Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., may be taking a step outside of his usual role as White House ally, at least on the domestic spying issue. Calling for congressional hearings during an appearance Sunday on ABC’s “This Week With George Stephanopoulos,” Brownback rightly challenged the administration’s contention that Congress’ post-Sept. 11 war resolution authorized such a program of wiretapping without judicial approval. “There was no discussion in anything that I was around that that gave the president a broad surveillance authority with that resolution,” he said.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
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18 Comments
While I don’t agree with Brownback on religious inclusion in government, I am liking this guy more and more. And while others will say he is covering his backside, when I combine this with his pushing for U N involvement in the Sudan and other areas where genocide is raging, this strikes me as an honest effort by him to correct the wrong perpetrated by Bush. Way to go, dude.
Don’t let him fool you, he is one of the religious rights top guys. Part and parcel,he’s idea is not to atone. But to groom his image for 2008. Like Bush, anything coming out of his mouth you can not trust.
Of course, he’s trying to distance himself NOW.
President Cuckoo-Bananas is the monkey on the back of every Republican running for office.
What he needed to do is stand up for what is right when the president was still popular.
Nope, didn’t have the guts . . . and neither did most Democrats either.
Agreed PL. My second favorite bumper sticker is “vote republican, it’s easier than thinking”. Actually, now it is third thanks to k.
But the dems are no better. What will they do to correct their stampede to be republican lite? Leadership? Fresh ideas? Too much trouble and it might rock the boat…er, sinking ship I mean.
Until VERY recently, the dems seemed to think that being republican lite was easier than coming up with their own solutions.
Dude…where’s my party?
Well said, ksfarmgrrl.
Let’s not forget this is the same Sam Brownback who recently said the Prez could do it without any congressional authorization whatsoever. What he’s criticizing is a dead-in-the-water excuse by Alberto Gonzalez to make the program appear authorized by Congress, which it was plainly not.
Under Brownback’s stated view, it wouldn’t matter whether it was authorized by law–a view he has yet to renounce. In this specific instance, he has implicitly suggested that the Prez can DEFY the law–although I suspect he would take issue with that characterization.
PL, President Cuckoo-Bananas?
I have some honest questions about Brownback that, perhaps, someone could answer.
1) If Brownback should run for President, would he have to give up his U.S. Senate seat or would the elections not coincide?
2) Where in Kansas did Brownback attend high school?
3) Did Brownback serve in the military?
4) Does he have a residence in Kansas and, if so, in which city?
5) Has he ever held a real job outside of government?
6) Did he serve in the Kansas legislature?
Just curious.
JWink,
1. ?2. Prairie View High School, Linn County, Kans3. Are you kidding? (no)4. Hometown: Topeka, KS5. administrator, broadcaster, teacher, attorney and author6. Kansas Secretary of Agriculture 1986-1993 (no)
Answer to #1. Dole was in the same position when he ran for persident. He didn’t have to step down, so I would assume Brownback wouldn’t, either.
Brownback is not up for reelection until 2010…long enough for everyone to forget what will likely be a disastrous run for President.
You keep hearing his name mentioned as a possible candidate, but he seems way too outside the mainstream to have much of a chance – I would think.
Hasn’t he denied the rumor that he belongs to the secret ultra conservative Catholic group . . . I can’t think of their names right now, but they were the bad guys in one of Dan Brown’s recent novels – the Da Vinci Code, I think it was.
Opus Dei? Is that the one, Steven?
That’s the one, RD!
I want this guy to run! Please let him run and garner the undying loyalty of the fundie fringeof the GOP. Then we gets totally blown out in the primaries those nuts may just stay home on election day.
Another thought.
Brownback needs to do something unepected (like taking issue against the President) just now. He is #10 on the very long list of folks who got big money from Abramoff. I don’t see any Kansas asking questions about this. So maybe the diversionary tactic is working.
Ha! JR, can’t you just see it? They’d be sitting home puffed up like poisoned pups!
Yes. Thank you. It was Opus Dei.
Has Brownback publicly said he is not involved with them? Does he wear a hair shirt & whip himself? Does he wear one of those rings that prevents night-time erections? . . . Inquiring minds want to know.