Remember back in the days when even mentioning one word about Bush's program to illegally spy on American citizens was tantamount to helping the enemy? ThinkProgress reminds us of that time so long ago:
President Bush, 12/16/05Wow, pretty scary stuff. Even commenting on the program jeopardizes our national security.
I know that people are anxious to know the details of operations, they– people want me to comment about the veracity of the story. It’s the policy of this government, just not going do it, and the reason why is that because it would compromise our ability to protect the people.
Press Secretary Scott McClellan, 12/16/05:
This relates to intelligence activities and ongoing intelligence operations that are aimed at saving lives. And there’s a reason why we don’t get into discussing ongoing intelligence activities, because it could compromise our efforts to prevent attacks from happening.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, 12/16/05:
Well, I’m, again, not going to comment on intelligence activities because intelligence activities, by their very nature, are activities that are sensitive and that should not be compromised.
Then why is it that every single person in the Bush administration is now part of a coordinated strategy to publicly comment on this program? From AP today:
President Bush will visit the ultra-secret National Security Agency on Wednesday, underscoring his claim that he has the constitutional authority to let intelligence officials listen in on international phone calls of Americans with suspected ties to terrorists....The lesson. Bush can't be trusted when he refuses to answer questions for reasons of national security. Basically, he's happy to answer questions when it serves him, but will then pull the national security canard when the questions get uncomfortable.
The Bush administration presented its most detailed defense of warrantless eavesdropping on Thursday in a 42-page Justice Department legal dossier sent to congressional leaders....
Other key members of the administration will also make the case for the NSA program in appearences next week.
On Monday, deputy national intelligence director Mike Hayden, who headed the National Security Agency when the program began in October 2001, will speak on the issue a the National Press Club.
On Tuesday, Gonzales is to deliver a speech on the program in Washington.
Gonzales plans to testify publicly about the secret program at a Senate hearing set to begin Feb. 6....
Dick Cheney was to meet with congressional leaders at the White House on Friday to discuss the program.
In New York Thursday, Cheney defended the NSA activity in a speech to the Manhattan Institute, a conservative think tank.
Or Bush is simply willing to jeopardize national security when his polls numbers drop.
