Back to the Big Lie

When Carl Cameron of Fox News knelt on bended knee before Bush and asked (an obviously rehearsed softball question) about the ongoing requests by Senator Fiengold that Bush be censured for illegally wiretapping American citizens, Bush replied, "I think during these difficult times -- and they are difficult when we're at war -- the American people expect there to be a honest and open debate without needless partisanship. And that's how I view it.

I did notice that nobody from the Democrat Party has actually stood up and called for getting rid of the terrorist surveillance program. You know, if that's what they believe, if people in the party believe that, then they ought to stand up and say it. They ought to stand up and say the tools we're using to protect the American people shouldn't be used.

They ought to take their message to the people and say, vote for me, I promise we're not going to have a terrorist surveillance program. That's what they ought to be doing. That's part of what is an open and honest debate. "

Of course, there's nothing remotely honest or open about the way Georgie is framing this debate. No Democrat is talking about "getting rid of the terrorist surveillance programme."

That's not what the argument is about and Bush knows that. The argument is whether you conduct surveillance LEGALLY under the rules of FISA - or whether you allow Bush's contention that he can conduct surveillance ILLEGALLY outside of the watchdog of FISA.

To allow the latter is to concede that the President is, in effect, a King and above the rule of law.

The American Constitution was written specifically to counter the argument that Bush now promotes.