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ACLU to Obama: No More of the Same, Please

The ACLU has an ad in today's New York Times, asking President Obama, "What will it be, change or more of the same?". You can view it here.

Shorter version: Keep your promises, Mr. President. Try the 9/11 suspects in federal criminal court.

Remind the world that American stands for due process, justice and the rule of law.

There's still time to weigh in. You can send the President a message here. Obama needs to listen. For many of us, this could be his "pink slip" moment.

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  • Display: Sort:
    set up for 2012 (5.00 / 1) (#6)
    by diogenes on Sun Mar 07, 2010 at 12:39:54 PM EST
    The ACLU must know that this ad is pointless; it may mainly exist to allow Obama to set up a Sister Souljiah moment repudiating the ACLU and aligning himself with the silent majority for the 2010 and 2012 elections.

    Already there. (none / 0) (#9)
    by lentinel on Sun Mar 07, 2010 at 05:50:21 PM EST
    Obama has already amply demonstrated that civil liberties is not something that engages his intellect - such as it is.

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    Could he be making deals (none / 0) (#1)
    by Saul on Sun Mar 07, 2010 at 10:01:52 AM EST
    with those who  oppose the federal trials and are on also the fence on voting for his medical bill.

    From what I've read (none / 0) (#2)
    by joanneleon on Sun Mar 07, 2010 at 10:17:04 AM EST
    this has more to do with closing Guantanamo.  I've read that the administration feels that they need Lindsey Graham to help with the closing of Guantanamo, and that he strongly opposes civilian trials.

    Of course there may be more to it than that.

    Jane Mayer's piece on this subject is very informative.  Here's a relevant excerpt:


    At the White House, Emanuel, who is not a lawyer, opposed Holder's position on the 9/11 cases. He argued that the Administration needed the support of key Republicans to help close Guantánamo, and that a fight over Khalid Sheikh Mohammed could alienate them. "There was a lot of drama," the informed source said. Emanuel was particularly concerned with placating Lindsey Graham, the Republican senator from South Carolina, who was a leading proponent of military commissions, and who had helped Obama on other issues, such as the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor. "Rahm felt very, very strongly that it was a mistake to prosecute the 9/11 people in the federal courts, and that it was picking an unnecessary fight with the military-commission people," the informed source said. "Rahm had a good relationship with Graham, and believed Graham when he said that if you don't prosecute these people in military commissions I won't support the closing of Guantánamo. . . . Rahm said, `If we don't have Graham, we can't close Guantánamo, and it's on Eric!' "


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    Rahm will be reincarnated as a window dresser (none / 0) (#4)
    by Salo on Sun Mar 07, 2010 at 11:38:54 AM EST
    At Macy's.

    Parent