Opposition to the President's Warrantless Domestic Spying Is...

...Bipartisan

NY Times: Republican Speaks Up, Leading Others to Challenge Wiretaps

Washington Post: Bob Barr, Bane of the Right?

Karl Rove and the White House have picked the wrong wedge issue; this is a fight they will lose.

And that's not just because I believe Americans care just as much about their freedoms as they do their safety (a few scary speeches and many will sadly be cowed back into submission), but because I don't believe the White House can convince people that their illegal surveillance has helped us more than the exact same surveillance, but done legally, would have (to the contrary, in fact). So far, the only thing that appears to be gained with illegal, warrantless spying over legal, FISA-warranted spying is... more power for the White House and its unitary executive.

They have thus far failed to provide any evidence to prove me wrong.

The recent LA speech song-and-dance about a thwarted attack was missing one thing- any mention or evidence that warrantless spying revealed the plot (in which terrorists would've hijacked a plane with shoebombs, as if they wouldn't just blow themselves up in the act). The President used the timing of that speech to imply a conclusion without ever stating it. Luckily, many in the media are onto their game at last. The only plot mentioned in conjunction with the program - the Brooklyn Bridge one- had not only been mentioned before, but would've been found out through other means (otherwise it wouldn't have been mentioned before the NSA revelations), and was so laughable as an actual plan the terrorists abandoned it themselves before we even found out.

The White House's secret actions have damaged our national security credibility, harmed our ability to prosecute terror suspects, and overloaded the respective investigative agencies with useless information leading mostly to innocent Americans. People can be made to understand that. And the fact that it almost assuredly violates our Constitution and the values of this country, well hopefully people can understand that too. The President needs to understand that fear and loyalty will only get you so much support.

[Related blog post by Glenn Greenwald- Blasphemy in the Cult of Bush]