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Al Gore Comments on Administration's Reaction to his Speech

By Jeralyn, Section War on Terror
Posted on Tue Jan 17, 2006 at 02:38:41 PM EST
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Statement today by Al Gore (received by e-mail):

The Administration’s response to my speech illustrates perfectly the need for a special counsel to review the legality of the NSA wiretapping program. The Attorney General is making a political defense of the President without even addressing the substantive legal questions that have so troubled millions of Americans in both political parties.

There are two problems with the Attorney General's effort to focus attention on the past instead of the present Administration's behavior. First, as others have thoroughly documented, his charges are factually wrong. Both before and after the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act was amended in 1995, the Clinton/Gore Administration complied fully and completely with the terms of the law.

Second, the Attorney General's attempt to cite a previous administration's activity as precedent for theirs - even though factually wrong – ironically demonstrates another reason why we must be so vigilant about their brazen disregard for the law. If unchecked, their behavior would serve as a precedent to encourage future presidents to claim these same powers, which many legal experts in both parties believe are clearly illegal.

The issue, simply put, is that for more than four years, the executive branch has been wiretapping many thousands of American citizens without warrants in direct contradiction of American law. It is clearly wrong and disrespectful to the American people to allow a close political associate of the president to be in charge of reviewing serious charges against him.

The country needs a full and independent investigation into the facts and legality of the present Administration's program

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    Al Gore Comments on Administration's Reaction to his Speech | 7 comments (7 topical)
    Re: Al Gore Comments on Administration's Reaction (none / 0) (#1)
    by kdog on Tue Jan 17, 2006 at 03:11:00 PM EST
    The Attorney General is making a political defense of the President
    Good point Al. We have all come to expect our politicians to act like stereotypical politicians, but I'd like it if unelected appointees were more loyal to their position/purpose as opposed to their benefactor. Isn't the AG America's top lawman? Wouldn't it be the AG's responibility to see that our oldest and most basic laws are upheld? I mean if my friend got me a job selling auto parts, and I caught him selling known defective parts, he'd have to stop or I'd quit. I'm weird like that I guess.

    Re: Al Gore Comments on Administration's Reaction (none / 0) (#2)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Jan 17, 2006 at 03:11:25 PM EST
    Why is it that such a clearly stated and soundly reasoned speech isn't being cheered loudly across the board? That Gonzales would be able to essentially brush all of the points aside just chaps me...where is the public response?

    Re: Al Gore Comments on Administration's Reaction (none / 0) (#3)
    by profmarcus on Tue Jan 17, 2006 at 04:08:05 PM EST
    al, don't you dare fade back into the woodwork... you need to make sure you're out front 24/7... you started this ball rolling and now you gotta keep it rolling... this is a good start... don't stop, al... for god's sake, don't stop... visit my blog: And, yes, I DO take it personally

    Re: Al Gore Comments on Administration's Reaction (none / 0) (#4)
    by roger on Tue Jan 17, 2006 at 04:33:47 PM EST
    In the words of the first episode of "The Boondocks": "Jesus was black, Ronald Reagan was the devil, and the Government is lying to you about 9/11". Our actual, legal president tells the truth, time to throw out the Resident

    Re: Al Gore Comments on Administration's Reaction (none / 0) (#5)
    by Edger on Tue Jan 17, 2006 at 04:35:13 PM EST
    In results released today Jan. 16 of a poll done by Zogby fron Jan. 9 - 12:
    By a margin of 52% to 43%, Americans want Congress to consider impeaching President Bush if he wiretapped American citizens without a judge's approval
    The poll interviewed 1,216 U.S. adults from January 9-12. It should be interesting to see poll results coming in over the next few days as people are polled about reactions to Gore's speech...

    Re: Al Gore Comments on Administration's Reaction (none / 0) (#6)
    by ltgesq on Tue Jan 17, 2006 at 08:25:12 PM EST
    The simple sad fact is that unless you were actively looking for the speech, you wouldn't have heard it. The post 2000 Gore is the president that this country needs. The 2000 lieberman version left a little to be desired.

    Re: Al Gore Comments on Administration's Reaction (none / 0) (#7)
    by jimcee on Wed Jan 18, 2006 at 08:04:51 PM EST
    Yawn....Al Gore, he still speaks? Perhaps he needs an intervention or something. Maybe Tipper can step in. Doesn't Al Gore have a show on the Food Channel? Hint: He is not helping the Democrats no matter what the 'base' thinks. He should write essays and avoid the 'fire and brimstone' sermons because he is just too 'Community Theater' for the public stage. He's rather embarassing to say the least. But if you love him, embrace him, obviously he could use a good group hug.

    Al Gore Comments on Administration's Reaction to his Speech | 7 comments (7 topical)