican, conservative objections to Bush domestic s

[Judi Lynn]

Tue, Jan 3, 2006 8:26pm EST

Newsweek downplayed Republican, conservative objections to Bush domestic surveillance program

Summary: A Newsweek article asserted that the reaction to the Bush administration's warrantless domestic spying program was "predictably partisan," even though numerous Republican elected officials, conservative commentators, and newspapers that endorsed President Bush's re-election in 2004 also criticized the program.


A January 9 Newsweek article by assistant managing editor Evan Thomas and Washington bureau chief Daniel Klaidman asserted that after The New York Times broke the story that President Bush, apparently in violation of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), has repeatedly authorized the National Security Agency to conduct wiretaps of people in the United States without obtaining a warrant, "he reaction was predictably partisan." According to Thomas and Klaidman, "Most Republicans and conservatives defended Bush for safeguarding the country (though warrantless spying gave libertarians some pause)," and most Democrats and liberals cited the program as evidence that Bush and Cheney "were running roughshod over civil liberties." But, contrary to Thomas and Klaidman's suggestion, numerous Republicans and conservatives have criticized the program, and it has inspired in some far more than mere "pause"; Bruce Fein, a noted conservative who served as deputy attorney general for President Reagan, said that Bush may have committed an impeachable offense. In addition, at least six newspapers that endorsed Bush's re-election in 2004 have criticized his surveillance program.
(snip/...)

http://mediamatters.org/items/200601040002

[ingac70]

1. Living in the South, most of the'survivalist' types I know are Repug...

And they AREN'T happy campers about this spying crap, not one bit.

I've always tried to explain to some off them that if/when civil liberties really get screwed with, it would be "conservatives" that did it. Now I get to say I told you so!

[mom cat]

2. Thanks for doing education work in the trenches.

[tnlefty]

3. A belated Welcome to DU, ingac70!

From a fellow southerner who has had ears perked to pick up comments about reaction to this illegal spying. I've heard a few comments from the Bushbots**, but many of them seem to be rather quiet, almost as if they're embarrassed that they helped put Dimson* into power.

[ingac70]

4. Most of the bible thumping social conservatives are keeping silent...

in my neck of the woods. I haven't heard anyone verbally advocate this shite, but I've seen Bush luvin' Letters to the Editor in local papers. Wonder how much they got to write that?:evilgrin:


My husband is English, and international calls are mad from my home on a regular basis, so whether anyone else has a comment or not, I've been voicing my displeasure to everyone I see since that cheeky bastard * owned up to it and essentially said "what you gonna do about it?".

I've been kinda rubbing it in on the militia types, though. Keep telling them their guns are next. The way * is going, it looks as though I'm correct!

[C_U_L8R]

5. You would think the Freeps would be freaking out...

after all .. what's this "Free Republic" nonsense supposed to stand for anyway.
Isn't their prime directive supposed to be no big govt, no taxes, and most of all
no govt intrusion or interference in citizens personal lives ?????????????????

Seems to me that the freeps are proving to be a bunch of flip-flopping wishy washy
mamby pamby hypocrits ..... why the heck aren't they burning crosses in front of the White House
because of all this illegal domestic espionage by the Bush admin. Are they chicken or something ????
What the heck is the world coming to when even the freeps wimp out ??????

Oh what a world. what world.

[ClassWarrior]

6. Great post!! You should give it its own thread. I'd K&R it!

NGU.

[Supersedeas]

8. integrity of ideas is not a Freepers strong suit

[blm]

7. The Constitutionalists never trusted the One World Order Bush family.

.