Flunking Civics

Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice was interviewed by CNN's Wolf Blitzer. The entire interview can be found here. Here is part of the interview:

QUESTION (Blitzer): Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina, said last night, "If the courts should have been involved, I want them involved. Because you are at war, it doesn't justify doing away with the process that keeps you free." Which is a statement that sort of underscores, like Senator Specter, a Republican, and others that they want to hear more justification for this because they're not yet convinced that the legal authority, as you cite in the Constitution Article II or the legislation passed right after 9/11 justify use of force in Afghanistan --

SECRETARY RICE: The President spoke to this earlier and the Attorney General, who is, after all, the highest legal authority in the country, has spoken to this. I'm not a lawyer, but I can tell you that from a policy perspective, the problem that had to be solved and that must remain solved is to be able to protect this country by detecting terrorist plots before they materialize. In this case, this is not criminal activity where you let the criminal commit the crime and then you investigate after the fact. This is not trying to understand the activities of people who might be working on behalf of foreign governments. This is trying to detect in a very rapid fashion plots against this country by not having the territory of the United States as a safe haven for conversations between people with terrorist ties here and with terrorists outside.

I disagree with Rice. The Supreme Court, not the Attorney General, is the highest legal authority in the country. This is basic middle school civics information.

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Update on ANWR Drilling:
This afternoon we've seen real leadership by Washington Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell. Senator Cantwell said, " We are not going to drill our way to energy independence." She is correct. Until we learn how to build more energy efficient cars, build better mass transit, we cannot solve our energy problems. Cantwell showed that we will not allow ourselves to be bullied by the Republican majority.

Republican Sen. Stevens of Alaska inserted the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge drilling into the Defense spending bill. Democrats stood against Stevens' pet project (to drill in ANWR). Stephens has been pushing this drilling in Alaska to help some of his big contributors---oil companies.

Also, I am tired of Senator "insider trading" Frist. He is such a whiner. Frist does what he can to blow his own horn. However, we will not forget that his budget cuts came because the Republican Party slashed programs for college students, the elderly, children, the disabled, and the poor. Frist keeps talking about cutting the deficit, but his leadership has granted more money for the rich and the lobbyists. It is obvious, that Frist, who is from a wealthy family, is unwilling to help those who need us most. Shame.
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Update #2:
Drudge and the Republicans have taken some Clinton and Carter stuff out of context in an effort to support Bush's no warrant wiretapping. However, Drudge and the Republicans ARE WRONG AGAIN!!!! Think Progress has the evidence:

*What Clinton actually signed:

Section 1. Pursuant to section 302(a)(1) [50 U.S.C. 1822(a)] of the [Foreign Intelligence Surveillance] Act, the Attorney General is authorized to approve physical searches, without a court order, to acquire foreign intelligence information for periods of up to one year, if the Attorney General makes the certifications required by that section.

*What Carter’s executive order actually says:

1-101. Pursuant to Section 102(a)(1) of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (50 U.S.C. 1802(a)), the Attorney General is authorized to approve electronic surveillance to acquire foreign intelligence information without a court order, but only if the Attorney General makes the certifications required by that Section.