Dick Cheney

DNC Ad Blasts Cheney On Torture, Uses Video Of McCain

Eric Kleefeld | September 2, 2009, 3:39PM

The Democratic National Committee has a new TV ad on national and D.C. cable, firing back at former Vice President Dick Cheney's continued advocacy of torture techniques. The ad says that Cheney's insistence, "Enhanced interrogation techniques were absolutely essential," is about as reliable as his past pronouncements that the Iraq War would go well and that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction:

Note that the ad uses a TV clip of none other than John McCain, the 2008 Republican candidate for President, saying that the internal conventions against torture were violated. When was the last time we heard Democrats favorably citing him?

Barack Obama

TPMDC Morning Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | August 25, 2009, 8:59AM

Obama Reappoints Bernanke To The Fed
President Obama took a moment out of his vacation to deliver a statement to the press this morning, announcing that he is reappointing Ben Bernanke as chairman of the Federal Reserve. "As an expert on the causes of the Great Depression, I'm sure Ben never imagined that he would be part of a team responsible for preventing another," said Obama.

Cheney Blasts Obama, Says Interrogators "Deserve Our Gratitude"
Former Vice President Dick Cheney has released a statement condemning the new investigation of Bush-era interrogation practices. "The people involved deserve our gratitude. They do not deserve to be the targets of political investigations or prosecutions," said Cheney. "President Obama's decision to allow the Justice Department to investigate and possibly prosecute CIA personnel, and his decision to remove authority for interrogation from the CIA to the White House, serves as a reminder, if any were needed, of why so many Americans have doubts about this Administration's ability to be responsible for our nation's security."

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Torture

Limbaugh Warns Against Torture In Wake Of Obama's Election

Eric Kleefeld | July 27, 2009, 1:00PM

Check out Rush Limbaugh's latest dire warning about the state of America right now: That the people have been tricked into voting for torture, tyranny and dictatorship, and we can see it slowly encroaching upon us:

"And there are people in this country, who are Americans, and have the same view of totalitarianism that all the worst regimes in the world have had. They just are a minority -- or have been a minority," said Limbaugh. "And they have to be stealth to get anywhere, because who's gonna vote for torture, who's gonna vote for tyranny, who's gonna vote for dictatorship? But we did. We did, and you see it slowly encroaching. And if they could move faster on this, they would."

On the subject of torture, let's take a trip back in time to a little over five years ago, when Limbaugh said this in defense of Abu Ghraib: "I'm talking about people having a good time, these people, you ever heard of emotional release? You ever heard of need to blow some steam off?"

Barack Obama

TPMDC Morning Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | July 10, 2009, 9:02AM

Obama: "Full Recovery Is Still A Ways Off"
During his press conference this morning, President Obama said the world seems to have avoided a total economic collapse, but that "full recovery is still a ways off." With the end of the G-8 Summit, Obama said leaders have agreed on significant measures for the economy, the environment and national security, with a "widespread consensus we must continue our work to restore economic growth and restore our financial regulatory systems."

Obama's Day: Meeting With The Pope
President Obama attended a working breakfast with G-8 and African leaders, at 2:30 a.m. ET (8:30 a.m. local time). At 4:30 a.m. ET, he attended a meeting with G-8 and African leaders, and then at 6:35 a.m. ET he met with South African President Jacob Zuma. He held a press conference at 8 a.m. ET. At 10 a.m. ET, he will meet with Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone at the Vatican, and then at 10:15 a.m. he will have a bilateral meeting with Pope Benedict XVI. The First Family will have an audience with the Pope at 10:40 a.m. ET. At 12 p.m. ET, Obama will leave Rome for Accra, Ghana, arriving there at 4:20 p.m. ET.

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Guantanamo Bay

TPMDC Morning Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | June 16, 2009, 8:57AM

WaPo: Documents Suggest CIA Mistakes In Torture Of Detainees, False Confessions
The Washington Post reports that new documents show that key Guantanamo detainees told the Combatant Status Review Tribunal that they either lied to the CIA in order to stop being tortured, or were later informed of mistakes in their capture. "They told me, 'Sorry, we discover that you are not Number 3, not a partner, not even a fighter,'" said Abu Zubaida. And Khalid Sheikh Mohammed described his interrogation: "Where is he? I don't know," Mohammed said. "Then he torture me. Then I said yes, he is in this area."

Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama will meet one-on-one with President Lee Myung-bak, of the Republic of Korea, at 10:30 a.m. ET. They will have an expanded meeting at 10:45 a.m. ET, and then a joint press availability at 11:35 a.m. ET, and a working lunch at 12 p.m. ET. At 4:30 p.m. ET, Obama and Vice President Biden will meet with Sec. of Defense Robert Gates.

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Barney Frank

Frank: It Would Be Reasonable For Dems To Challenge Specter

Brian Beutler | June 8, 2009, 4:32PM

GQ's Lisa DePaulo conducted a long interview with Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA)--the quick-witted, at times acerbic, chair of the House Financial Services Committee--and among many other things, she asked him about his party's newest member. "[A]s a Democrat," Frank said, "I'm glad to have him."

But as an elected official, I have to say I don't think he did our profession any good. First of all, to announce that it was done purely so he could survive. Secondly, his performance since then has been very disappointing. In particular, what troubled me was when he was quoted as saying, "Well..." In terms of no Jewish Republicans, the answer should have been, Who cares? That's not a relevant issue. But then, when he said, Oh, but I'm confident the courts in Minnesota will do justice to Norm Coleman, and then said, Oh, I forgot which side I'm on!--forget about forgetting which side he's on. What that says is, his view of what the law should be depends on what party he's in. This notion that your view of what's an appropriate legal decision depends on your party is shocking for a guy who's supposed to be this great lawyer.

So what does that mean, in his mind, for the 2010 election? Frank said, "there's an erratic behavior pattern there that's very troubling. I think at this point it's entirely reasonable for some Democrats to think about challenging him." Unfortunately, the interview doesn't touch on Specter's most likely challenger--Frank's House colleague Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA).

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Dick Cheney

Pfotenhauer: I Don't Believe Cheney Would Say Things He Knew To Be Inaccurate

Eric Kleefeld | June 1, 2009, 5:23PM

Check out this appearance today on MSNBC by former McCain campaign spokesperson Nancy Pfotenhauer, saying how her candidate of course disagreed with Dick Cheney on "harsh interrogation" -- but she doesn't believe Cheney would say things he knew to be inaccurate:

"I don't believe, however, that the former Vice President would be making statements that he knew to be inaccurate," said Pfotenhauer -- spurring open laughter and ridicule from Bill Press and David Shuster.

Barack Obama

TPMDC Morning Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | May 29, 2009, 9:02AM

Bush: "The Information We Got Saved Lives"
Former President George W. Bush spoke last night in Michigan, defending the legality of his administration's interrogation methods. "I made the decision, within the law," Bush explained, "to get information so I can say to myself, 'I've done what it takes to do my duty to protect the American people.' I can tell you that the information we got saved lives." He later added that nothing he was saying was meant to criticize his successor: "I wish him all the best."

Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama will be meeting with Vice President Biden at 9:45 a.m. ET, in addition to his regular daily meetings with advisers. He will be speaking on securing the country's cyber-infrastructure, where he is expected to announce the appointment of a new "cyber czar," at 10:55 a.m. ET from the East Room. At 2:30 p.m. ET, he will attend a hurricane preparedness meeting at FEMA Headquarters.

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Carl Levin

Levin Calls Cheney A Liar On Torture

Eric Kleefeld | May 28, 2009, 6:39PM

Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI) spoke last night at a dinner of the Foreign Policy Association, where he lambasted former Vice President Dick Cheney's speech last week for dishonestly claiming that the interrogation techniques he approved were not torture, and were not connected to Abu Ghraib -- saying that Cheney "bore false witness":

"I do so as Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, which recently completed an 18-month investigation into the abuse of detainees in U.S. custody, and produced a 200-page bipartisan report, which gives the lie to Mr. Cheney's claims," said Levin. "I do so because if the abusive interrogation techniques that he champions, the face of which were the pictures of abuse at Abu Ghraib, if they are once more seen as representative of America, our security will be severely set back."

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Liz Cheney

Liz Cheney Opposes Making Decisions Based On How You Want The Law To Work Out

Eric Kleefeld | May 27, 2009, 12:05PM

Appearing on Fox News today, Liz Cheney worried that a judge who makes legal decisions based on how they want the law to work out "moves us away from the rule of law":

"And you know, you're not supposed to make decisions based on how you want the law to come out -- how you want the results to come out. If you're a judge or a Justice, obviously one would hope that you would be just strictly interpreting the law, and I think we've heard in a number of instances President Obama talk about, sort of, a results-oriented approach to the law, or you know, making these determinations based on your heart or your empathy. And I think that's dangerous. I think that moves us away from the rule of law."

Of course, this comes form someone who is mounting a huge public relations campaign for her father's policy that "enhanced interrogation" was legal and not torture. Interestingly, this Republican concern about results-oriented legal judgement was also lodged yesterday by John Yoo, one of the authors of the torture memos.

Torture

John Yoo Warns Against "Results-Oriented" Sotomayor

Eric Kleefeld | May 26, 2009, 2:49PM

John Yoo, the former Justice Department official who helped craft the legal rationales for the Bush Administration's "enhanced interrogation" regime, has come out strongly against Sonia Sotomayor -- on the grounds that she could decide cases on the basis of outcomes rather than the law:

Conservatives should defend the Supreme Court as a place where cases are decided by a faithful application of the Constitution, not personal politics, backgrounds, and feelings. Republican senators will have to conduct thorough questioning in the confirmation hearings to make sure that she will not be a results-oriented voter, voting her emotions and politics rather than the law.

In other breaking news, John Yoo has absolutely no sense of self-awareness.

Nancy Pelosi

Poll: Public Disapproves Of Pelosi's Handling Of Interrogation Controversy

Eric Kleefeld | May 21, 2009, 3:39PM

A new Gallup poll confirms what has been a general political consensus: Nancy Pelosi has not handled the controversy over interrogation/torture techniques very well.

The respondents were asked this question: "Do you approve or disapprove of how each of the following has handled the matter of interrogation techniques used against terrorism suspects?"

President Obama gets a 59% approval to 29% disapproval, consistent with his high favorability on pretty much any question. The CIA weighs in at a healthy 52%-31%. Congressional Democrats just manage to be in the black at 44%-40%, and the Congressional Republicans are behind at 40%-45%.

Nancy Pelosi, however, is at 31%-47%.

Dick Cheney

Cheney's National Security Speech

Eric Kleefeld | May 21, 2009, 11:22AM

The following is the prepared text of former Vice President Dick Cheney's speech today on national security, courtesy of the Weekly Standard:

Thank you all very much, and Arthur, thank you for that introduction. It's good to be back at AEI, where we have many friends. Lynne is one of your longtime scholars, and I'm looking forward to spending more time here myself as a returning trustee. What happened was, they were looking for a new member of the board of trustees, and they asked me to head up the search committee.

I first came to AEI after serving at the Pentagon, and departed only after a very interesting job offer came along. I had no expectation of returning to public life, but my career worked out a little differently. Those eight years as vice president were quite a journey, and during a time of big events and great decisions, I don't think I missed much.

Being the first vice president who had also served as secretary of defense, naturally my duties tended toward national security. I focused on those challenges day to day, mostly free from the usual political distractions. I had the advantage of being a vice president content with the responsibilities I had, and going about my work with no higher ambition. Today, I'm an even freer man. Your kind invitation brings me here as a private citizen - a career in politics behind me, no elections to win or lose, and no favor to seek.

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Michael Steele

Steele Endorses Truth Commission?

Eric Kleefeld | May 18, 2009, 11:14AM

During his Meet The Press appearance yesterday, RNC Chairman Michael Steele appeared to say he could potentially support a Truth Commission to look into Bush-era torture -- and he made the rather interesting claim that a lot of Republicans have called for this:

MR. GREGORY: Should there be a wider--should there be a truth commission? Should there be an investigation?

MR. STEELE: I think, I think you've heard a lot of Republicans call for that. And if this is, if this is a door that the Democrats and, and their leadership, since they have the House and the Senate and the presidency and they want to expose all of this...

GOV. KAINE: Mm-hmm.

MR. STEELE: ...then let's put it all on the table and let's take a closer look at it.

Was this a genuine statement of policy on Steele's part -- or a gaffe as he stumbled his way through a subject he might not know that much about? For one thing, we can't think of any elected Republican who has called for a Truth Commission.

Nancy Pelosi

Poll: Public Split On Whether CIA Lied To Pelosi

Eric Kleefeld | May 18, 2009, 10:28AM

A new Rasmussen poll finds the public closely divided on Nancy Pelosi's claim that she was misled by the CIA on the use of waterboarding, with public opinion on this debate still pretty much up in the air.

The numbers: A 43% plurality of likely voters say it is very or somewhat likely that Pelosi was misled, compared to 41% who say it is not very likely or not at all likely. The margin of error is ±3%.

The pollster's analysis points out that most people seem to be waiting for more information, with only 20% saying it's very likely she was misled and 22% saying it's not at all likely, and others respondents holding softer positions. But some other numbers suggest Pelosi starts out this fight at a disadvantage: "The CIA is viewed favorably by 63% and unfavorably by 24%. For Pelosi, the comparable numbers are 35% favorable and 55% unfavorable."

Arlen Specter

In Limbo: Dawn Johnsen's Nomination Stalls Thanks to Democrats

Brian Beutler | May 15, 2009, 11:44AM

For several weeks--while torture revelations have dominated headlines and with the scandal still very much alive--Dawn Johnsen has been waiting. She's Obama's pick to head the Office of Legal Counsel--the same Justice Department shop that famously blessed Bush-era interrogation policies--and her strong stance on that issue has united Republicans against her. But that's not her biggest problem. Her biggest problem is that Harry Reid has not been able to muster enough Democrats to overcome a filibuster threat.

Here are the numbers as they stand right now:

Votes Against Johnsen: 37 Republicans

Votes for Johnsen: 57 Democrats plus Indiana Republican Richard Lugar

Undecideds: Republicans Olypmia Snowe and Susan Collins and Democrats Arlen Specter and Ben Nelson

Reid frames the issue by saying he needs a couple Republicans to cross the line before he has the 60 votes necessary to overcome a filibuster. But as the numbers show, it's just as much an issue of Reid not being able to muster the entire Democratic caucus in support of Johnsen.

The nomination isn't dead yet, but with Reid trying to put the onus on the White House to shore up support for the beleaguered nominee and the White House staying mum about what it role in all this is, or should be, Johnsen's nomination isnt going anywhere fast.

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Bill Clinton

Bill Clinton: I Do Hope Cheney Gets Some More Target Practice

Eric Kleefeld | May 13, 2009, 5:08PM

Former President Bill Clinton has a clever response to former Vice President Dick Cheney's public criticism of the Obama Administration, CNN reports.

"I wish him well," Bill said, adding that "it's over," presumably a reference to the Bush-Cheney years being done with.

Bill added: "But I do hope he gets some more target practice before he goes out again."

Barack Obama

TPMDC Morning Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | May 13, 2009, 8:59AM

Judiciary Subcommittee Holding Torture Memos Hearing Today
Capitol Hill is set to hold the first hearing on the torture memos today, with a 10 a.m. ET hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee's subcommittee on Administrative Oversight and the Courts. The meeting is entitled, "What Went Wrong: Torture and the Office of Legal Counsel in the Bush Administration," and witnesses will include former FBI supervisory special agent Ali Soufan, former State Department counselor Phillip Zelikow, and others.

Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama and Vice President Biden will meet at 9:30 a.m. ET with some top House Democrats: Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, and Reps. Charlie Rangel (NY), Henry Waxman (CA) and George Miller (CA). Obama will deliver a statement at 10 a.m. ET. At 11:15 a.m. ET, Obama and Biden will meet with top Senators of both parties to discuss the Supreme Court vacancy: Majority Leader Harry Reid, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy, and ranking Judiciary Republican Jeff Sessions. Obama and Biden will have lunch at 1 p.m. ET. Obama will depart the White House at 4:15 p.m. ET, and at 9:10 p.m. ET he will deliver the commencement address at Arizona State University.

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Dick Cheney

Cheney: "I Don't Think We Should Just Roll Over"

Eric Kleefeld | May 12, 2009, 5:06PM

Appearing on Fox News with Neil Cavuto, former Vice President Dick Cheney strongly responded to those who have criticized him for his public campaign against the Obama administration's decisions about interrogation/torture programs.

"Well, I don't pay a lot of attention to what the critics say, obviously," said Cheney. "I - from my standpoint, the notion that I should remain silent while they go public, that I shouldn't say anything while they threaten to disbar the lawyers who gave us the advice that was crucial in terms of this program, that I shouldn't say anything when they go out and release information that they believe is critical of the program, and critical of our policies but refuse to put out information that would show the results that we're able to achieve -- bottom line is we successfully defended the nation for seven and half years against a follow-on attack to 9/11. That was a remarkable achievement, nobody would have thought that was possible, but it was. I believe it was possible because of the policies we had in place, which they're now dismantling."

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Torture

Obama: I Believe Waterboarding Is Torture

Brian Beutler | April 29, 2009, 8:23PM

ABC's Jake Tapper just asked Obama if he thought that the Bush administration "sanctioned torture" in its use of waterboarding and Obama, after a moment's hesitation, said "Waterboarding violates our ideals and our values. I do believe that it's torture."

In his opening statement he also said that his administration put an end to torture, and there's no reason to say that unless you think torture was happening. But it's probably the most direct admission to date and, given recent events, it comes at noteworthy time.

After making that acknowledgment, Obama reiterated many of the points he made when he addressed the CIA after greenlighting the release of the Bush-era torture memoranda--that torture makes the country less safe, is untrue to American values, and less effective than humane interrogation techniques.

Torture

Poll: Narrow Majority Favors Investigation Of "Harsh Interrogation Techniques"

Eric Kleefeld | April 27, 2009, 5:01PM

A new Gallup poll finds that a narrow majority of Americans favor investigations of interrogation methods -- though it's not a resounding mandate, relative to other issues.

The question as asked is: "Would you favor or oppose a government investigation into the use of harsh interrogation techniques of terrorism suspects?" The result is 51% in favor to 42% against. From the pollster's analysis:

While a slim majority favors an investigation, on a relative basis the percentage is quite low because Americans are generally quite supportive of government probes into potential misconduct by public officials. In recent years, for example, Americans were far more likely to favor investigations into the firing of eight U.S. attorneys (72%), government databases of telephone numbers dialed by Americans (62%), oil company profits (82%), and the government's response to Hurricane Katrina (70%).

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Barack Obama

TPMDC Sunday Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | April 26, 2009, 1:04PM

Gibbs States White House Reticence On Truth Commission
Appearing on Meet The Press, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs stated the White House's reluctance for a truth commission on the torture issue, deferring instead to the ongoing work of the Senate Intelligence Committee: "Well, I think the president had great fears that the debate that you've seen happen in this town on each side of this issue, at the extremes, has -- that's taken place would be what would envelop any commission that looked backward. That's why his focus, David, the whole time is how we look forward in this country."

Poll: Close Public Divide On Torture
A new ABC/Washington Post poll finds a majority of Americans supporting President Obama's decision to release the torture memos: 53% in favor, to 44% again. A slim 51%-47% majority supports investigation of whether laws were broken in the treatment of terrorism suspects. At the same time, it's a close divide on whether the U.S. should consider using torture in some cases: 49% against it, versus 48% who say there are cases where it should be considered.

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Barack Obama

TPMDC Saturday Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | April 25, 2009, 1:11PM

Obama: Fiscal Discipline Needed
In this weekend's Presidential YouTube address, President Obama discussed his goal of making government more efficient and controlling spending, such as the re-introduction of PAYGO principles:

"We cannot sustain deficits that mortgage our children's future, nor tolerate wasteful inefficiency," said Obama. "Government has a responsibility to spend the peoples' money wisely, and to serve the people effectively."

GOP Address: Dems Have Put Us Behind France
In this weekend's RNC YouTube message, Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) warned that the Democrats have put behind the French on issues like fiscal discipline and energy -- so much so that the United States would be ineligible to join the European Union:

"Now of course we don't want to be in the European Union," said Alexander. "We're the United States of America. But French deficits are lower than ours, and their president has been running around sounding like a Republican -- lecturing our president about spending so much."

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Barack Obama

Bond: No You Guys Are Running A Banana Republic

Brian Beutler | April 23, 2009, 3:26PM

Early this morning over at the mother ship, Josh made an interesting comparison between members of the Republican rump and the members of Junta Parties in post-Junta Banana Republics. A Junta could rule a country for years, but when its members are overthrown, they face the real risk of recriminations, and forming a solidarity party is one key way for them to forestall any consequences.

For future reference, members of Junta Parties around the world should consult either Sen. John McCain, or Sen. Kit Bond, a Missouri Republican who sits on the Senate Intelligence Committee. After spending years supporting Bush-era torture and other crimes, Bond, with an assist from McCain, has turned the tables (sort of) on the new party of power by accusing it of fashioning the United States after a Banana Republic. Watch:

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Barack Obama

Jessica Rabbit: Call Your Senators, Urge Them To Confirm Dawn Johnsen

Brian Beutler | April 21, 2009, 9:09AM

If you live in a state with a Republican senator--or, more specifically one of the many Republican senators who used to decry filibustering executive nominations--you may be getting a phone call from a sultry-sounding supporter of Barack Obama's appointees.

Kathleen Turner, who you may remember from such films as Body Heat and The Jewel of the Nile, has agreed to record a robocall urging recipients to call their senators and tell them to confirm Dawn Johnsen, President Obama's designated chief of the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel.

The call--which will go out in Alaska, Arizona, Maine, Missouri, New Hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Utah--is part of a campaign by People for the American Way aimed at preventing Johnsen's nomination from being filibustered. Turner has been a member of the organization's board for years. The transcript of the robocall appears below the fold.

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Torture

Sen. Whitehouse: If Republicans Filibuster Johnsen, I'll Be Ready

Brian Beutler | April 17, 2009, 3:37PM

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) just held a conference call with reporters to discuss the nomination (and threatened filibuster) of Dawn Johnsen, President Obama's designated chief of the Justice Department's Office of Legal Council.

Whitehouse is a member of the Judiciary Committee and has repeatedly spoken out on Johnsen's behalf. Though it's uncertain whether Republicans will ultimately seek to block Johnsen's nomination, Whitehouse is prepared in the event that they do. "I actually have a little bit of ammunition gathered in the event that I happen to be...on the floor defending this," Whitehouse said.

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Arlen Specter

Specter Meets Johnsen, Still Unsure About Her Nomination

Brian Beutler | April 6, 2009, 4:19PM

Senate Republicans may or may not mount a filibuster of Dawn Johnsen, but if they do, it will be a numbers game. Assuming Al Franken is still all tied up in court, Democrats will need at least two Republicans to cross over and vote to end debate on her nomination or it may go nowhere.

One of those Republicans could be Arlen Specter who's the ranking member on the Judiciary committee and the only member of that committee who didn't vote against moving the nomination to the floor. More specifically, he didn't vote at all. He took a pass, saying he'd have to meet with Johnsen personally before he made a decision.

Well, I've just confirmed that the two did meet at the end of last week, and, with that all wrapped up, Specter is...still undecided about the appointment.

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Arlen Specter

Do the 'Gang of 14' Think Johnsen and Koh Should Be Subject to Filibuster?

Brian Beutler | April 6, 2009, 1:19PM

As regular readers know, we've been following the nomination of Dawn Johnsen--Obama's chief-designate of the Office of Legal Counsel--ever since reports emerged that Republicans were contemplating filibustering the appointment.

Publicly, Republicans contend that one of their key objections to Johnsen's appointment is that she's a former NARAL employee and a staunch advocate of reproductive rights. But she's also unusually qualified for the position, having served at the OLC for five years during the Clinton administration, and her nomination comes against a backdrop of Republican anger over the possibility that the Department of Justice will declassify and release yet more damning torture memoranda. Johnsen was an outspoken critic of Bush administration policies and legal opinions used to justify them.

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Torture

Is Truth and Reconciliation Dead in the Water?

Brian Beutler | April 2, 2009, 3:42PM

Yesterday, the website Consortium News published an article by Charlotte Dennett pouring some cold water on the hope many liberals have that Congress will form a truth and reconciliation commission to investigate Bush-era torture and other instances of wrongdoing. Dennett reported that, at a meeting with Sen. Patrick Leahy, the Judiciary committee chairman had said the idea was dead in the water. "[I]t's not going to happen," Leahy reportedly said.

Today, Leahy released a statement addressing that article: "In contrast to reports circulating on the Internet, Leahy said he is continuing to explore the proposal."

"I am not interested in a panel comprised of partisans intent on advancing partisan conclusions," Leahy said. "I regret that Senate Republicans have approached this matter to date as partisans. That was not my intent or focus. Indeed, it will take bipartisan support in order to move this forward. I continue to talk about this prospect with others in Congress, and with outside groups and experts. I continue to call on Republicans to recognize that this is not about partisan politics. It is about being honest with ourselves as a country. We need to move forward together."

That leaves open the questions of Senate math--will any Republicans support the formation of such a commission?--and whether the committee will exercise any of its other options. As Daphne Eviatar wrote in the Washington Independent "Leahy and the Senate Judiciary Committee could still initiate a comprehensive inquiry into the role of the Justice Department in potentially illegal conduct under the Bush administration.... There's no need for a truth commission to get the investigative ball rolling."

I'll follow up with Dennett and will let you know what I find.

Barack Obama

TPMDC Sunday Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | March 29, 2009, 1:04PM

Obama: Afghanistan Is "America's War"
In his interview on CBS' Face The Nation, President Obama was asked whether the Afghanistan War was now his war. "I think it's America's war," said Obama. "What we want to do is to refocus attention on al Qaeda. We are going to root out their networks, their bases. We are gonna make sure that they cannot attack U.S. citizens, U.S. soil, U.S. interests, and our allies' interests around the world."

Petraeus: "I Wouldn't Necessarily" Agree With Cheney That Obama Is Making Us Less Safe
Appearing on CNN's State of the Union with John King, Gen. David Petraeus was asked his opinion of Dick Cheney's comments that President Obama's decisions were increasing the risk of a terrorist attack. "Well, I wouldn't necessarily agree with that, John. I think that, in fact, there is a good debate going on about the importance of values in all that we do," said Petraeus, outlining his own opposition to torture.

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Barack Obama

TPMDC Morning Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | March 23, 2009, 9:01AM

Geithner Unveiling New Bank Plan
Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner is rolling out the new bank rescue plan today, with a new op-ed piece in the Wall St. Journal explaining the workings of the Public-Private Investment Program, which involves the government partnering with private investors to purchase between $500 billion and $1 trillion in assets that are now clogging up the financial system. "Our approach shares risk with the private sector," Geithner writes, "efficiently leverages taxpayer dollars, and deploys private-sector competition to determine market prices for currently illiquid assets."

Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama and Vice President Biden will be receiving their economic daily briefing at 11:15 a.m. ET, accompanied by a media pool spray, with Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, FDIC Chairwoman Sheila Bair, and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke. Obama will also be speaking at 12:30 p.m. ET from the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, delivering remarks on clean energy and proposed investments in new technology included in his budget plan.

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George W. Bush

Leahy: Hearing on Post-Bush Truth Commission Coming in 'About A Week'

Elana Schor | February 24, 2009, 11:01PM

After the president's speech tonight, I caught up with Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT), who confirmed that he will hold a hearing on the proposed "truth and reconciliation commission" to investigate abuses committed during the Bush years.

Salon first reported Leahy's plans for a hearing, which the chairman said would come in "about a week or so," as soon as he could get his desired witnesses to confirm their attendance. When pressed on who those sought-after witnesses might be, Leahy declined to elaborate. Stay tuned...

Dick Cheney

Liberal Coalition Says Forget the Truth Commission, Bring on the Special Prosecutor

Elana Schor | February 24, 2009, 10:08AM

Washington has been dominated for weeks by the debate over forming an independent "truth and reconciliation commission" to uncover details about human rights and civil liberties abuses committed during the Bush administration. Prominent Democrats from Sen. Patrick Leahy (VT) to Rep. John Conyers (MI) to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (CA) have indicated their support for the concept.

But one day after Barack Obama's Pentagon was lambasted by human rights groups for reporting that conditions are humane, a coalition of liberal advocacy groups is done with taking it slow. In a statement released this morning, the 20-plus groups ask Attorney General Eric Holder to directly appoint a special prosecutor to probe former Bush administration officials.

It remains to be seen whether today's statement will move minds in Congress, where the "truth commission" plan remains controversial. Still, this call is a perfect illustration of John Judis' recent message to the American left: Expand the playing field, and do not let the White House be the most left-leaning force in the capital.

The full statement is after the jump:

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Democrats

Another Dem Senator Skeptical of Post-Bush Truth Commission

Elana Schor | February 12, 2009, 2:11PM

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) is getting laudable attention for his call for an independent "truth commission" to investigate civil liberties and human rights abuses committed during the Bush years. But as I mentioned earlier this week, the commission may not be directly legislated by Congress -- and one reason is that not every Democrat thinks it's necessary to do so.

Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) told me that the Obama Justice Department is already positioned to do the type of analysis that such an independent commission would perform, and he warned against investigating the Bush years "in a way that could impose partisan concerns."

Now Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI), a trusted ally of party leaders, is the second Democratic senator to openly question the need for a formal panel to look back on the Bush administration's potentially illegal misdeeds. As Reed told MSNBC today:

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George W. Bush

Poll: Majorities Favor Some Form Of Investigations Against Bush Administration

Eric Kleefeld | February 12, 2009, 10:46AM

So is it really just a fringe, loony-left view that the former Bush Administration should be investigated? Not at all, according to a new Gallup poll -- but there isn't a clear verdict on what exactly should be done.

A significant plurality favor outright criminal probes, though they are not a majority. Another portion prefer an independent investigation by a special panel:

Possible attempts to use Justice Dept. for political purposes:
Criminal investigation, 41%; Investigation by independent panel, 30%; Neither, 25%

Possible use of telephone wiretaps without a warrant:
Criminal investigation, 38%; Investigation by independent panel, 25%; Neither, 34%

Possible use of torture in terror interrogations:
Criminal investigation, 38%; Investigation by independent panel, 24%; Neither, 34%

As you would expect, majorities of Democrats favor criminal probes, Republicans largely oppose doing anything, and independents correspond pretty closely with the top-line numbers.

Gallup leads in their analysis with the criminal-probe response being a minority, but this seems to miss the larger point: A majority clearly favor doing something to investigate the Bush Administration -- though exactly what the something should be is a whole other argument. But if there is any kind of option that can be characterized as way out there, it's the position that we should do nothing.

(Via Greg Sargent)

Barack Obama

Second Democrat Hits Obama Over Defending Bush's State Secrets Claim

Elana Schor | February 11, 2009, 2:33PM

The Obama administration recently made the dismaying decision to defend the Bush-era Justice Department's use of the "state secrets" privilege in a lawsuit filed by alleged victims of extraordinary rendition. As TPM alum Greg reported yesterday, Sen. Russ Feingold (WI) was the first Democratic lawmaker to openly criticize the Obama DoJ's decision ... and now we have a second.

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CIA/DNI/Intelligence

Did Holder Make a Telecom Immunity Promise to Senator Bond?

Elana Schor | January 29, 2009, 11:46AM

We were amused to find yesterday that no one except Sen. Kit Bond (R-MO) was buying the claim that Eric Holder made Republicans a secret promise not to prosecute Bush intelligence officials -- not senior Democrats and not Holder himself.

But Bond made another assertion to the Washington Times yesterday that would be news ... if it's true:

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