Ladies And Gentlemen, We Have A New Decider
August 3, 2007“Mr. DNI”
When it came to legislation to “close intelligence gaps” in the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, Bush deferred the responsibility today:
When Congress sends me their version, when Congress listens to all the data and facts and they send me a version of how to close those gaps, I’ll ask one question, and I’m going to ask the DNI: Does this legislation give you what you need to prevent an attack on the country? Is this what you need to do your job, Mr. DNI? That’s the question I’m going to ask. And if the answer is yes, I’ll sign the bill. And if the answer is no, I’m going to veto the bill.
“Mr. DNI”, of course, is the Director of National Intelligence, Mike McConnell.
I guess the ball’s in his court. Hopefully he talks to this guy first, however.
In all seriousness though, Bush is still the decider. He knows what he wants with this bill. Carpetbagger:
First, the notion that the administration has proposed a “narrow and targeted piece of legislation” is silly; Bush supports a measure, for example, in which Alberto Gonzales would audit the White House’s surveillance efforts, as if he were a neutral check on possible abuses of power.
Feel safer?
