On Saturday Sen. Dick Durbin delivered the Democratic radio message and called for "honest leadership" in Washington. I agreed with Sen. Durbin, since that's really what we all want. I added, however, that
I like honest leadership. I just don't think I can get it from the Democrats.
If by leadership you mean "Vice President," and by honest you mean "speaking the truth," then it appears I may have been right. At the Astute Blogger, Reliapundit carves up the falsehoods and misrepresentations of former VP Al Gore put forth during his diatribe against the NSA program for terrorism surveillance. Here's the text of the speech. Gateway Pundit has more.
RTWT. And while you're at it, check out Larry King's conversation with AG Alberto Gonzalez last night.
Meanwhile, the ACLU, among others, have begun to file suit to learn to whose communications have the NSA been listening, and for an immediate injunction against the program.
The New York suit, filed on behalf of the center and individuals, names President Bush, the head of the National Security Agency, and the heads of the other major security agencies, challenging the NSA's surveillance of persons within the United States without judicial approval or statutory authorization.
It seeks an injunction that would prohibit the government from conducting surveillance of communications in the United States without warrants.
The Detroit suit, which also names the NSA, was filed with the ACLU along with the Council on American-Islamic Relations, Greenpeace and several individuals.
The argument essentially comes down to only a few key points. Does the either the Constitution or the Congressional action after 9-11 give the President authority, as Commander in Chief and for national security reasons, to direct NSA warrantless communications intercepts on foreign targets even when one end of the conversation is in the US, but the US end of the conversation is not the target? This administration, past administrations, and the justice department have all said yes.
