Democrats really got the wood taken to them on this one. They literally got nothing they wanted, endangered our national security and wasted a lot of time. The best part of the whole FISA/telecom debate is Sen. Obama’s blatant flip-flop on the issue (not that I want to distract from hopechangery).
Here is what Obama said on 12/17/07 “Senator Obama unequivocally opposes giving retroactive immunity to telecommunications companies and has cosponsored Senator Dodd’s efforts to remove that provision from the FISA bill. Granting such immunity undermines the constitutional protections Americans trust the Congress to protect. Senator Obama supports a filibuster of this bill, and strongly urges others to do the same. It’s not clear whether he can return for the vote, but under the Senate rules, the side trying to end a filibuster must produce 60 votes to cut off debate. Whether he is present for the vote or not, Senator Obama will not be among those voting to end the filibuster.”
And on 6/25/08, “My view on FISA has always been that the issue with phone companies per se is not one that overrides security interests of the American people. I do want accountability, and making sure that, as I’ve said before, that somebody is watching the watchers.”
Political expediancy wins again, even for the candiate of change.Technorati Tags: Obama, FISA, wiretaping, telecom immunity
July 10th, 2008 at 4:21 am
Well, at this point I have to say, “will the REAL OBAMA please stand up!”
It is at least refreshing that sanity reigned somewhat here….
July 10th, 2008 at 4:24 am
This from “The War Room.” (at Salon.com: http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2008/07/09/obama_fisa/index.html )
“The U.S. Senate voted today on amendments to FISA, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, and Barack Obama remained in a crossfire.
He’s been getting pounded in the progressive blogosphere, and even within his own political community, for announcing that he’d vote for the final FISA bill even if it included immunity for telecommunications companies. Meanwhile, John McCain, a relentless supporter of expanded surveillance powers and telecomm immunity as well, is assailing Obama for “flip-flopping” on the issue.
Obama did indeed vote for cloture on the bill (passed 72-26) and for final passage (passed 69-28). Former Obama opponents Hillary Clinton and Chris Dodd voted no on both measures; Joe Biden voted yea for cloture and nay on final pasage. Obama did vote for Dodd and Russ Feingold’s amendment to strip telecomm immunity from the bill, but had already made it clear he wouldn’t stand in the way of final passage.
Obama’s FISA critics from the left can be roughly divided between those who consider telecomm immunity as the deal breaker, and who may subsequently forgive him for making a different calculation about whether it was achievable, and those who think the underlying bill is an unconscionable assault on constitutional liberties, and won’t quickly get over Obama’s ultimate stance.”