White House tries to explain why it is Okey-Dokey to spy on Amercans. Hint: It has to do with both smoke and mirrors.

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales says:

"Our position is that the authorization to use military force which was passed by the Congress shortly after Sept. 11 constitutes that authority," said Gonzales.

What! The authorization to use military force against another country that we believe poses a threat to our country also gives permission to spy on our citizens? How in the hell does that equate? And would it be rude at this juncture to point out that we were wrong about the other country posing a threat to us? Because we were!

What did Condi-sleazy Rice have to say about this issue:

"One of the most compelling outcomes of the 9/11 commission was that a seam had developed," Ms. Rice said on "Meet the Press" on NBC. "Our intelligence agencies looked out; our law enforcement agencies looked in. And people could - terrorists could - exploit the seam between them."

"So the president is determined that he will have the ability to make certain that that seam is not there, that the communications between people, a limited number of people with Al Qaeda links here and conversations with terrorist activities outside, will be understood so that we can detect and thereby prevent terrorist attacks," she said.

Ms. Rice also said Mr. Bush decided to skirt the normal process of obtaining court-approved search warrants for the surveillance because it was too cumbersome for fast-paced counterterrorism investigations, an assertion that some national security experts, members of Congress and civil liberties advocates have challenged.

I am really warming to that new "seam" word, it is just so incongruous that it literally snags your eye as you are reading. This part is of particualr interest to me;

"So the president is determined that he will have the ability to make certain that that seam is not there. The president is determined huh? So if he wants to do something he just does it is that right? So say he wanted to invade a country that posed no threat to us, would he just do it? Does he feel that being president means never having to follow the rules? Does he believe that he is infallible? Maybe it is about time for him to start reading the papers and magazines, including the "opinion" portions which do not agree with him. Especially the "opinion" portions that don't agree with him.

Are you packed yet Mr. President? I do believe the moving van has already been dispatched. Make sure to get those ugly dogs out of there too. (No I don't mean Cheney and Condi! You guys are so mean!)