McCain Press Release: Barack Obama’s FISA Flip Front And Center - Today Obama Abandons Pledge To Filibuster FISA Bill
July 9, 2008 | Permalink
[McCain Campaign Press Release from July 9, 2008]
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Barack Obama’s FISA Flip Front And Center
Today Obama Abandons Pledge To Filibuster FISA BillARLINGTON, VA — Today, McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds issued the following statement concerning Barack Obama’s role in the Senate’s terrorist surveillance debate:
“A few short months ago, Barack Obama outwardly opposed terrorist surveillance legislation, saying that he would filibuster any bill that includes immunity for American telecommunications companies that had been asked by the government to participate in the program. Today, the U.S. Senate will approve legislation providing the immunity Barack Obama supposedly opposed, and despite his promise, he will not support a filibuster. What Barack Obama will do is show that he’s willing to change positions, break campaign commitments and undermine his own words in his quest for higher office.”
During The Primaries, Barack Obama Pledged To Filibuster Any Bill Which Contained Immunity For Telecommunications Companies Involved In Electronic Surveillance, But Now Backs A Bill That Would Do Just That
In October 2007, The Obama Campaign Pledged He Would Filibuster “Any Bill That Includes Retroactive Immunity For Telecommunications Companies.” Obama Spokesman Bill Burton: “To be clear: Barack will support a filibuster of any bill that includes retroactive immunity for telecommunications companies.” (Greg Sargent, “Obama Camp Says It: He’ll Support Filibuster Of Any Bill Containing Telecom Immunity,” Talking Points Memo’s “Election Central” Blog, tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com, 10/24/07)
Barack Obama Now Supports A Bill Reauthorizing Electronic Surveillance That Grants Immunity To Telecommunications Companies. Obama: “Under this compromise legislation, an important tool in the fight against terrorism will continue. It does, however, grant retroactive immunity, and I will work in the Senate to remove this provision so that we can seek full accountability for past offenses. So I support the compromise, but do so with a firm pledge that as President, I will carefully monitor the program, review the report by the Inspectors General, and work with the Congress to take any additional steps I deem necessary to protect the lives and the liberty of the American people.” (Ben Smith, “Obama Backs FISA Compromise,” The Politico’s “Ben Smith” Blog, www.politico.com, 6/20/08)
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I am extremely distressed that Senator McCain supported the FISA bill.
This remains amazing to me, coming from a man who was willing to spend FIVE YEARS in a North Viet Namese prisoner-of-war camp, the first two in solitary confinement, after which he refused the offer to return home because other prisoners had been there much longer than he, was beaten so severely that his arm was broken (again) and ribs were broken, followed by continual bashing, slugging, being required to stand up for two days straight, sit on a stool in a courtyard for 3 straight days and nights, was put in a room 6 feet by 2 feet with no ventilation in it, while the weather was very, very hot, where he suffered from heat prostration and dysentery, where washing facilities were non-existent, with his food cut down to about half rations, later was kept in solitary again in a room about 6′ by 4′ and continually psychologically harassed.
I thought that, of all people, he would be the one to value most the freedom from government interference, as he valued his own freedom and that of his fellow prisoners of war. (And, excuse me, but hasn’t freedom from government interference always been the battle flag of the Republican party?)
There are so many Constitutional arguments against allowing one branch of the government to listen in on our phone calls without the oversight, even if it is after-the-fact oversight, of the courts for “checks and balances,” that it is really difficult for me to see how a man such as McCain (not to mention so many Democratic members of the Senate) could support FISA.
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