The American media finds it's spine?
Matt Lauer: And yet you admitted that there were these CIA secret facilities. OK?
President Bush: So what? Why is that not within the law?
Matt Lauer: The head of Amnesty International says secret sites are against international law.
President Bush: Well, we just disagree with him. Plus, my job is to protect you. And most American people, if I said [to them] that we had who we think is the mastermind of the 9/11, they would say, “Why don’t you see if you can’t get information without torturing him,” which is what we did.
Matt Lauer: I don’t want to let this “within the law issue” slip though. I mean, if, in fact, there was water boarding used with Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, and for the viewers, that’s basically when you strap someone to a board and you make them feel as if they’re going to drown by putting them underwater, if that was legal and within the law, why couldn’t you do it at Guantanamo? Why did you have to go to a secret location around the world?
President Bush: I’m not going to talk about techniques. And, I’m not going explain to the enemy what we’re doing. All I’m telling you is that you’ve asked me whether or not we’re doing things to protect the American people, and I want the American people to know we are doing so.
Matt Lauer goes after Bush over secret prisons and torture [crooksandliars.com]
Secret prisons for 9/11 suspects ‘within the law’ [msnbc.com]
Keep in mind that so-called "International Law" puts Cuba on human rights commissions. International law means agreements between nations, of which there are only a handful - and only one serious nation - that comprehensively represents a set of ideals and a governmental structure that is supportable. Somehow the halfway point between U.S. and China doesn't make me feel very good, you know?
So-called International Law means the adoption of principles that are retrograde when compared to how the U.S. conducts its own affairs.
Matt Lauer is a mental midget and his questions reflected a profound ignorance of world affairs of the type that can only come from exclusively watching CNN Headline News. If you have read anything about what actually happens at Gitmo, you'd understand immediately why Khalid Sheik Mohammed or whatever isn't there.
cdg
The simple answer to "The head of Amnesty International says secret sites are against international law," is, "America is not governed by international law."
I have always thought Matt Lauer was an intelligent, interesting commentator. This interview with President Bush has changed my mind entirely. The disrespect and contempt he showed to our President was off the wall. If he cannot keep his opinions to himself, he should not be in this business. Regardless of his politics, his job is to ask questions for information's sake, not so he can sway the audience to Matt's opinion. We, the American people, are capable of making up our own mind based on information gleaned from the interview. Showing such outright disrespect to our President only hurts the Presidency, and that only hurts our country. The only thing this interview did was change my mind about Matt Lauer.
"The disrespect and contempt he showed to our President was off the wall."
So, George W. Bush has the right to dictate whether or not something is lawful, conceal it, and not have to fess up to it.
And to call him out on it is contempt?
I'd say that Matt Lauer doesn't take any B.S. Not even from our illustrious president.
I have to patently disagree with your conclusion, Kathleen. Matt Lauer's stand represents exactly the shot in the arm that the office of the presidency needs.
And that is to be held to a higher standard, and for its officer to be held accountable for his actions. George W. Bush is not above reproach simply because he holds office.
To let a head of state squirm away from direct questions is to undermine the integrity of the office.
to - Kathleen Miller
I wonder if you think the same of Chris Wallace and his interview with Bill Clinton?