The Gonzales / FISA Hearings

I watched some of the Senate FISA hearings yesterday, where Attorney General Gonzales was asked publicly about the NSA terrorist spying program. The most interesting exchange was when Gonzales said that one of the restrictions the President placed on himself to balance liberties with security was to listen only to those conversations in which one terrorist suspect was outside of the country (ie. no domestic calls).

Upon saying it, a few Democrats (including Biden and Kohl) immediately attacked Gonzales by saying that it seemed irresponsible not to listen to a domestic phone call if we had some suspicion that both callers were suspected terrorists. That's right - they figured that if they can't get any traction by criticizing the Administration for "abusing our civil liberties," then they'd try to get him for not going far enough in intercepting terrorist phone calls.

Interesting tactic, but I really don't think it will work.