Senator Rockefeller and Those Wiretaps

This is an extraordinary letter written by Senator Rockefeller when he was briefed about the wiretaps the New York Times has brought to light [brought to us courtsey of the Talking Points Memo website]: Senator Rockefeller’s Letter to Dick Cheney

I don’t know about you, but the word extraordinary feels inadequate. The Senator is clearly expressing frustration, annoyance and fear. His statement that he is keeping a copy of the letter is a damning criticism: he knew the wiretaps crossed the line. He knew that Bush and Cheney had redefined the limits of Presidential power in a huge and thoroughly undemocratic way.

No wonder that Bush called the publisher of the New York Times to the White House to try to prevent publication of the story. Those wiretaps are a massive excercise of unprecedented executive power, unheard of in American history. What Bush is saying is that he, as a ‘wartime president’ is totally above the law. He thinks he is beyond Congressional oversight or reach. In his own mind he is a dictator.

Watch this story!