Incredible. Frightening. And, Mind-Blowing.
Some of the replies to this article would have
Benjamin Franklin rolling over in his grave.
Those people who want us to give up our rights
should move somewhere where these rights
don't exist. I bet they'd change their 'minds'
really fast. They have no idea what they are
posturing about.
Federal Source to ABC News: We Know Who You're Calling
May 15, 2006 10:33 AM
Brian Ross and Richard Esposito Report:
A senior federal law enforcement official tells ABC News the government is
tracking the phone numbers we (Brian Ross and Richard Esposito) call in an
effort to root out confidential sources.
"It's time for you to get some new cell phones, quick," the source told us
in an in-person conversation.
ABC News does not know how the government determined who we are calling, or
whether our phone records were provided to the government as part of the
recently-disclosed NSA collection of domestic phone calls.
Other sources have told us that phone calls and contacts by reporters for
ABC News, along with the New York Times and the Washington Post, are being
examined as part of a widespread CIA leak investigation.
One former official was asked to sign a document stating he was not a
confidential source for New York Times reporter James Risen.
Our reports on the CIA's secret prisons in Romania and Poland were known to
have upset CIA officials. The CIA asked for an FBI investigation of leaks of
classified information following those reports.
People questioned by the FBI about leaks of intelligence information say the
CIA was also disturbed by ABC News reports that revealed the use of CIA
predator missiles inside Pakistan.
Under Bush Administration guidelines, it is not considered illegal for the
government to keep track of numbers dialed by phone customers.
The official who warned ABC News said there was no indication our phones
were being tapped so the content of the conversation could be recorded.
A pattern of phone calls from a reporter, however, could provide valuable
clues for leak investigators.
May 15, 2006 | Permalink
User Comments
big brother times three. Government whether on any level is not being held
accountable and is out of control- their arrogance is mind boggling
Posted by: LEAHK | May 15, 2006 9:51:49 AM
Having the intelligence community monitoring phone calls is very disturing
and a direct violation of the constitution. What is even scarier, is who is
doing the monitoring. It's not just the NSA, NRO, DIA etc... Look who is
working for these govt agecies. There's been a lot of outsourcing of
intelligence jobs. Pls take a look the web page for SAIC and check out the
job posting. Lot's of jobs requiring SAP clearance and contracted to the
NSA, DIA, etc.. What it comes down to is our govt has outsouced intel
gathering to corporate America. Very very scary.
Also they say their only looking at call patterns. Witht the high level use
if statistical analysis and just bits and pieces of converstations, they
call tell a heck of lot about a person.
Robert Calandriello
Posted by: Robert Calandriello | May 15, 2006 10:53:25 AM
Good! I hope they do find out who is leaking national security info to the
press. I'm tired of the press helping our enemies. Maybe you guys should
start trying to "FOR the USA" instead of "AGAINST the USA" ALL THE TIME. I
hope the FBI nails lots of idiots who are out to destroy the intelligence
agencies and cost us more soldiers and spys!
Posted by: Grace | May 15, 2006 11:09:57 AM
'Bout time you guys are roped in.
Posted by: Brad | May 15, 2006 11:11:50 AM
Excellent the Media needs looking after, Traitors most of them.......
Posted by: ken wiley | May 15, 2006 11:12:07 AM
good, you seditionist creeps deserve what you get. who knows how many
serviceman have died because of your "right to know"
Posted by: jeff bynum | May 15, 2006 11:12:10 AM
I hope the information they gain allows them to catch the scum that leak
information, and helps them arrest the communist scum who publish it.
Posted by: Dave Mottolo | May 15, 2006 11:12:28 AM
'Bout time you guys are roped in.
Posted by: Brad | May 15, 2006 11:13:00 AM
well maybe ABC news better stop leaking classified information. This only
helps our enemies and right now I believe ABC news is an enemy of the US.
Posted by: scott | May 15, 2006 11:13:39 AM
You didn't inconvenience someone, you broke the law. It's called a criminal
investigation!!!!
Posted by: George Chelpon | May 15, 2006 11:15:31 AM
I believe that it is a great idea to maintain telephone surveilance over
news organizations who disclose classified and sensitive secret information.
Lets nail the government employees who knowingly break their oath to not
divulge classified information.
Posted by: robert johnson | May 15, 2006 11:17:13 AM
GOOD! I hope they find out who is reporting all of these leaks. And I hope
you are tried and perhaps spend some time in jail for it.
KEEP CALLING and I hope they track your every word!
Posted by: bridget | May 15, 2006 11:17:21 AM
"Under Bush Administration guidelines, it is not considered illegal for the
government to keep track of numbers dialed by phone customers."
Under the law as signed by Bill Clinton collecting the information is legal.
Why do you portray it as "under Bush administration guidelines?" Is this
part of the bias I hear so much about?
If they are investigating leaks they probably have warrants for the searches
so they can see who is leaking information. I am glad they are rooting out
the people breaking the law. I hope they get the one who broke the law by
telling you about this.
Posted by: Big Dog | May 15, 2006 11:21:12 AM
Anyone who doesn't believe this is just the tip of the NSA domestic spying
iceberg is either naive or foolish. The first thing that crossed my mind
when USAToday broke the story about a database full of purely domestic call
records was that the Bush regime would be using it to keep track of every
journalist and blogger. Just another step taken by this administration to
suppress dissent and just another step towards stifling freedom of speech
and freedom of the press. Maybe now the MSM will finally wake up and start
reporting the facts about this administration instead of trying to remain
neutral.
Posted by: 3reddogs | May 15, 2006 11:21:36 AM
This might be one of the most frightening things I've ever read.
Posted by: bob | May 15, 2006 11:23:40 AM
Anonymous sources will never be credible. It seems that the media tends to
quote a "source" but won't name them. If you feel strongly about something,
have the courage and conviction to stand up and be named. Another reason why
I find out facts, before I reach a conclusion.
Posted by: Donna | May 15, 2006 11:24:43 AM
Welcome to the KGB.
Posted by: GoodGrief | May 15, 2006 11:25:34 AM
Just as NYTimes' Frank Rich warned in his OpEd this past Sunday:
"...this program may have more to do with monitoring "traitors" like
reporters and leakers than with tracking terrorists."
And i bet we could add political opponents and candidates to that list too.
Posted by: voxpopgirl | May 15, 2006 11:26:09 AM
I am a journalism graduate, UNC-Chapel Hill. I am also a veteran.
I hope they catch every government leaker of classified secret information
and put them in prison for life. And any reporter publishing known
classified secret information should be shot. It is called treason, not
first amendment rights.
Posted by: Tom Camp | May 15, 2006 11:26:53 AM
The problem, folks, is that the government has broken the law. Get it?
I'm always staggered when people who claim to uphold the "values of America"
willingly and joyfully allow their government to violate those values.
What's your problem with the Constitution? Take another look: Fourth
Amendment. Please.
Posted by: RHG | May 15, 2006 12:50:32 PM
Change your phone service to Qwest.
Posted by: Tom Paine | May 15, 2006 12:50:44 PM
I think that this is very good news. Something has to be done to investigate
the main-stream media as the MSM has obviously declared war against the
President in regards to the war on terror and and the liberation of Iraq. It
is outrageous how they are working to leak classified information and to
undermine our security at every turn with their reporting. It is also
outrageous how they fabricate stories against the President or in a timely
fashion recycle old stories as if they were new. I personally no longer
trust the MSM at all and feel extremely threatened by their agenda.
Posted by: Garry | May 15, 2006 12:50:51 PM
I'm appalled that so many of you think this is a good development, that
journalists should be gagged. I just can't wrap my head around why anyone
would want their own government to have this kind of crazy power over their
citizenry. Especially a government led by a man who considers his greatest
accomplishment in office catching a fish.
Posted by: Madison Underwood | May 15, 2006 12:50:59 PM
You guys in the press have been sucking up to this president from the very
beginning. You reported his lies, you bought the B.S., and you did it all
for access and so you could get invited to the right parties, and so he
could towel-snap you and give you stupid nicknames.
And where did it get you? Monitored by the NSA.
Maybe if you'd done your job from the beginning, we wouldn't be living in a
fascist state run by a madman right now. But no....it was more important
that Al Gore was stiff and John Kerry had no charisma. You wanted to drink
beer with this guy? Fine. Drink your beer with him. But don't start crying
now about your rights being violated.
Posted by: Jill | May 15, 2006 12:51:01 PM
i cant wait till the democrats get back in power and start cracking down and
tracking all the rightwing thugs and some of the commenters found here. some
people are so dumb and shortsighted and have ZERO understanding of the rule
of law, the constitution, and civil rights.
Posted by: ron | May 15, 2006 12:51:06 PM
First they came for the activists, and I said nothing. Next, they came for
the journalists, and I still said nothing. Finally, they came for me, and
what could I say.
I'm shocked by the "pro spying" comments I read above -- are you fucking
kidding me? Are you so completely bent by the lies and manipulation and
fear-mongering of "President" Bush and his co-conspirators? You actually
believe anything that comes out of this administration? Where have you been
living? Stop listening to the crap coming from FOX and Limbaugh and
O-Lielly. Start looking for real news.
I'm afraid it may be too late for America.
Posted by: ydobon | May 15, 2006 12:51:08 PM
Amendment I - Freedom of Religion, Press, Expression.
Congress shall make no law... or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the
press....
Posted by: andy | May 15, 2006 12:51:10 PM
I am tired of thae news media leaking secret information in order to hurt
PREDIDENT BUSH. I would prosucute the news media leakers for treason like
LINCOLN did. We are at WAR with a enemy who whants to take over the world by
force or kill all of us
Posted by: Ron Zacharias | May 15, 2006 12:51:16 PM
This has to be one of the most frightening issues of our time. I as a
citizen deserve to know what the moral construction of our government. The
press gave us information such as immoral and unappropriately un-American
torture prisons; obtaining this information and releasing is Patriotic,
because it goes against what we believe is right. "Our govt should be afraid
of its people", not the other way around.
Posted by: Aaron | May 15, 2006 12:51:22 PM
Will mainstream media FINALLY fight back against this fascist regime? It's
almost too late now.
BTW, with all the spying on Americans taking place, has anyone seen Osama?
Posted by: Kat | May 15, 2006 12:51:24 PM
i don't what is scarier, the article or the responses in this thread. some
of these responses smack of the very worst kind of authoritarian fascism.
these people talk just like the communist party hacks i've met in cuba or
the old soviet union... and they call themselves patriots. it's disgusting.
Posted by: drew | May 15, 2006 12:51:26 PM
I think that this is very good news. Something has to be done to investigate
the main-stream media as the MSM has obviously declared war against the
President in regards to the war on terror and and the liberation of Iraq. It
is outrageous how they are working to leak classified information and to
undermine our security at every turn with their reporting. It is also
outrageous how they fabricate stories against the President or in a timely
fashion recycle old stories as if they were new. I personally no longer
trust the MSM at all and feel extremely threatened by their agenda.
Posted by: Garry | May 15, 2006 12:51:49 PM
You commit treason and expose classified national securtiy information - the
goverment is going to come after you - as they should.
Posted by: Joe | May 15, 2006 12:51:58 PM
Tom,
Bush and Cheney are committing illegal acts. They shouldn't be protected.
It's morally right for these "leakers" to get all the information out......
And please no one needs to be shot.
My .02
-Mike
Posted by: Mike | May 15, 2006 12:51:59 PM
You do realize people are being paid by the Bush administration to attack
the press publically on comment pages like this. I personally was offered a
job doing it.
Look at the similarities in the comments."Aid the enemy" "leaking security"
ABC is simply telling it's viewers what it's ELECTED GOVERNMENT is doing
with it's money-destroying this country's power in the eyes of the world!
I want to know what my government is doing. I want to have some measure of
control over my life. I am tired of living in the constant fear this
administration has subjected us to in the name of patriotism.
Who are these jackasses who think the press is giving aid to the enemy. What
blind nonsense.
Posted by: Dawn Howard | May 15, 2006 12:52:09 PM
"Welcome to the KGB"
....and the ignorant children turning in their parents for crimes against the
state.
Gone are the days of the patriot who spoke, "Give me liberty or give me
death." Now we have Neil Cavuto: "[C]ollecting our phone records" is better
than "collecting our remains."
Posted by: TC | May 15, 2006 12:52:20 PM
If you don't believe in the US Constitution, get the out of here. If you
don't support the Bill of Rights, then YOU are Anti-American. Go move to
Russia, Cuba, or China; move anywhere but get the hell out of my country.
The only reason our soldiers are dying in this war is because the people
that you degenerates voted into office sent them off to fight for someone
else. Own up to your mistakes and quit trying to trade my liberty for your
false sense of security.
Posted by: LeLand McGee | May 15, 2006 12:54:09 PM
Might as well start calling Bush "Dear Leader" as well as addressing each
other as 'comrade' and while we're at it let's change the name of the CIA to
KGB and start holding May Day parades where we show off our shiny tanks and
missiles. That's where we are headed folks, I mean 'comrades'
Posted by: just changed it to 'Yuri' | May 15, 2006 12:54:09 PM
Ok Tommy Boy, shall we start with ***** Cheney and Robert Novak?
Posted by: solid | May 15, 2006 12:54:15 PM
When the government itself breaks the law and hides behind the veil of
secrecy - who will stand up and hold them accountable to the rule of law? An
elected government is not royalty nor infallible - a true democracy, the
people, keeps its government in line with the law. The news media "broke the
law" when they published the classified Pentagon papers back in the 70's -
and when the activities of Nixon's "plumbers" were exposed. A lot of those
same convicted criminals are back at it, running through the halls of power
today. Since the American people seem unable and unwilling to throw these
bums out of office, it lies with the media to report on the truth and not
allow the government to break the law and gut this country. Stand up to
power, folks!
"Fascism would be better described as corporatism, since it is marriage
between the state and business" - Benito Mussolini
Posted by: WWII Vet | May 15, 2006 12:54:19 PM
Tom, it's not treason. It's covered by US Code title 18 section 793, 794 and
798 among others. See http://www.fas.org/sgp/othergov/dd_1847_1.pdf
It's a felony. The leakers should go to jail. The publishers and reporters,
to the extent that they knew information was classified, should go to jail.
Nobody should be shot.
Posted by: Richard R | May 15, 2006 12:54:35 PM
Didn't we just live through this a little over 30 years ago? Just a week ago
today, John Negroponte said:
"This is about international terrorism and telephone calls between people
thought to be working for international terrorism and people here in the
United States."
The news reports of domestic spying are just the sound of history repeating.
When the President and "America" become conflated - for whatever reason -
anyone who can be viewed as in opposition to the President is therefore in
opposition to "America." Reporters, whistleblowers, activists, columnists,
Democrats - they are all working against our country.
Therefore, they are "working for international terrorism".
Fair game for wiretaps, for warrantless searches, for blackmail, for sting
operations, for prosecution, for rendition, for Guantanamo - or for a
Halliburton-built "detention center."
Why is it always the Republican presidencies that act on their paranoid
fears? Is GWB wandering the halls of the White House at night, talking to a
portrait of Lincoln?
Posted by: Louise | May 15, 2006 12:54:39 PM
Tom Camp: "I am a journalism graduate, UNC-Chapel Hill. I am also a veteran.
I hope they catch every government leaker of classified secret information
(*) and put them in prison for life. And any reporter publishing known
classified secret information should be shot. It is called treason, not
first amendment rights."
* - Except outing CIA agents for political payback. I like those.
Posted by: Gryn | May 15, 2006 12:54:54 PM
I will bring ***** Cheney to his knees.
Posted by: Federal Source | May 15, 2006 12:55:40 PM
They're not spying on reporters to find "leakers". They're looking for
anything that's different from their POV - different from the FoxNews POV.
It's brainwashing. It's clear by those who rushed to post supportive
comments here that it's worked to a degree....
Enjoy the fission this administration has created in this government......
Posted by: Paul | May 15, 2006 12:55:41 PM
CHENEY, LIBBY, BUSH. They are the leakers.
The press is there to keep them from further screwing up this country.
Without accountability they can do whatever they choose (pretty much what
Bush is doing spying on all of us, costing us a fortune in gas prices and
medical bills, and killing innocent people because of a pack of lies)
Posted by: Dawn Howard | May 15, 2006 12:55:42 PM
People should remember the thoughts of Thomas More when Henry VIII jailed
him for not accepting Royal edicts. More believed we have to fight for the
rights others', in this case the news media, to protect our own.
If Bush isn't stopped, we'll all lose our rights under the guise of fighting
terrorism.
Posted by: Joe S | May 15, 2006 12:55:53 PM
If people were really interested in "rooting out the lawbreakers" they'd
root out the Bush Administrations as a whole.
Our troops today and yesteryear did not sacrifice their lives so that we can
live in the same conditions as the former USSR.
Posted by: Chris | May 15, 2006 12:55:54 PM
It's funny watching people support the actions of the government in
recording and tracking American citizens. The Bush Administration has turned
the United States into a Soviet style state, where dissent and questioning
is treason and people should be shot. Where did my country go. And don't
give me a line about 9/11 changing everything. The terrorists hitting us has
nothing to do with our Constitution being usurped by these hacks.
Posted by: David L | May 15, 2006 12:56:00 PM
Tom Camp, do you think this should start with Scooter Libby, Karl Rove, and
***** Cheney, or is disclosing classified information and outing a CIA agent
for the purpose of attacking a political enemy OK if the President agrees to
it?
Is it treason to disclose information classified by the executive branch if
that information reveals that the President has repeatedly broken U.S. law?
Posted by: Eric | May 15, 2006 12:56:42 PM
I will bring ***** Cheney to his knees.
Posted by: Federal Source | May 15, 2006 12:56:42 PM
The blind hatred for the press conveyed by several who have posted is more
frightening than the NSA.
Posted by: Mike | May 15, 2006 12:56:44 PM
The people who are posting in support of this non-sense seem to have
forgotten what is at stake here. The Bush administration and their cronies
need to be held accountable. Do not forget the Presidential Daily Brief from
August 2001 that forewarned about a potential terrorist attack. We'd not
even be having this discussion if Bush and crew had been doing their job. To
say that reporters and/or dissenters should be treated as traitors is really
over-the-top. Perhaps those who support this need to take a long look at
what it means to live in a free country, because they surely seem to be
bound and determined to turn America into a fascist state. Wake up, people!
Posted by: JEB | May 15, 2006 12:59:35 PM
Whatever is necessary to win the war on terror is justifiable, therefore,
will be done- right or wrong.
Posted by: skmp | May 15, 2006 12:59:35 PM
I am going to be very curious to see how people feel when a democrat is in
the White House and essentially inherits the same set of rules that this
president is using. Remember the black helicopter crowd in the 90s? These
are the same people writing in to support the president's efforts to
infiltrate the press. In fact, I'd be willing to be they're the same people
commenting on this post.
Sag.
Posted by: Sagrilarus | May 15, 2006 1:11:19 PM
$10 says this is the same source that provided them national guard
documents.
Posted by: Poser | May 15, 2006 1:11:37 PM
So I suppose they are also keeping track of people who comment on this
story. "Knock, knock." "Who's there?" "Gestapo." "Gestapo who?" (Sound of
door being smashed....).
Posted by: jason Shapiro | May 15, 2006 1:11:45 PM
Fascinating watching all the Soviets giggle over the press "finally getting
caught" and muttering about "traitor journalists." Welcome to America,
comrades, it's looking more and more like your former home every day.
As for the press itself, it will be interesting to see if anyone actually
put up a fuss. The mainstream press has been Bush's faithful lapdogs for his
entire presidency. I doubt many of them will actually bother to protest. The
days of a real oppositional press in this country are long behind us. I'm
not even sure the wirepats are necessary; I imagine that most of Bush's
little journalistic poodles would have provided the information if asked.
Posted by: Black Max | May 15, 2006 1:11:46 PM
The most frightening part of this is the swarm of responses attacking the
media and honest public servants for revealing illegal government
operations.
This lynch mob believes that torture, arbitrary arrest, indefinite detention
on secret charges and other abuses of human freedom are only bad if the
Russians or Chinese do it.
Yet they attack liberals for "situational ethics." What goes around, comes
around, folks. Don't come whining to the media when it's your turn on the
rack. Not that we won't want to help you -- but you will have blown away our
ability to do it.
Posted by: Jules Siegel | May 15, 2006 1:28:55 PM
I thought the story was that the terrorists attacked America because they
hate freedom. The only people I see who hate freedom around here are Bush
supporters.
Posted by: Amused Canadian | May 15, 2006 1:29:11 PM
Fellow Americans, we have to insure that the Bush administration doesn't
feel free to spy on whomever they want WITHOUT A WARRANT. It's illegal.
Posted by: Martin | May 15, 2006 1:29:12 PM
It's good to read comments from right wing conservatives advocating the
prosecution of the vice president for the treasonable act of leaking Valerie
Plame's name for political purposes. The fact that she was expert in Iran's
nuclear weapons capabilities is very important to national security. I'm not
sure the leaking of news about our having secret prisons in eastern europe
where torture interrogations are conducted qualifies as the same type of
leak. Sadly, the fourth estate is as corrupt as both political parties.
Posted by: 1776 Patriot | May 15, 2006 1:29:32 PM
From the Church Committee report:
"In time of crisis, the government will exercise its power to conduct
domestic intelligence activities to the fullest extent. The distinction
between legal dissent and criminal conduct is easily forgotten," the
committee wrote. "In an era where the technological capability of government
relentlessly increases, we must be wary about the drift toward `big brother
government.'''
Posted by: LesiureGuy | May 15, 2006 1:29:52 PM
Andy says "We are at WAR with a enemy who whants to take over the world by
force or kill all of us".
Well, his name is George. And what are we going to do about him?
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety
deserve neither liberty nor safety."
Benjamin Franklin
Posted by: Jon Leslie | May 15, 2006 1:33:24 PM
My question is simple. If you won't allow the government to do ANY type of
data mining or survellience without FIRST having a federal warrant, how the
heck can you get the warrant? Don't you need evidence before a warrant is
granted? On one had the media, and ABC, complain about the administrations
inability to "connect the dots" that lead up to Sept. 11th and on the other
they criticize every effort to thwart terrorists attacks?
Personally, as I don't call anyone associated with Al Qaeda, I don't CARE if
the Government tracks me, listens to me or records me. Only the guilty
should be nervous. Is ABC and the NYT Guilty of aiding terroism or are
they/you simply guilty of undermingin our security by letting the terrorists
know what we are trying to do to stop them? In either case, you should be
ashamed.
Posted by: Chris | May 15, 2006 1:33:25 PM
What did ABC say during WWII when Roosevelt made sure that no classified
information was leaked through the media?
Posted by: Owen | May 15, 2006 1:33:57 PM
How can one defend the indefensible? This is not an America with which I'm
familiar. And neither are these posters. If they don't like a free press,
one that takes an active look at exactly what our government is up to, then
I suggest they move.
I hear North Korea is nice this time of year. You'll find the press there
much less apt to level a critique against the government.
I also think the above posters suffer from belonging to the Bush cult of
personality. Within this cult, Bush can do no wrong and is to be trusted.
Not that he's ever given evidence for this, but this is one of the
underlying delusions of the posters. Nothing new here, Nixon also attracted
rabid defenders to the bitter end.
As for ABC, thank you for your work.
Posted by: Dave | May 15, 2006 1:34:08 PM
Very scary, but who knows...if these records were public information, rather
than being screened and filtered out against favorite targets, I think we
would see a lot of the leakers (think Libby) are on the wrong side of the
fence...although we will never hear about those leaks...
BTW, a source is only protected if the information provided is determined to
be true. A source loses its legal protection if they are providing lies.
Also, the protections of a journalist and a source are about as protected as
a Lawyer -> Client or Doctor -> Patient. Not that I necessarily agree it
should be (people should be accountable for what they say) but either this
information needs to be available for everybody, or nobody. I don't want
some partisan analyst overlooking all their buddies leaks and using this for
their own agenda, which is exactly what I see happening.
Posted by: Andy Carroll | May 15, 2006 1:34:18 PM
This article is completely dependent upon an unnamed source who supposedly
made the claims cited in the article. None of this may be true but ABC
doesn't even suggest this possibility; rather, it publicizes this unproven
contention--"ABC News does not know how the government determined who we are
calling"-- by concluding it is true, yet there is no way for ABC to know if
any of their phones were tapped at all. Since they are willing to go public
with contentions "proven" by yet another unnamed source, I am unwilling to
get fished into whether or not this is good or bad. But my inclination is to
suspect the network is creating a suspicion that isn't there, and as a
national media outlet, they shouldn't be in the business of unsubstantiated
rumors.
Posted by: norcoast | May 15, 2006 1:34:40 PM
Anyone who thinks they want this information just to track terrorists is
brainwashed.
It's obvious to anyone who understands how Rove & Co. operate that this
information is being gathered to help them in consolidating and controlling
power - they will use it in any way they can to qwell opposition and scare
people into keeping quiet while they break the law.
These guys are thugs and liars and will do anything to retain power -- given
the billions of dollars that power lets them control. Anyone who thinks this
database won't be brought to bear to to help them not lose control of that
money is fooling themselves -- and lying to the rest of us.
They are complicit in the fleecing of Americans and in assisting the funders
of the Republican Party in locking down control over the US Treasury and
Military to use for their own, self-serving purposes.
Posted by: Me | May 15, 2006 1:34:50 PM
I'm amazed by all the people who think illegal spying is 'okay', as long as
it 'protects' them.
Nothing is going to protect them. The terrorists will strike when and where
they strike.
President Bush is an incompetent boob who has absolutely no finesse or
intelligence, unfortunately and who is ruining America. The fact that he has
a bunch of liars, thugs and criminals working for him just exacerbates the
problems.
It really is a sad day in America.
My family escaped from a Communist regime and, to see this butchering of the
Constitution is just sickening.
Impeach him now!
Posted by: Leslie | May 15, 2006 1:34:58 PM
Leaking classified information is a crime. It doesn't matter the intentions,
it is a crime.
receiving and publishing that info is a crime.
Both need to be punished.
As far as tracking phone calls, the Feds do much more than that with your
financial info. The IRS routinely trolls through your financial records
without your knowledge.
So far, nobody seems to mind that.
But, ooooooo those SCARY phone records.
BTW: As early as the 1920's ITT, the international phone company was giving
the govt the full text of all telegrams crossing the US border. The NSA was
founded for the express purpose of monitoring phone calls across the border.
Its been doing that since 1949. And you are just now figuring this out?
Sheesh.
John Henry
Posted by: John Henry | May 15, 2006 1:35:11 PM
I can't beleive the number of comments about hoping to catch media people
who leak classified info! How about Presidents, VP's and Secretaries of
Defense and State who leak CIA operatives names for their own political
gains? This country and many of the people in it are becoming very scary!
The drink the coolaid everyday and somehow miss the point of who is leaking
our national secuity, who is lying about wmds and causing untold death and
destruction for profit? Its not the news people or CIA veterans who tell the
truth to protect America and the Constitution...they are heroes! They know
what America used to stand for and are risking their lives and futures to
try to save it from the fascists who have somehow taken over the government
with their own selfish
agenda.
Peace
Posted by: Linda Carpenter | May 15, 2006 1:35:45 PM
If Bill Clinton's administration had tapped Fox News' phones, the right-wing
fascists would have fired their assault rifles at the White House.
Posted by: Susan | May 15, 2006 1:35:57 PM
Q:
What's more offensive to our democracy than the Bush administration turning
the executive branch into a virtual black op, attempting to seal off
world-changing and constitution-altering plans and activities from press and
congressional scrutiny?
A:
Well for one thing, the blind and clueless enthusiasm with which Americans
like some of the posters here rush to support them, barely a clue in hand
about the full story or its consequences.
"Thank you sir, may I have another!"
IMHO, which I see is already, fortunately not alone (as it was when I first
when to try to get this post up). If these probably well meaning patriots
have to post again to tell me my liberal, civil liberties-over-war-on-terror
opinion is twisted, weak, and aids "the enemy" -- apologies in advance to
all who have to type or read the responses. I know how tiring this all too
predictable exchange is by now...
Posted by: Alex | May 15, 2006 1:36:02 PM
I am ashamed of THOSE AMERICANS THAT I HAVE JUST READ ... THE ONES THAT ARE
SAYING IT'S OK FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO WATCH OUR ACTIVITY. And that the MEDIA
is the enemy of the state.
I AM APPALLED BECAUSE FROM WHAT I REMEMBER GROWING UP...IT WAS THE
COMMUNISTS THAT MONITORED THEIR CITIZENS...THE THING THAT HAS MADE AMERICA
GREAT IS OUR CIVIL LIBERTIES,,,, AND THOSE THAT FOLLOW BLINDLY BEHIND THIS
ADMINISTRATION OR ANY ADMINISTRATION FOR THAT MATTER ARE SHEEP AND NO BETTER
THAN THE GERMAN CITIZENS THAT FOLLOWED BLINDLY BEHIND ADOLF HITLER AND THE
NAZIS
Posted by: Tamela | May 15, 2006 1:41:40 PM
So for all you who think the media needs to be roped in, would you rather
the government break the law and violate your rights as a citizen and you
NOT know about it?
Whistleblowers can't go to a Republican run congress, nothing will happen.
This is the only way people will know what's going on.
And if you think this is limited to just news sources and NOT political
opponents, then you're incredibly naive.
Posted by: Kevin | May 15, 2006 1:41:43 PM
THE REAL QUESTION is if all the Bush apologists posting here are going to
feel the same way when President Hillary has the power to spy on Americans
she doesn't like...
Posted by: True Blue Patriot | May 15, 2006 1:41:58 PM
Are we seriously supposed to believe this story? How self-promoting can you
people get? Look! Look! Everything we said was happening is happening
because we say it is!
Nice try.
Posted by: Cardinals Nation | May 15, 2006 1:42:14 PM
'Personally, as I don't call anyone associated with Al Qaeda, I don't CARE
if the Government tracks me, listens to me or records me. Only the guilty
should be nervous.'
And if you call someone who called someone who called someone who has a name
similar to a terrorist ... you're being tracked. This is a
'contact-contagion' database, not something with a nice tight focus. And
they apparently are tracking *ALL* the calls in the country, probably
including cellphones (or, why criminals and terrorists use disposable
cells).
Posted by: P J Evans | May 15, 2006 1:42:38 PM
Looks like the same people who are spying on Americans are posting about his
article.
Is there anything Republicans won't do to destroy this country in the name
of one little Chimp dicatator?
Posted by: Billy | May 15, 2006 1:42:42 PM
Chris,
How does collecting more dots help you to connect the dots? It only makes it
harder to connect the dots when you start throughing it billions of other
dots that have nothing to do with anything. Look, it is not only people that
are guilty of crimes that should be afraid, everyone should be. This
information can be used against political opponents, reporters, and anyone
that opposes the government. If you can't see that, God help you.
Posted by: squid696 | May 15, 2006 1:43:13 PM
Breaking News ... Stained blue dress found in the oval office.
Can we impeach him now?!?
Pretty please with a cherry on top.
Posted by: Jason | May 15, 2006 1:43:15 PM
I was watching a documentary on the horrors surrounding Auschwitz over the
weekend. The Nazi party made war on anyone who disagreed with them, too.
Sound familiar?
Posted by: RJVegas | May 15, 2006 1:43:15 PM
It is not illegal for government employees to reveal illegal government
behavior. It's called whistle blowing and is protected (or was until the
Bushies gutted the statute.)
To those who would nail investigative journalists to the wall I would ask:
Wasn't it better to know about the abuses at Abu Ghraib so that these abuses
stop? There was no indication that the Bushies would have done anything
about it if it hadn't come out in the press.
Wasn't it better to know about the secret prisons where "shadow" prisoners
were held in violation of the Geneva Convention (remember, that is what
keeps our soldiers from being tortured when they are captured). Again,
without the press, this would still be a secret and we would be violating
international human rights standards even more than we are.
Wasn't it better to know that the Bushies were vioating the FISA act
repreatedly and egregiously? Congress offered to change FISA to make it more
palatable to the Bushies, but they preferred to go skirt the law intended to
stop just the kind of investigating of political and journalistic domestic
spying the Bushies are clearly doing now.
Wasn't it better to know about extrordinary rendition, the kidnapping,
abuse, and torture of sometimes innocent people? Those who believe in
limited government, the 4th amendment, and/or the first amendment should be
railing at the Bushies, not egging them on. It shows that your partisan
fervor has drowned out your desire to defend the constitution and civil
rights.
Beyond Left/Right
Posted by: beyond_left_right | May 15, 2006 1:43:20 PM
Maybe those who are posting here and believe that it is ok for the
governemnt to spy on their own people should be reminded of the situation in
the former USSR between 1917 and 1989.
If you beleive the Bush administration should not be questioned and should
do whatever the heck they please then so be it. I however am SICK of the
administration using terrorism as an excuse to stamp out my civil liberties!
Maybe all of you who are against freedom of information and of the press
should etierh stick your heads back into the sand where they belong or go
watch fox.
Posted by: Todd | May 15, 2006 1:43:45 PM
So, um... have all of Bush's 29% chimed in, or are there one or two of you
left?
Posted by: japhy | May 15, 2006 1:43:50 PM
There's no real dispute that it's legal for the government to examine call
records in the context of an investigation (without warrants), and there's
also no dispute that investigating leaks of classified information is a very
legitimate activity.
What's the problem?
Posted by: Ari Rabkin | May 15, 2006 1:44:11 PM
I think the worst thing about this is that it defiles the basic rights that
so many soldiers have laid down their lives fignting for. I think the
question is: Where do we draw the line between gonvernment accountability
and basic freedoms? When we step over that line, we erode the basic
foundation that supports our society.
Any administration that goes unchecked will cross the line, and this system
of accountability, though obviously flawed, is what keeps the entities of
our government within some degree of control. Our forefathers seem to have
undersood very well what so many of you have forgotten.
Posted by: Dave | May 15, 2006 1:44:18 PM
My my, there are some people on this thread who have seriously lost touch
with reality.
"Bush has changed our country into a fascist state" - well if this is true,
then why isn't Michael Moore in jail? Why are you allowed to post your
anti-Bush comments? Your claim will have more credibility if Bush refuses to
leave after his second term. That won't happen.
"Leakers are courageous dissidents" - No. Leaks of this nature from the
intelligence community are inexcusable. There are well established channels
by which people in the intelligence community can be "whistle blowers". None
of those channels involve broadcasting national security secrets to our
enemies via our all-too-willing media. The people who do this deserve jail,
not praise.
If they broke the law, they should be prosecuted. And that included
reporters. Period.
"This is a violation of the fourth Amendment" - No. There is no illegal
invasion of privacy here. In Smith v. Maryland, 442 U.S. 735, 744 (1979) the
Supreme Court ruled that law enforcement access to the telephone numbers
that you call is not an "unreasonable search or seizure" and therefore is
not a violation of the Fourth Amendment. Unlike a search warrant, law
enforcement officials do not even have to have "probable cause" to request
these sorts of records.
Posted by: ksm | May 15, 2006 1:44:49 PM
This article is worthless on it's face. An unnamed "federal" source reports
that ABC news is being tracked to find out who the leakers are. And, of
course, they met in person. To add mystique to the myth.
First, lets deal with this "news" article.
They carefully word things to suggest the worst. Recently disclosed NSA
collection of domestic phone calls.
In reality, this means that in the past 4 1/2 years the government has begun
storing anonymous records of the phone digits being connected by telephone
companies. 273-4589 called 745-9871 on June 15th, 2004.
This same information is bought and sold by private companies, except it's
bought and sold with consumer information.
Your phone number isn't private, it can be looked up on the internet.
So, lets say the government happens across a would-be terrorist. They get
his cell phone, and they plug it into this database. They now, instantly,
have access to everyone that phone number has contacted in the last 4 1/2
years. No digging involved. They can then get immediate warrants to search
and seize as necessary from those phone numbers. This is a miniscule loss of
privacy with a huge potential benefit. And, as pointed out above, you do not
currently have this privacy...your information is already on sale or freely
available.
Can the information be misused? Absolutely. But the government stores
incredible amounts of information on all citizens. Are those records
misused? They can be. But I don't hear for calls to erase/burn all tax
return records.
Where is the crushing of dissent? I see little but dissent in the form of
media, public rallies, and online discussion. People are free in this
country to voice their opposition, and they do so.
We do not live in a police state. It has been 5 years since the last
domestic terrorist attack, and I have been asked to give up almost no
freedom. I have a longer line at the airport. Anything else? Can you name
one other factual inconvenience or definitive loss of privacy in your life?
The truth is, we have been asked for terribly little in the way of sacrifice
to ensure national security. And, as Americans, that is the way we like it.
Posted by: Jo | May 15, 2006 1:49:59 PM
The MSM has been incredibly slow about calling this President's bluffs.
Frankly, they haven't been doing their job, yet they still expect the free
press privileges. Well, this is what you get when the free press forgets to
function!
The gov'mnt says this program doesn't "listen in". No, probably not. This
program may simply identify the numbers ripe for tapping... passing them to
another gov'mnt program to do the actual taps... maybe even under FISA. What
has been shown is that this administration dissembles as a matter of course.
Now, why would I believe anything they say? How careful are they being about
our rights while they're breaking the law? Probably just as careful as
they're being about the law itself.
Posted by: solitaire | May 15, 2006 1:50:03 PM
How much clearer can it be... this administration is conducting a
systhematic war against the American people, our values, and institutions.
Only the wholesale arrest of these scoundrels will save the nation.
Posted by: Erik Vilius | May 15, 2006 1:50:09 PM
"Those who desire to give up freedom in order to gain security will not
have, nor do they deserve, either one."
Posted by: j | May 15, 2006 1:50:13 PM
It is preposterous to claim that telling the press about torture gulags, or
patently ILLEGAL wiretapping, harms national security. That stuff is
classified because it is politically embarassing and 'super-depressing',
i.e. the public doesn't want it to happen! That the existence of the
programs is classified does not mean national security is actually
implicated.
The government is illegally obtaining phone records and tracking down
political opponents. When will it stop?
Posted by: Derek | May 15, 2006 1:50:19 PM
This shows bad faith by Bush Administration.
This has nothing to do with spying on terrorists or national security, which
is the sole rationale for the program.
This is akin to the Nixon administration and enemies lists abuses of power.
The disclsosure that press calls are being traced is the equivalenmt of
learing that Nixon taped whitehouse conversations.
IMPEACH!
Posted by: bill | May 15, 2006 1:51:11 PM
This piece coyly states "ABC News does not know how the government
determined who we are calling, or whether our phone records were provided to
the government as part of the recently-disclosed NSA collection of domestic
phone calls."
Ummmm, isn't it possible, if the "phone calls and contacts by reporters for
ABC News, along with the New York Times and the Washington Post, are being
examined as part of a widespread CIA leak investigation" that the
information was either obtained by virtue of a search warrant, duly issued
and approved by a Federal magistrate, or was legally obtained without a
warrant because such information has been held not to be private? In fact,
isn't it PROBABLE that this is the case, given that the Feds must surely be
aware of the likelihood of leaks, and that the whole operation will be spun
by the media as a violation of free speech and due process?
How can the lamestream media seriously push the idea that the government is
full of evil geniuses engaged in a vast conspiracy to destroy our
Constitutional rights while at the same time implying that government
investigators are so stupid that they'd knowingly give the media such
ammunition against themselves?
I'll tell you what I believe in this story: (a) the government is
investigating leaks; (b) they are trying to find out who in the media
suspected leakers are talking to; (c) somebody in the government (probably
more than one person) has been asked to sign a document (probably under
penalty of perjury) saying that he/she isn't the source of a particular
leak; (d) the investigators have dotted all their legal i's and crossed all
their legal t's.
Mostly this article is all speculation and spin, presenting, as clearly
intended, the lamestream media as victim. Sorry, ABC, I don't buy it. Cross
posted to my blog.
Posted by: ExRat | May 15, 2006 1:51:27 PM
The Bush machine will tolerate no dissent. Just like Saddam or Mugabe.
Posted by: nottheamericaIknow | May 15, 2006 1:51:31 PM
Myabe now the MSM will take their gloves off for this cabal of a
administration!!!
I hope so...I hope every reporter out there will start telling it like it is
concerning this facist group!
Wake up America!
Posted by: VPS | May 15, 2006 1:55:22 PM
This is why the terrorists are going to win. Every debate in this country
boils down to those who hate Republicans and those who hate Democrats. Its
not about the war, stopping terrorists or saving lives. Its about the next
November.
If and when we all figure out that the terrorists want to kill both sides
the same then we will have a chance to win the war against them.
If you don't like these intelligence gathering programs, then you should
propose what you would do instead. Otherwise, after the next terrorist
attack, don't start criticizing the leadership for not doing enough as the
Democrats did after 9/11. We have to do something. So what would you do if
monitoring the communications of suspected terrorists is inappropriate?
Posted by: Sun Tsu | May 15, 2006 1:55:35 PM
To those who support this anti-first amendment breach, you obviously don't
see where this overstepping of bounds can lead to -----> Total Banana
Republic Regime (we've taken multiple steps toward this place under Bushy
McFlightsuit)
....and what is with calling anyone you disagree with a communist???!!!???
Posted by: lillyhammer | May 15, 2006 1:55:57 PM
"I'm appalled that so many of you think this is a good development, that
journalists should be gagged"
The attacks on "the press" result from, to take one example, the fact that a
lot of us have or personally know people who have spent a lot of time in
Iraq recently. When someone you know and trust gives you a picture of goings
on there that radically differs from what you've seen in the paper or on TV,
you come away with a feeling that some press entities are actively working
for the enemy. I agree with you that the press needs strong protection - but
enemy propagandists don't. I agree that it's frightening, but it's also
frightening that many reporters do seem to either hate this country or hate
this president so rabidly that they'll damage the country to damage him.
It's the press conflating the president and the country, not their critics.
Posted by: J | May 15, 2006 1:56:00 PM
Fantastic news. I hope we see some of these leakers and their media contacts
in jail for stabbing America in the back.
Posted by: DaMav | May 15, 2006 1:56:15 PM
Welcome to "1984" ... there is to be NO "checks and balances" in this
administration is there? are Congress is useless and now the last hope, the
media and their confidants are to be hushed too. Next thing you know they'll
start wanting to know who has every single gun in this country. But be wary.
Posted by: bobnbob | May 15, 2006 1:56:21 PM
Reading all the comment reveals extremists on both side of the argument.
People blame Bush for September 11.... how could he have prevented it.
Everything being done now to prevent another 9/11 is being criticized. Also
consider the number of calls (no names or call content) in these databases.
Volume is to large to ever be analyzed. Use of the databse is as follows: US
phone number receives a call from a know terrorist. Database will allow
governmet to track all the phone numbers called. They still do not know any
names.
Posted by: G Keehn | May 15, 2006 1:58:52 PM
I see a lot of "arguing by affirmation" from the Left on this thread.
Apparently, if you say something emphatic enough, and in enough different
ways, then that makes your statement true.
Kind of reminds me of the old sterotype of Americans shouting loudly in an
attempt to make a foreigner understand what they are trying to say.
These guys need to take some classes in Logic and History. They are so
emotional that they don't seem to realize how juvenile they sound.
The President's biggest responsibility is to defend our country in time of
war. And to do that he has to gather intel.
More power to him!
Posted by: KSM | May 15, 2006 1:59:36 PM
its hilarious how many people in this population of "free democracy" can't
wait to submit all their liberties to the powers that will (soon) control
all aspects of their lives.
this administration has taken leaps and bounds into total control and will
continue to devalue the lives of citizens.
Posted by: alex | May 15, 2006 1:59:44 PM
Funny how those asserting that the U.S. is becoming an evil fascist state
will still vote to raise taxes.
Posted by: ss | May 15, 2006 1:59:44 PM
Will the tapping end with the phones?
We have monotoring from space now. Whose to say emails and website tracking
isn't also hidden in this databse.
Posted by: James | May 15, 2006 2:00:00 PM
Ari Rabkin says ----- "There's no real dispute that it's legal for the
government to examine call records in the context of an investigation
(without warrants)"
Ari - are you under investigation?? Am I ?? I think thats the point, don't
you?
Why do Bush apologists just not "get it" ???? Are you that in love with him?
Posted by: sorrystateofaffairs | May 15, 2006 2:00:23 PM
It is astounding to me that of all the saliva-flecked commentary here, only
ONE person has mentioned that the processes under attack were initiated
under the CLINTON Administration, and informally (and still legally) in use
for decades before that? Where were all you geniuses then? Haven't any of
you been through a security scan at an airport? Did you protest your right
to privacy at the security screeners looking inside your handbag with an
x-ray machine? and no warrant? Do you protest the fact that your employer
(or anyone else who pays you money) informs the government about it? Don't
you see how you are being manipulated like a sock-puppet? If you would just
look at the prefabricated howls of outrage - really look- you would see that
they are seldom based on actual FACTS. Come on, people. If you have some
concrete evidence or a reasoned argument, go ahead. But enough with the
name-calling.
Posted by: Steve | May 15, 2006 2:00:25 PM
I fully support privacy, especially for members of the press who are
(belatedly) investigating this mistake of a presidency. Do the best you can,
ABC! There are terrible things afoot and you know it!
Posted by: Andy G | May 15, 2006 2:00:42 PM
It's called "Caller ID". What part of Appalachia are you guys from? The
phone switch at ABC has the capability of logging incoming calls, and it may
very well be doing so. It can log outgoing calls, too.
Are you THAT clueless that you thought calls to a geovernment office were
not logged?
Posted by: Chuck Simmins | May 15, 2006 2:01:19 PM
"Personally, as I don't call anyone associated with Al Qaeda, I don't CARE
if the Government tracks me, listens to me or records me. Only the guilty
should be nervous."
If the government isn't guilty of anything, they shouldn't be nervous about
their secrets being leaked.
Posted by: anonymous | May 15, 2006 2:01:35 PM
It's dizzying to read the comments on this story. Ben Franklin said- "he who
sacrafices liberty for security gains neither"
Posted by: Spence | May 15, 2006 2:01:38 PM
UMass Amherst did the same thing A DECADE AGO when someone leaked the
Basketball Team's grades.
Posted by: ed | May 15, 2006 2:07:02 PM
I have never been paid by anyone to post comments but I happen to agree with
many of the comments saying you have committed treason. I would say no other
country that is opposed to us in the world needs any spies now, since the
mainstream media is doing all their work for them.
Posted by: Garland Byron | May 15, 2006 2:07:35 PM
I am ashamed of the people that defend what the Bush administration is doing
in spying on American citizens and the press. How do you think that
Watergate was discovered and brought down a President that was totally out
of control with no bounderies?
What you are defending is fascism. Look up the word in a dictionary. How do
the citizens find out what their government is doing with the three branches
of government under one party? No ethics, outing a CIA Operative, no WMD's,
attacking a country that was no threat to America, etc.
Do you know that this administration considers Greenpeace, Sierra Club,
Democrats, anti-war domostraters, environmentalists, liberal churches all
terrorists? Do you feel safe under a totalarian government, because that is
now what we have become? Are you all so scared of the so called enemy that
you will give up basic american rights?
There is not a single person in this administration that has not lied to us
and to other world leaders. Beware when we no longer have a free press that
can track the illegal acts that this administration does.
Posted by: Irene Euchler | May 15, 2006 2:07:47 PM
Pastor Niemoller wrote "First they came for the Communists,
and I didn't speak up, because I wasn't a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak up, because I wasn't a Jew.
Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn't speak up, because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me,
and by that time there was no one left to speak up for me."
It was your job, for the past six years to expose the sins of this
administration. Now they have come for you; is there anyone left to speak
up? Now would be a heck of a time to start doing your job!
Posted by: Mike Grello | May 15, 2006 2:07:48 PM
ADDRESS COMPLAINTS TO:
Who's the person running the NSA's data collection program?
James M. Cusick, assistant deputy director of the NSA for data acquisition.
He's Mr. Data Acquisition. He's the specialist in charge of building
collection systems that can acquire vast amounts of data, and his unit is
the one that is running this program.
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2006/05/15/
aid_interview/print.html
MR. JAMES M. CUSICK
922 VANDERWOOD ROAD
BALTIMORE, Maryland 21228-1326
U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY
SENIOR EXECUTIVE
07/06/2004 500.00
TOTAL CONTRIBUTION 1000.00
Committee: BUSH-CHENEY '04 (PRIMARY) INC.
http://72.14.207.104/search?q=cache:MSucjNYnIUUJ:
herndon2.sdrdc.com/cgi-bin/dcdev/forms/C00386987
/131995/sa/ALL/13+%22James+M.+Cusick%22&hl=
en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=21
Posted by: Bob | May 15, 2006 2:08:05 PM
If Bush is "crushing dissent", he's sure doing a poor job of it.
Posted by: Elvis America | May 15, 2006 2:08:17 PM
I really could care less who or what the Government spies on. Even if they
were upfront about it and it was "legally" done, there would still be
something illegal about it - in someone's eyes. Ask yourself this question,
when was the last time I knowingly talked to a terrorist outside this
country? As for the media, they get what they deserve - nothing but a bunch
of snot nosed brats who hide behind the 1st amendment, while pointing the
finger at someone else - their establishment is just as bad, if not worse,
than our current governmental administration. I see no need to worry, as a
private citizen, because I know I have done nothing wrong - have you?
Posted by: Chardsand | May 15, 2006 2:08:26 PM
Throughout the history of our country the whistleblower and the journalist
have conspired to keep Americans free. Utilizing government programs to
undermine journalists' ability to exercise their right to free speech and
report the truth undermines the very fabric of freedom this country is
supposed to uphold. It is imperative that all Americans remember that this
is THEIR government. It is not the President's or Vice President's alone. It
is all of ours.
Our government has failed to hold itself accountable for the past 6 years.
Every failure is met with an excuse or a dismissal. No one has lost their
job over a single point of failure. Only those who have spoken up to try and
prevent those failures have lost their jobs.
We need to have a free and unemcumbered press. We need SOMEONE to provide
oversight to the government, who has proven time and again in the past few
years that it does NOT care about America, only its political life.
You are afraid of terrorists? You think that spying on journalists and other
Americans is an important component to stop terrorism? I will tell you this:
the War on Terror is NOT about planes flying into buildings or bombs being
dropped in Afghanistan. It is about IDEALS. It is about PHILOSOPHY. America
is a land of IDEALS. We have always valued freedom - freedom to practice
whatever religion you want. Freedom to SPEAK YOUR MIND. Freedom to SPEAK
OUT. These ideals are trampled upon every day now to defend the government's
"War on Terror." THe very thing that MAKES US AMERICA is being diminished
every single day, and you all sit around and take it, so long as you can
watch American Idol and eat Big Macs.
This whole thing is an outrage. It's a great contradiction to what our
country is supposed to mean.
Posted by: Al | May 15, 2006 2:08:37 PM
I certainly hope THIS will be your lead story tonight, not the immigration
pandering done by the administration.
If you can't get the news, you can't tell US the news.
Posted by: Joseph Bua | May 15, 2006 2:09:01 PM
UMass Amherst did the same thing A DECADE AGO when someone leaked the
Basketball Team's grades.
Posted by: ed | May 15, 2006 2:09:01 PM
I see the President as an honest man that is trying his best to protect us
from those that would,could, did and will do us great harm.
His job is not made easier by the political left; they have always been a
noisey bunch that seeing conspiracies everywhere. This stems all the way
back to the Vietnam War. The whole reason we lost that war was due to the
fact that the politicians running the war lost their resolve due to the
bosterious left and all their antics.
Posted by: SteveC | May 15, 2006 2:09:04 PM
Newsrooms need to get their webmaster to start applying for VOIP ONLY and
start opening other gates with SKYPE. This way you can talk to whoever you
want without being tracked. For outgoing calls, you simply keep rotating the
accounts, dropping a few, signing on a few new ones... confusing the system.
I used to work in computer security, so take this tip as a good one.
Posted by: Citizen Yes! | May 15, 2006 2:09:05 PM
This is outrageous! How much more of this are we willing to allow? They can
use 9/11 as an excuse to monitor every aspect of our lives. Enough is
enough. They are infringing on our rights more and more. It is time to get
answers from them. They have crossed a line that should not be crossed.
Posted by: Pat | May 15, 2006 2:16:27 PM
some are repeated multiple times... most negative comments are written in
the same voice. someone should investigate whether the NSA or the RNC uses
spambots to post comments like these.....
Posted by: The comments on this page are highly suspicious | May 15, 2006
2:16:28 PM
"BTW, with all the spying on Americans taking place, has anyone seen Osama?"
Yes! He's in Vegas, and what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. BTW, he
thinks its hilarious that we have destroyed our own society and way of life
by "hunting" the very thing we created with our policies and desire to 'give
up freedom for security'. I guess Franklin was right. We deserve neither if
we continue to be apathetic and allow our country to become fascist. All
Heil Bush comrades!
Posted by: gotFreedom? | May 15, 2006 2:16:42 PM
Disgusting. If ABC News and other affected media outlets do not report this,
you have all failed me for the last time. I used to want to be a journalist,
now I'm disgusted by the media pandering to what this admin has become.
Posted by: jh | May 15, 2006 2:20:44 PM
I've long suspected that the right wing cares about nothing except the
second half of the second amendment...But these comments prove that it's
much worse than that. The right wing is openly hostile toward EVERYTHING in
the Bill of Rights EXCEPT the right to have a gun. Of course, it was THEIR
president who called the US Constitution "g-ddamn piece of paper."
Posted by: MrDoggity | May 15, 2006 2:22:45 PM
This guy is amazing. Spying on the press is about as stupid as it
gets--George W has few friends and the MSM is one of the few he has left. I
love watching this guy--can he do anything right?
Posted by: Fred | May 15, 2006 2:22:45 PM
We used to make fun of the Soviets for this sort of thing. Now, it's us.
Posted by: nocore | May 15, 2006 2:22:58 PM
What a sad day in America. The leakers in chief are the Bush Administration.
When Valerie Plame was outed, Bush said he would fire anyone who was
involved in the leak. Turns out he was the leaker. He ought to fire himself.
This sends a scary message to potential whistle-blowers -- it's hard enough
to stand up to this Administration and its illegal activities; now it will
be even more dangerous. But the tide has turned and I believe it's a little
late for Bush and Cheney to think they can stem that tide. This has to stop.
They are shredding the Constitution.
Had to laugh at the paid posters who are so happy at what is being done here
and wish to bring back the sedition laws. Two of those posts were virtually
identical. What a joke.
Posted by: Nightprowlkitty | May 15, 2006 2:23:19 PM
"that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in
vain--that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom--and
that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not
perish from the earth." Abraham Lincoln
I hate what these neocons are doing to this country. How dare they distort
and bend the constitution.
Posted by: rob34j4 | May 15, 2006 2:27:02 PM
Boy, this is scary stuff! Not just the news but how complacent the public
is - or rather how they blame the press?! Secret prisons are helping protect
America? Why are they secret? So the prisoners can't be broken out?
Nonsense! No, because it's abhorant behavior for a country that claims it
operates otherwise. Secret drone attacks and kills mostly innocents in
Pakistan? That's a secret that needs protecting for our national security?
Any one who understands the situation in the Middle East - not just those
who listen to Fox news, but those who really know the politics of the Middle
East, KNOW that we are now in more danger because of Bush's arragance, not
LESS danger. It's simply a fact. And the foolhardy who want to give up their
freedoms to support those freedoms (through war) are pretty dissallusioned.
And the torture? Come-on. Our president says "We don't torture" then goes on
to defend it and reserves the right even after the Senate passes a law
against it. Where is the America I believe in? Trampled under the boots of
this foolhardy and deceitful administration. All so sad...
Posted by: T | May 15, 2006 2:27:03 PM
¨If they broke the law, they should be prosecuted. And that included
reporters. Period. ¨
Ok well, >I tend to disagree. There is sometimes a moral high ground, above
the ¨law¨ I wonder what your take is on Rosa Parks, um Boston Tea Party,
Pentagon Papers, um French Revolution... With that logic, Rosa Parks should
have just sat at the back of the bus, and we should still be British. Give
me break. What is America to you. Wake up. By saying that Michael Moore isnt
in prison means that were a free country is just as insane as A German under
Hitler saying, well they didnt bring sò-and-so to the concentration camp, so
its not really fascist. Please grow up and read the dictionary, then a
history book. Why is it that some conservatives have to lose their
objectivity, is there never a bad republican? Iwas conservative, that is
until they became all about big government and deficitsand corruption. Is
there not any other conservatives here that cringe at what ¨republicans¨have
done? For once I think the MSM is doing us a favor here. Wake up and see
that liberals are not the enemy here. I hope to God that there are some
independant minds out there on the right. For the sake of this country we
should be fighting over small details such as government spending programs,
religious programs. How the heck did we go from Roe vs Wade, to defending
secret eastern european prisons, domestic spying, and the lack of dissent.
Weren´t we always against government invasion of privacy, isnt that why
there are so many conservative contitution ¨ëxperts¨, what did they do, lose
their copy?? Just scary all I can say is i would have least expected the
traitors to have come from the right. Just sad.
Posted by: Joe | May 15, 2006 2:27:15 PM
allrighty msm. . . 'dem there is fightin' words.
the question is: "are you gonna do anything about it?" even if the dear
leader apologists here have no idea what is really at stake, i would sure as
hell hope you do. . .so are you gonna take it or are you gonna start doing
your job?
Posted by: sandoz | May 15, 2006 2:27:26 PM
Fight back. Change over to laptops, an open Wifi connection, a series of
skype (or other VOIP service) accounts and (most importantly) a mac address
spoofer. You should be able to find a geek capable of explaining all this to
you. They only rights we have left are those we can individually defend.
Posted by: XXXX XXXXXXX | May 15, 2006 2:27:33 PM
Do we really want to have a government that decides that it can violate the
law with impunity, and then brand those who disclose the illegal activity to
the press, as well as the press itself, as criminals? The White House has
already made clear that it consideres the Legislative and Executive Branches
to be nuisances, rather than co-equal branches. Now, by moving against the
press, they are moving directly against the public itself.
Do you wonder why this new "tool" hasn't been used to discover who in the
White House leaked Valerie Plame Wilson's name to the press? The answer is
obvious: the White House doesn't think that leak was bad. Only those leaks
that embarrass the White House, show that its being deceptive, are somehow
threats to our national security.
I thought that Watergate was as bad as it could get. I was wrong. I fear for
our country.
Posted by: litigatormom | May 15, 2006 2:27:58 PM
All you people who want to prosecute the leakers and the press, how about
starting with Cheney, Libby, Rove, Robert Novak and Judy Miller?
Yeah, thought so.
Posted by: no-one in particular | May 15, 2006 2:28:45 PM
If a member of the press shoots one of our unsuspecting soldiers in the back
of the head, it is a first amendment right as long as they report on the
story, right? Stop the call tacking! Get the ACLU down here to defend
Osama's right to know! Shoot a soldier unawares! It makes for good print!
Posted by: gotGetOutOfJailFreeCard? | May 15, 2006 2:29:03 PM
"Nur die Schuldige mussen Angst haben."
NSDAP 1930
Only the culprits must fear.
Fascism creeps in subtly and incrementally. It does not arrive overnight.
The mere suggestion that the executive branch of government is spying on who
reporters are contacting, and for political gain, should be cause for
serious alarm.
And then to compound it with some of the statements I read here.
Posted by: Karl | May 15, 2006 2:29:29 PM
National security is not just about military secrets and spies.
It's also about ensuring that no branch of government is too powerful, which
is why you have checks and balances. The executive's power must be checked
by the congress and the judiciary, blah blah blah so how many people even
care anymore?
If you think Bush needs to have unquestioned authority to fight terrorism,
would you feel comfortable giving Hillary Clinton those same powers if she
were elected in 2008?
Yeah, didn't think so. That's why you should care, even if you have 100%
faith in Bush.
Posted by: Michael | May 15, 2006 2:30:02 PM
does al queada exist? are there terrorists in this country? the media can't
prove it and the government won't prove it. both sides have yet to make a
point, but the battle for 'the hearts and minds' continues. it is homegrown,
not overseas.
the administration has succeeded in creating a divided and distracted
amercian population so it can go about it's business unfettered.
as long as there was bread in the breadlines under the czar there was no
popular revolt. similarly, as long as people can buy cheap goods at walmart,
download music to their cell phones and buy gas cheap, no american is going
to give a damn what the politicians or the media do.
the media and americans rolled over the consititution over 25 years ago when
they allowed media market consolidation and accepted the lies from the
administration of 'the great communicator' and his cronies, many of whom are
currently running the show. the results are plain to see in these postings:
american ignorance stands as the lasting legacy and witness to the end of
the great american experiment.
the united states is dead, americans just haven't figured it out yet.
Posted by: d.e. | May 15, 2006 2:30:09 PM
The paranoids in the white house are going to use any means possible to
maintain their power to foster their fascist global corporate control. They
will only repeat lies after the truth has been found contradictory to their
previous lies. This goes far beyond what has been exposed thus far. Now that
some have found courage to speak up to these yahoos, maybe even the kool-aid
drinkers will start to come around.
Posted by: chuckwoolworth | May 15, 2006 2:30:12 PM
Here's my prayer, "Dear God, please shine the light of truth on this
situation. With a constitutional system designed to be of the people, by the
people and for the people, it is very troubling to many Americans as we
witness an American government that tells us it can only do its work in
secret If the Bush administration is doing data-mining of millions of
Americans for only the purposes of tracking terrorists, then help us see
that. If the Bush administration is doing data-mining of millions of
Americans for illegal or political reasons, please help us see that. We
Americans need to see through the veil surrounding those once-secret
policies which may take our nation in a direction we do not want to go.
Amen."
Posted by: Donna | May 15, 2006 2:30:14 PM
"The President's biggest responsibility is to defend our country in time of
war."
No, the President's biggest responsibility is to uphold and defend the
Constitution of the United States. That's what he swore to do when he took
the oath.
Many soldiers throughout history died to protect liberty and freedom. We
should be prepared to do no less, not throw liberty and freedom away for
security in the face of the latest enemy.
Posted by: Tom J. | May 15, 2006 2:30:27 PM
Only an fool would believe that terrorists didn't realize they were being
electronically tracked. And only an idiot would think that this information,
once released by ABC, would be advantageous to terrorists that are already
using encryption and throw-away cellphones to avoid government spying. The
ONLY threat being posed by these revelations is to the criminals in the
White House that have taken Nixon and McCarthy's dirty tricks to a new level
in order to maintain the power they grabbed. They don't care about our
security; you can see that in how they spent our money, how poorly they've
looked after our security at our ports, how Bush & Co. eliminated 9000
border patrol positions last year, how they installed FOBs in critical
positions instead of people with competence and experience (heckuva job,
Brownie), and most importantly, the extremely poor response to disasters in
this country. What they want is dominion, over the money and communication
channels, in order to further enslave the working people. Ask youselves
this, patriots, "Am I better off now than I was 5 years ago?" And more
importantly, "Why are the FOBs much better off than our guys risking their
lives in Irag and Afghanistan?".
Posted by: mjb | May 15, 2006 2:30:31 PM
As a vet who served, I am seriously dismayed by what is taking place in the
country I once would of died defending, but no more... gone is the country I
could be mostly proud of being from, it has disappeared into a deep morass
of deceit, lies, and mistreatment of citizenry. We have a lot of fear and it
isn't from without, it is from Washington and trust me, I am sure they are
far more scared of us, than we are of them and shame on us for not being
more vigilant and signing away our rights one by one... I want MY AMERICA
BACK!!! Go ABC News and give them what they deserve, the news, unvarnished,
untouched and honest, no fluff or spin please! Oh and get qwest, so they
can't track you, thought I'd never say this but YEAH Qwest!
Posted by: former citizen believer | May 15, 2006 2:30:40 PM
OK, we don't want government fascism. You ignored Bush all these years, his
madness. Now maybe you can start paying attention and calling him on it.
Posted by: Noperson | May 15, 2006 2:30:43 PM
Sorry, I just don't believe that all the above comments are genuine. It
sounds like a single person with a gripe, probably a plant.
Posted by: Suspicious | May 15, 2006 2:30:48 PM
If America doesn't clean up it's own act pretty soon, it may find itself up
against the Allies.
Remember us?
Posted by: Trout | May 15, 2006 2:31:00 PM
I laugh at these people that think this is alright...If doesnt matter if
your innocent if bush dislikes you you will be gitmoed...One more year and
those camps inside U.S.(at old militray bases) will be ready for those guys
that think this kind of intrusion is alright...CAN YOU SAY TORTURE,
FOREVER...Cant wait..
Posted by: PAL | May 15, 2006 2:41:46 PM
Welcome to 1984. Absolutely outrageous, irresponsible power grab by the
goverment. Bush should be impeached.
Posted by: James | May 15, 2006 2:41:54 PM
This is a clear violation of the law and is exactly the sort of action that
lead to the near-impeachment and resignation of Nixon.
This is the sort of story that needs to be the lead story, not whether or
not tanning is addictive.
You're journalists. Do your job.
-Brian
Posted by: Brian | May 15, 2006 2:41:57 PM
America needs a free press to keep a check on government abuse, which is
exactly what this is. The press has not cost any American soldiers their
lives -- only Bush's incompetence and phony wars have cost American lives!
This really has to stop. Freedom of the press is what seperates us from the
Soviets and the Nazis and other repressive regimes throughout history.
Posted by: Sage Vanden Heuvel | May 15, 2006 2:41:58 PM
Gotta agree with Suspicious...I have a hard time believing that many people
think it's a good idea for the government to spy on the media.
Terrifying story...I wish it didn't seem so plausable.
Posted by: Nick Dobbins | May 15, 2006 2:42:21 PM
You know, look at the first batch of comments to this thread. Notice that
some are "eerily" similar to one another in their use of language. Many of
those first posts were written by the same person.
This is absolutely terrifying. I wonder how many people are being paid tax
dollars to sit around and surf the net. Blogging and tattling to the New
World Order's Freedom-Extermination team.
Posted by: SP | May 15, 2006 2:42:32 PM
Since when does ABC news report hysterical rumors, suggestive of vast
conspiracy theories without a shred of proof? This is crap. Come back with
some facts.
Posted by: Roger Rainey | May 15, 2006 2:42:33 PM
ABC should pull the plug on the President's address tonight.
Posted by: RandyRanson | May 15, 2006 2:43:04 PM
In America today...it's a matter of "the blind leading the deaf". If it
wasn't for the press...however slanted...the administration would be doing
things far worse than what they're already getting away with. There are now
SIX "crime families" in America..not just five, with the Bush family now on
the list. As John Lennon once sang..."Power to the people".
Posted by: G.A.S. | May 15, 2006 2:43:23 PM
People who have NOTHING to hide...hide NOTHING...track me all you want...and
keep me safe
Posted by: Dohna | May 15, 2006 2:43:23 PM
If we were to go after the leakers then the entire Bush administration would
find itself under indictment.
Posted by: George | May 15, 2006 2:43:39 PM
Bush and his gang are leakers too and hopefully will soon be brought to
justice in the CIA/Wilson/Plame case. God bless the patriotic government
whisleblowers who are risking their lives and careers to help get the truth
out.
Posted by: joeb | May 15, 2006 2:44:11 PM
Did we fight the cold war just so we could start spying on ourselves? Isn't
this they type of behavior we used to loathe from the REDS? Seems like it's
gone full circle now. We have an interesting blend of policies and
procedures taken directly from the KGB and Nazi handbook. The we wonder why
we are not universally loved throughout the world. (I'll be listening for
those 'clicks' on my phone calls...)
Posted by: Bear | May 15, 2006 2:44:36 PM
After 9/11, I had conversations with people who eagerly waved off privacy
concerns with "the government won't bother with normal people like me, just
muslims and freaks like you."
Tyranny always begins to extinguish the rights of the weak, feeding on the
indifference of others until all are threatened (as in the current calling
scandal, and the possible new war with Iran, etc.). The poster above is
correct: if we (as a society) do not respond with an effective veto of these
policies, the Democrats (or whoever inherits the white house in Jan. '09)
will not only inherit these rules and seucrity infringements, but will
expand on them.
Liberty dies when power goes unchecked.
Posted by: g | May 15, 2006 2:44:41 PM
Who is breaking the law here? Clearly President-in-Fact Cheney and his
mouthpiece, George Bush and their sycophants.
How sad that so many Americans care so little for their own rights of free
expression.
Posted by: Larry White | May 15, 2006 2:45:03 PM
Ok, This is it people, The commies actually managed to do it didn't they?
And all this without even firing one nuke at us. They have taken
over.....or, err??? Is it the Nazis that we are about to become? Whatta
heck, it does not matter any more, we are all to be well taken care of
inside our own ironwallcurtain....see ya when it is down, cause I am one of
those really free who are happy to be on the outside...bye!
Posted by: LDS | May 15, 2006 2:45:10 PM
Please do not allow yourselves to be cowed into silence by the radical right
wing. Exposing fraud, misadministration and malfeasance are exactly why we
have a press. It is your job to bring things like secret CIA renditions to
light - I notice that they aren't half as interested in finding out who
leaked Valerie Plame's identity - when she was investigating Iran of all
places. Oops, I forgot - they did that for political reasons, so it's okay
to cover that up...
Posted by: Brian | May 15, 2006 2:48:54 PM
I use to think that communist (China) and facist/dictatorships (Zimbabwe)
states are the only ones that want to control the media, spy on its
citizens,...
Posted by: Ky | May 15, 2006 2:49:01 PM
I find it incredible that people believe that leaking criminal activities to
the press is somehow unAmerican.
We the people are not to be silenced by our government.
Good Ole Karl Rove has really done a number on our society now that people
calling for the TRUTH are labelled terrorists.
If you want to live in a society where people are shot for revealing
criminal deeds of the government, get out of here because the United States
of America is not that country!
Posted by: samething | May 15, 2006 2:49:05 PM
These actions undermine the whole Constitutional concept of "Freedom of the
Press." These leaks and stories aren't 'aiding the enemy,' they are an
exercise of democracy (remember, that thing for which we are fighting this
war in the first place?)
Posted by: epp | May 15, 2006 2:49:14 PM
Yes... ABC pull the plug!!! Let's start a movement to do just that... call
ABC everybody!
Posted by: patric | May 15, 2006 2:49:41 PM
im from scotland and picked up this thread on fark.com.i cant believe there
are people in the usa NOT outraged by this.as for "communist" jibes does no
one care that george w bush is coming on like josef stalin in his show
trials days.comments supporting this only succeed in draining the once proud
colours of your flag.didnt use my real name as i dont need the hassle from
fundamentalists of any kind.
Posted by: bruce banner | May 15, 2006 2:51:27 PM
ABC, I beg you, continue to investigate these Presidential crooks. Puruse
them, hound them, continue to root out their illegal activities. I fear that
we are slipping rapidly into a kleptocracy, and the media is our only
chance. This should be the lead story every night.
Please, don't give in, don't give up, until these guys in the White House
are out of power.
Posted by: Graham | May 15, 2006 2:51:47 PM
Perhaps the NSA should start tracking international phone calls from known
drug dealers to their foreign suppliers. And while we're at it, they could
also targget Americans calling/emailing Canadian pharmacies to refill their
prescriptions. Once the government has a good database they can direct
Customs Service which packages from our northern neighbor need to be
inspected before importation. Then it won't be any problem to nab those
folks who illegally order their medical prescriptions from Canada.
Posted by: DC | May 15, 2006 2:52:55 PM
Finding a leaker means finding a leaker. Who leaked Plame is your mantra;
well, let's find out.
Posted by: rather | May 15, 2006 3:18:07 PM
NSA Concerned Over Pattern of Calls to Domino's Pizza
As part of the warrantless surveillance program, the NSA has been mining
data on the number of calls to Domino's by some demographic populations. The
calls are concentrated in mostly liberal cities that are known as college
towns.
Conservative commentators, putting the pieces together, are calling for
investigations. They believe that such a high concentration of calls could
indicate that the liberal 18-22 year old demographic is supporting terrorist
causes.
Rush Limbaugh, the conservative talk-show host, chimed in on the issue on
his show yesterday. "Have you ever called a Domino's? You know," he said, "I've
been calling them for years, sometimes twice in one day, and I've yet to
speak with one American."
Limbaugh continued, "The NSA says a lot of these calls are going out just
before midnight straight from college campuses. Let's see if we can make a
connection here. Liberals calling foreigners at astonishingly high rates at
odd hours? You do the math, folks."
The NSA said its data mining project has turned up high-value information in
the fight against terror, but it was very concerned about the data missing
from the area dominated by Qwest, which refused to hand over the phone
records.
An NSA spokesman said, "Qwest, headquartered in Denver, CO, is the carrier
for the University of Colorado at Boulder. CU Boulder is known for its party
atmosphere and occasional rioting after football games. We can only assume
the pattern of late night calls to Domino's is present there, but we don't
know who is doing it. To be without this data about calling patterns there
is cause for grave national security concern."
"We know they hire males of Middle East descent," the spokesman continued,
"and we're concerned that the transactions they do, which are usually all in
cash and sometimes involve tips of up to two dollars, may be going to fund
terrorists. This money is untraceable"
Another NSA official, speaking to us on the condition of anonymity, said,
"We called a Domino's in Boulder, trying to get the information any way we
could. There was a guy named Muhammad answering the phone. We asked for call
recordings, but he insisted on getting our delivery phone number first, and
we had to abort the operation."
President Bush, speaking in the Rose Garden, said, "Just this one
patternistic finding justifies the whole program, and I think the American
people realize that we're doing everything in our power to protect them from
the evil-doers-no matter where they're hiding."
Posted by: The Stricken | May 15, 2006 3:29:26 PM
1: Bush claims no spying without a warrant.
2: Bush admits the gov't is indeed spying without warrants, but only on
international calls, and it's perfectly legal because he says so.
3: Bush admits the gov't is also spying on domestic phone calls, but it's
perfectly legal because he says so.
And now this story confirms what we've suspected all along: some of this
spying was done on political enemies.
Why oh why is this continuing when NSA experts have claimed that it is a
highly inefficient and ineffective way to catch the real bad guys? How
outrageous does this spying have to get before people realize how closely
this administration resembles communist Russia?
Posted by: judy s | May 15, 2006 3:29:30 PM
We went from 2006 back to "1984". Forget freedom of the press. That is a
thing of the past.
Posted by: RL | May 15, 2006 3:30:52 PM
For those of you who support the government in this case, shame on you. Why
don't you start your own fascist, state-controlled country and leave America
alone?
Posted by: Jake | May 15, 2006 3:31:02 PM
Ever since Bush won the presidency the LIBERAL media(ABC
Posted by: jEFF t. vALOVICH | May 15, 2006 3:31:13 PM
Isn't it interesting that we have no idea of the extent of their monitoring,
but there are people who are eager to defend it's legality?
If you support indeterminate power to monitor activity, then it is logically
acceptable for federal agents to come into your house and look around.
After all, you have nothing to hide, do you comrade?
Posted by: Tim | May 15, 2006 3:31:27 PM
My earlier post was not posted.
This president Bush must be removed from office and tried for treason. He
has repeatily publicly admitted that does what he thinks is right and not
what is lawful.
He has voilated his Oath of Office. He must be put on trail.
Posted by: EasyRider | May 15, 2006 3:32:39 PM
It's amazing to me how so many people actually think hampering the press is
a good thing. Of course, when one knows absolutely nothing about the
constitution and actually thinks the govt. is on the side of the people, I
suppose it's not so surprising after all.
You can have security or freedom. There is no such thing as both at the same
time. It appears that many would not object to living in a prison as long as
they have their toys with them. What a sad, sad commentary on a so-called
democratic state. But it appears the people voted to give up their freedom
in 2000.
Posted by: amy | May 15, 2006 3:33:44 PM
If you don't understand why this is a bad thing for citizens of a state,
then you need to brush up on world history.
And if you can't figure out what I mean by that, then your country's
educational system has already failed you.
The right wing supporters will get what they deserve, and when they do, they
won't realize that they really just gave it to themselves.
Posted by: Dave | May 15, 2006 3:34:16 PM
The media consists of a bunch of aging hippies. They make up stories, then
blame Jayson Blair. The aid and abet terrorism. This is the most free
country in the world. Yes, there is a record of your phone calls, it is
called your phone bill. There is a list of phone numbers, it is called a
phone book. The yellowbook is now spy lingo for facism among the backpatting
media. Have they become obsolete yet? Maybe the truth is that the CIA is
watching who calls reporters on government phones. I am not paid by anyone
to comment on the decline of the media, I do it on behalf of my children and
my country.
Posted by: Karen | May 15, 2006 3:34:17 PM
Re: Federal Source to ABC News: We Know Who You're Calling
The whole world is watching. America - land of the free. Freedom of the
press ... How about all of the journalists that have been killed in Iraq?
Bottom line: ignorance is dangerous.
Posted by: Aimee | May 15, 2006 3:40:28 PM
I am outragged and hope that ABC and Brian Ross will continue to do their
job. Investigate and ask questions on my behalf. That is what helps define a
democracy. We have no accountability in this Administration. We are on a
very dangerous path and I am sure I am on the watch list since I am for
truth and peace.
Posted by: Angela Spotts | May 15, 2006 3:40:33 PM
I hope that ABC and the rest of the corporate media has the good sense and
decency to report this outrage as widely as possible, and not just on the
internet. If not for the love of our country, do it at least in the service
of self-preservation.
We now know that George W. Bush was lying when he said, "Our intelligence
activities strictly target al-Qaida and their known affiliates". Bush's
illegal spying on American citizens is yet another step towards to
eliminating free speech and the freedom of the press. It is another step
towards silencing political opposition and establishing one-party rule under
a single "unitary executive" authority.
Wake up America!
Posted by: GS | May 15, 2006 3:40:35 PM
Does anyone else notice that the same people damning this leak investigation
are mostly the ones who are clamouring to have an investigation into the
Plame "leak" and have Bush impeached for it.
For future reference, consistency across political lines is the best way to
make your point.
Posted by: Frank | May 15, 2006 3:40:45 PM
Journalists need to remember that with rights come responsibilities. One of
the most sacred responsibilities of the journalist is to report only fact,
not supposition, rumor or innuendo. The American press has for far too long
adopted the practice of reporting gossip as though it were news, innuendo as
though it were fact, and supposition as though it were authoritative
analysis. So-called "un-named sources" are not sources at all, they are
political hacks and the news media supports these hacks by transcribing
their every word and reporting as though it were authoritative, factual, and
newsworthy. Frankly, I think the whole lot of you belong in a prison, not
the hallowed halls of our Fourth Estate.
You are being treated as traitorous scum and political assassins because you
are acting like traitorous scum and political assassins. Don't be too
shocked when the people whose reputations you are attacking - along with the
Nation whose job it is for them to protect - object mightily and call you to
account. Just be glad Franklin Roosevelt isn't President. He'd have J. Edgar
put you in the slam without trial or benefit of the doubt.
Posted by: Geoff | May 15, 2006 3:40:52 PM
Would you have impeached Roosevelt, Truman, Kennedy too???
The word "privacy" does not appear in the Constitution.
Posted by: Tom R | May 15, 2006 3:41:10 PM
May God save the United States of America from the domestic enemies of our
Constitution! As a conservative republican, I say this Administration
doesn't even UNDERSTAND our Constitution, or the ordered liberty it was
written to provide. What do you think America would be like today if J.
Edgar Hoover had had the technology these people are using against
Americans? That's exactly where we're headed!
Posted by: David Pseudonym | May 15, 2006 3:41:10 PM
Those who would call for trials for leakers must remember this: Someone in
the Whitehouse may have leaked the name of Valerie Plame. Where will you
stand on that issue?
Posted by: Mark Petts | May 15, 2006 3:42:10 PM
In my short 45-years on this planet in the USA, I have learned that the
majority of the "news media" is simply a tool... of the rich media
moguls/corporations to spread their own personal opinions and to advance
their own agenda(s). I have also learned that the media moguls/corporations
see themselves as self-important as Hollywood celebritys see themselves.
They use the same media to spread their own hate, lies, and agendas, instead
of actually expending the energy to do something constructive rather than
destructive. I am convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that all news media
is niether unbiased nor fair and balanced. None can be trusted to report
what is reality, without any degree of slant in their reporting.
It is very rare to see any media report all the good along with all the bad,
unless it's sensational and makes money. It is impossibly difficult for the
media to report anything whatsoever in full illumination, unless it suits
their needs.
Lastly, I am wholly and completely convinced that the media will report
ANYTHING that will make them more powerful, and richer, no matter the cost
to our security and our country's cohesion. Media plays directly into the
hands of the socialist movement and all people (using the term "people"
loosely) who would see this country turned upside down and destroyed.
Yes, it's about time someone reigned in the vastly liberal media, and the
subversives in the media who perpetuate calamity and downright treasonous
irresponsible behavior. Kudos to my government for doing so when it is so
sorely needed, but it should have been done sooner.
However, I do admit, my opinion would be different if I was actually doing
something illegal and subversive to this country and my fellow countrymen...
but I don't have to worry because I don't. I gladly welcome the agencies
responsible for mine and my family's security from foreign and domestic
terrorism to listen, watch, and review everything I communicate while it is
necessary, if they deem it so. Why shouldn't anyone... unless they have
something to keep secret for fear of penalty under law.
Posted by: Tom R. | May 15, 2006 3:42:48 PM
People get the government they deserve. Reading these comments it's clear
that a lot of people think this is what Americans deserve. Those
old-fashioned niceties of the Constitution are so 18th century. Substitute
"Jew" for "reporter" and you've got Nazi Germany in the 1930s. It can happen
here as we are discovering daily.
Posted by: old heiskel | May 15, 2006 3:43:07 PM
It is unlawful to classify information relating to criminal activity by
government officials and/or agencies of government. It is a sacred duty to
expose criminal activity by government officials and/or agencies of
government.
Posted by: john | May 15, 2006 3:43:13 PM
The conservative media covering corporate interests may be a trend of the
past. Corporations depend on the media to facilitate advertising to the
masses. These corporations aren't going to be too thrilled with the
government messing with their messenger.
Posted by: chad | May 15, 2006 3:43:14 PM
Forget telephone monitoring. . . Someone needs to expand the current
investigation to ask why the government monitors our email use and the URLs
that we visit. And, if ABC News really wants to blow this investigation wide
open, go ask DirecTV and TiVO the number of customers for whom they've
handed over viewing logs to the NSA. The answer, if the damn questions were
ever asked, would chill bone marrow, let alone the first amendment.
Posted by: Bill | May 15, 2006 3:43:17 PM
Stop complaining people.
The very effective head of East Germany's Hauptverwaltung Aufklärung, Markus
Wolf, said they spied on their citizens because the state "loved" them. The
German Democratic Republic wanted them "safe".
Bush loves us. He wants us, in our "democratic republic", safe.
Posted by: Occam | May 15, 2006 3:43:23 PM
You write that "under Bush Administration guidelines, it is not considered
illegal for the government to keep track of numbers dialed by phone
customers." Wouldn't you better serve your readers if you went on to note
what legal scholars think of thepractice? Since when is the standard what a
given President "thinks" what the law is?
Posted by: charles nau | May 15, 2006 3:43:57 PM
The government says disclosure of information about (probably illegal)
programs like the NSA domestic spying and last week's revelation about
collecting numbers and those dialed is helping terrorists subvert such
systems.
Yet we all know that terrorists worth a grain of salt, much like mobsters -
already assume that high tech means are being used to intercept their
communications.
Sadly, it's looking more and more like not only criminals but all of us -
and with this administration, especially the press - should now assume that
all of our communications are at the very least being logged in massive
government databases.
So much for privacy. So much for liberty.
Posted by: corbett | May 15, 2006 3:44:16 PM
We need reporters like you to rise up against the fascism that is quickly
gripping our nation.
Don't succumb to fear for.. the spirit of fear does not come from God.
"Blessed are those who have been persecuted for righteousness' sake, for
theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven."
Posted by: Mark | May 15, 2006 3:44:48 PM
The commentos calling for imprisonment in this case must have a poor
recollection of history at best. Villifying the press is just the final step
towards a totalitarian government. Our poor conservatives, the trampled
majority, are under constant unscrupulous attack from "liberal" media, and
"liberal" judges. Nevermind the fact that the party has their own network,
and their great and powerful leader was selected to lead the nation by a
slim majority of not so liberal judges. I wonder if you'll be stricken with
conscience when you see where this blind loyalty leads you.
Classified information in these instances has been leaked because the
government broke the law, plain and simple. Given the right's stranglehold
on our system, those with knowledge and a conscience were forced to step
outside that system to affect change.
As for calls coming from "known terrorists", this has always confused me. If
our dear leader has this vast list of "known terrorists" and their phone
numbers.... gee, I don't know... pick them up?!?!?!?! Just a thought here.
Posted by: Matthew | May 15, 2006 3:45:02 PM
ABC..Govt. is paying people to blog against you..Listen to their
phrases..Get some guts ABC or let someone else do it..
Posted by: PAL | May 15, 2006 3:45:05 PM
You know what you Americans need? A government run news. That the way the
only thing that comes out in the news is only what the government wants you
to hear. The government can edit anything they don't like out of the storys.
Hwang Kno, China
Posted by: Hwang Kno | May 15, 2006 3:45:11 PM
Karen;
And who's going to silence the media from the rest of the world? it must be
some giant conspiracy against Bush? The news we recieve is still incredibly
biased in favour of America and the West, every film we see, do you ever see
insurgents being interviewed? films being made about them? I come from
Ireland and when I think of a terrorist.. I don't think of an IRA man in a
balaclava I think of an unshaved Muslim man, thats indoctrination, and thats
the media.
Posted by: Davey | May 15, 2006 4:06:01 PM
WHO IS THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION'S ROLE MODEL?
North Korea?
Communist China?
Nazi Germany?
The Soviet Union?
Posted by: Paige | May 15, 2006 4:06:16 PM
Well it seems like they're just referring to phone records, calls made from
one phone to another. That's always been available in criminal
investigations. While I don't doubt that they have voice recordings, at
least they have the decency to not tell us this time. But in a murder
investigation or a missing persons there are checks on who the
victims/suspects called. As for the massive amount of comments about roping
in the communist press. I really just have no idea what to say. The US has
never stopped the free press except under John Adams' Alien and Sedition Act
which illustrated just how important a free press is to a democracy.
Otherwise we might as well call Bush our king and let him be dictator.
Democracies are about intelligent voters making decisions for their future,
and in order to do this properly, they need to be informed by as many
sources as possible. I don't think Bush is a dictator, though he has been
widening executive powers, but I do think that the Rove/Bush press machine
is portraying all the tyrannical qualities of dictators as strong and
steadfast policies of a good leader. And that is far more scary than
domestic spying. As if they didn't already do that.
Posted by: John | May 15, 2006 4:06:41 PM
"Fantastic news. I hope we see some of these leakers and their media
contacts in jail for stabbing America in the back."
Not the America I know. The America I believe in is a place where the
Constitution means something - and what sets us apart from lesser nations is
that even the President of the United States has to follow the law.
We are not in a war - we're in a "war of our own making." There's a
difference.
I agree with one statement in here: The press does not have the right to
leak classified information. That's correct - instead they actually have the
"Responsibility" to do it if the information reveals illegal activity, or
actions that violate the Constitution and the core premise of America.
There's a reason freedom of the press was guaranteed: to protect us from the
likes of those who would rather turn this into a facist state. It's amazing
how many people are so willing to sacrifice the one thing that truly makes
this America: The Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
Posted by: NJ | May 15, 2006 4:10:24 PM
It's amazing that anyone would defend the way this government continues to
break the law. It makes you believe what other nations are saying about the
U.S. that we really are a nation of total idiots to have any trust in this
lying, conniving and totally corrupt government. Thankfully people are
starting to wake up - ol' Georgy Porgy's approval rating is a mere 29%. I
just hope the village is ready to have it's idiot back and his little dog
***** too!
Posted by: Amy | May 15, 2006 4:18:55 PM
"My question is simple. If you won't allow the government to do ANY type of
data mining or survellience without FIRST having a federal warrant,"
The answer is simple. Go read up on FISA. The goverment does not need the
warrant first, they just need to file for one after the fact, in a secret
court. In itself scary, but a lot less scary than what they are doing.
Posted by: Steve | May 15, 2006 4:19:03 PM
Forget whistleblowers -- why does out government have *secrets*?
Oh yeah, probably to protect me
from the truth. I can't handle the truth.
Posted by: bill | May 15, 2006 4:19:06 PM
History has taught us that absolute power corrupts absolutely. This latest
revelation of spying curiously illustrates the sinister nature of the NSA
domestic spying program involving the tracking of millions of Americans
phone calls over the past several years.
Clearly, phone numbers can be traced from whistle-blowers to journalists
very, very easily and not to expect the government to utilize this vast, new
database in this manner is to be politically naive. Those of you who seem to
be in favor of such spying activity, have you given any thought to the fact
that hundreds of thousands of your countrymen have paid the ultimate price
to keep our country free from tyranny in its many guises? And yet so many of
you seem so willing to so easily and quickly surrender your constitutional
rights! You should be ashamed! YOU SHOULD BE OUTRAGED WITH THIS VIOLATION OF
YOUR CONSTITUTIONAL PROTECTIONS! In my view and in the view of many of my
countrymen, the Bush Administration has gone too far in its efforts on the
basis of fighting a war on terror. Don't you see that it is changing the
face of our country in ways that are abhorrent to freedom loving people? Our
system of checks and balances, which has served us well since our country's
birth, includes the absolute necessity of having a free and independent
press. It plays an essential role in keeping all of the players honest and
our system free and open. This system seems to have gone awry in the Bush
administration's quest to assimilate and consolidate an unprecedented amount
of power in the Executive branch. Of course, this accumulation of power
comes at the expense of the legislative and judicial branches. (Whatever
happened to the concept of three separate but equal branches?!) This is
simply too high a price to pay for patriotic Americans.
Why are people so willing to quickly surrender their freedoms for the sake
of what essentially amounts to an infinite, unending war on terrorism? Don't
you understand that you are being asked to permanently sacrifice your
freedoms? I mean, haven't you asked yourself, "What are the conditions of
victory?" When do you determine that this war has been won? When is it over?
Who makes that determination? Wake up, America!
Of course, the net result of all of this is an all-powerful, secretive,
Soviet-style central government. Totalitarianism. Is that what you people
want? ! I certainly don't.
I urge all of you to contact your congressmen and demand investigations into
these serious violations of our Constitutional rights. All elected officials
have taken a solemn oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of
the United States of America. Apparently, it is more solemn to some than to
others. As loyal and patriotic Americans, it is our essential duty to ensure
that these Constitutional guarantees remain in full force. For it is that
document and that document alone that defines who we are as a people and a
country. Without that document, and the spirit that it represents, we are
nothing but a piece of inhabited geography. But with that document guiding
our thoughts and actions, we are AMERICANS! Protect liberty. Contact your
congressmen and insist that they take action against this outrageous spying
program. It is an alarming and deeply disturbing assault on the essential
freedoms and system of government that have served us so well since our
nation's infancy when our Founding Fathers had the wisdom, intelligence and
spiritual insight to codify that wonderful document into our nation's
identity -- our political DNA.
Posted by: Mike | May 15, 2006 4:19:26 PM
Anyone at ABC news familiar with the LEAKED Do |
