When reading
in the SF Chronicle about the hearings yesterday in the Senate, I was struck by one exchange:
--Feinstein quizzed Gonzales on how far the president's assertion of vast wartime powers could extend. She asked if Bush had authorized warrantless interception of first-class mail, for example.
"The president has not made any order that is against the law," Gonzales responded.--
It is so obvious that Gonzales was slipping by the question. He did not answer the actual question. In fact, by answering the way he did, he all but told us that mail HAS been intercepted, right?
Now, I did not get to see the hearing but it appears that the logical next question(s) did not follow.
Feinstein should have then asked, "Please answer yes or no, has the program included warrantless interception of first class mail?"
Or, "Is is ever legal to intercept first class mail without a warrant?"
One can only hope that the questioning at the next hearing will be more aggressive and incisive. And AG/AG needs to be under oath, forgodsake.