Bush Says Congress Told Twelve Times About Eavesdropping Program
A passionate President Bush addressed reporters during this morning’s press conference. With Congress feigning ignorance of the National Security Agency’s (NSA) surveillance program, the president said they had met with Congress 12 times about the controversial eavesdropping program.
The president bristled when a reporter suggested he had “unchecked power.” President Bush said, “There is the check of people being sworn to uphold the law, for starters. There is oversight. We’re talking to Congress all the time, and on this program, to suggest there’s unchecked power is not listening to what I’m telling you. I’m telling you, we have briefed the United States Congress on this program a dozen times. . . .
To say “unchecked power” basically is ascribing some kind of dictatorial position to the President, which I strongly reject. ”
Regarding renewal of the Patriot Act, the president challenged senators from New York and Nevada to go home and explain why New York city and Las Vegas are safer without the Patriot Act.
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It seems today that we’ve forgotten what the war in Iraq and Afghanistan is all about. We watch the evening news and see our troops getting killed and we simply want to bring them back home where they’ll be safe. But be certain of this, if we pack our bags and leave Iraq, the terrorists will pack their bags too—they’ll pack their bags and come for us here. I have no doubt about that.
I know that’s simplistic but that’s really it. And nothing could remind us more of that truth than the video of Ronald Schulz’s execution. Ronald Schulz was an American hostage in Iraq that was executed a few days ago by the Islamic Army in Iraq. Ron was viciously machinegunned to death.
Mr. President, I’m still standing with you.
