Russ Feingold, a Democratic senator from Wisconsin, got a hearing last week on his motion to censure President Bush over his warrantless domestic spying program.
Two things stood out at the Senate committee hearing last Friday. One was the lack of full participation by Democrats. Surely they’re not shying away from the debate, a healthy one for the country as citizens move from post-9/11 panic to more rationale discussion of balancing liberty and security.
Also, the hearing was remarkable for the number of Republican senators who went after Feingold and his proposal as if it were written by Osama bin Laden.
Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said the hearing was "beyond the pale." To censure the president for disregarding a 1978 law regarding domestic spying would "make the jobs of our soldiers and diplomats harder and place them at greater risk."
Cornyn didn’t mention how the president has harmed the work of prosecutors who might find incriminating evidence against wrongdoers thrown out because it was gained without a warrant.
Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Mobile, joined the chorus, aggressively slapping back at the suggestion that Bush has done anything wrong. He belittled the reaction to the news of Bush’s spying program as a "national spasm," warning that "it is time for some in this Congress to get over it."
If it’s possible, somebody should pull Sen. Sessions back from the brink. Loyalty is one thing. Looking the other way is quite another. Want to get your ticket punched for the senatorial hall of shame? Just keep on heading down the path Sessions is on.
"Our president is an honest man, a candid man, a strong leader. And the people of America know it," Sessions said.
We know Sessions is a loyal Republican. We know loyalty is highly prized by this White House. But we know Sessions’ career in politics will probably last longer than the 33 months remaining in Bush’s second term. Perhaps he should ask the "honest" and "candid" president when he plans to come clean for his comments of March 17, 2003: "Intelligence gathered by this and other governments leaves no doubt that the Iraq regime continues to possess and conceal some of the most lethal weapon ever devised."
Oppose the censure measure if you like, senator. Just give us a legitimate reason why talking about it is so wrong. This is a democracy. People will disagree. The beauty of our system is that we can have these debates out in the open for the world to see. We are stronger because we can air our differences and practice the art of compromise. Well, some of us can.
