Last night on MSNBC’s Countdown, Keith Olbermann interviewed Bruce Fein, who served President Reagan as Deputy Attorney General. Keith wasted no time asking the $64,000 question.
OLBERMANN: Do you think this president needs to be impeached?
FEIN: Yes. I think the founding fathers intended the impeachment threshold to be satisfied if there were political crimes against the Constitution, against our checks and balances and separation of powers. Those are the mechanisms, what you might call the scientific method for staying on an even keel, avoiding folly and abuses. And I think that President Bush over the years has crippled that mechanism.
OLBERMANN: This 81st municipality to make a symbolic vote along the lines of what Tacoma Park in Maryland did, it cited Mr. Bush‘s leading statements about Iraq prior to the war. Is that element the soundest legal case for impeachment, in your opinion, Bruce? And if not, what is?
FEIN: No, I don‘t think so. I don‘t think that a misleading statement by itself would necessarily show that level of contempt for the Constitution. I mean, Lyndon Johnson made misstatements about attacks by a North Vietnamese boat to get the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution.
But the strongest case are his claims that he can surveil Americans, intercept their e-mails in violation of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. That he can run a secret government, for example. Your program earlier, Keith, in a rather understated way, indicated that we don‘t know if secret programs that have not been leaked to The New York Times yet that our spying in Americans.
Please read the entire transcript HERE.
21 Comments
+ at 2:06 pm
I’m starting to get the sense that impeachment may be inevitable even without the cowardly Nancy Pelosi, as more and more politicians discuss it openly.
With polls showing as many as 54% of Americans want to see Bush impeached if it’s proven he lied about the threat posed by Saddam Hussein, I think that Washington lawmakers – always cattle needing to be herded in the appropriate direction, will be forced to open impeachment hearings for the president and the vice president.
+ at 2:13 pm
When the Reaganites call for impeachment, I think it’s safe to say Bush’s days are numbered and he will very likely be out of office before the 2008 election.
I wonder if Pelosi will keep up her bullshit position of “impeachment is off the table” or will she climb aboard?
+ at 2:14 pm
Sweet!
+ at 2:50 pm
I saw that clip and thought it was stunning coming from Fein. It’s interesting that the two most out spoken public figures about Bush and the destruction of the Constitution are from former Republican cabinets; John Dean and Fein.
Maybe Pelosi should join a republican cabinet so she can get on the same page as the rest of the country.
+ at 2:56 pm
Nancy Pelosi needs to wake-up or get the hell out of the way.
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/25125
On July 23, Rev. Lennox Yearwood, Jr., Cindy Sheehan, and Ray McGovern met with U.S. Rep. John Conyers about the issue of impeachment.
They delivered a petition for impeachment with one million American signatures in support of impeaching George Bush and Dick Cheney.
Outside, 400 activists waited in the halls outside of Conyers’ office along with a hoard of media.
Despite the mainstream media ignoring the wave of impeachment sentiment taking hold across the country, the people want the Congress to act and remove this administration before the upcoming election.
+ at 3:17 pm
They delivered a petition for impeachment with one million American signatures in support of impeaching George Bush and Dick Cheney.
One million signatures?
That is a lot of people fed up with this president and his crooked administration. I suggest, if Pelosi won’t sign onto impeaching Bush and Cheney, the next step should be a petition with a million signatures to replace her as Speaker of the US House of Representatives.
She’s either with us or against us, to paraphrase her new BFF, George W. Bush.
+ at 3:40 pm
I love Keith. He’s a singular sensation. He’s smart, witty, and not bad on the eyes, either. If he ever decides he’s gay and wants to meet a good-looking, college educated, non-smoker, I’m available.
+ at 3:40 pm
Pelosi always touts “we are doing the will of the people”…..well just who are those “people”?
+ at 3:42 pm
Get in line, Brigadoon! Before we lose another one to your team, I would try to make him reconsider. Men like Keith are rare and it just isn’t fair that most of the good ones are either married already or gay.
+ at 3:45 pm
Pelosi always touts “we are doing the will of the people”…..well just who are those “people”?
The thing is, if you look at House minority speakers who become House majority speakers, they usually wind up sucking at the job.
There is something about the transition that just doesn’t lend itself for this sort of promotion.
Pelosi was arguably a more effective leader for the Democrats when they were in the minority. I think being the underdog provides you with greater berth to wield power. If that makes any sense.
+ at 4:06 pm
I am not familiar with Bruce Fein but what I’m struck by is the culture of loyalty that underscores the behavior of Republicans is no longer granted to President Bush. Conservative are turning on him like he has a communicable disease – it’s a stunning turn of events and I think in the next few months we will begin to see more high profile GOP members of Congress turn on him. This is what happens when you no longer have political capital in an election cycle.
+ at 4:37 pm
SOMEONE needs to mail this transcript to Madam Pelosi so she can get up to speed on how the law works. Perhaps then, she will reconsider her role as Bush’s enabler?
Just a thought…………………………
+ at 5:03 pm
Bruce Fein says the strongest case for impeachment is Bush’s claim that he can surveil Americans, intercept their e-mails in violation of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
The good people at impeachbushtv have drafted a series of impeachment Articles. These are proposals only but their Article II could’ve been written by Bruce Fein.
It reads:
http://www.impeachbush.tv/impeach/articles.html
Article II
In his conduct while President of the United States, George W. Bush, in violation of his constitutional oath faithfully to execute the office of President of the United States and, to the best of his ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States, and in violation of his constitutional duty to take care that the laws be faithfully executed, has subverted the principles of democracy, by the following acts:
Providing misinformation to the United Nations Security Council, Congress, and the American people overstating the offensive capabilities of Iraq, including weapons of mass destruction, as justification for military action against Iraq.
Repeatedly manipulating the sentiments of the American people by erroneously linking Iraq with the terrorist attacks of September 11th by Al-Qaeda.
Repeatedly claiming that satellite photos of sites in Iraq depicted factories for weapons of mass destruction in contradiction with the results of ground inspections by United Nations teams.
Stating that “Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa” in his State of the Union Address after being told by the CIA that this was untrue and that the supporting documents were forged.
Influencing, manipulating and distorting intelligence related to Iraq with the intention of using that intelligence to support his goal of invading Iraq.
Repeatedly ordering the NSA to place illegal wiretaps on American citizens without a court order from FISA.
Retaliating against whistle-blowers who try to point out errors in statements made by President Bush.
Directing millions of dollars in government funds to companies associated with White House officials in no-bid contracts that pose serious conflicts of interest. One example is Halliburton, of which Richard Cheney was once CEO.
+ at 5:07 pm
Panasit,
This portion of Article II:
Repeatedly ordering the NSA to place illegal wiretaps on American citizens without a court order from FISA.
Is what I see constitutional scholars the most angry about and what they cite as justification to move to impeach George Bush.
+ at 5:09 pm
taco:
You are right she was a better minority leader.
BTW: What the heck is Steny Hoyer doing? He should have some say or does Madam Pelosi rule all.
+ at 5:21 pm
The justifications to impeach are many and the illegal wiretaps is high on the list but, I have to tell you, the one that causes me heartburn is the exaggeration of the threat posed by the late Saddam Hussein in order to start a war. This single tactic has resulted in thousands of deaths and for what? Oh yeah, oil. It was always about oil. I say throw the damned book at Bush and Cheney.
+ at 5:27 pm
Pelosi always touts “we are doing the will of the people”…..well just who are those “people”?
The moneyed interests that own her ass, of course. They all love the moronic monkey.
+ at 9:03 pm
Pelosi needs to start the impeachment proceedings NOW… Cheney first and then Bush..
Olbermann rocks as always!
+ at 9:21 pm
God, I love Keith.
+ at 10:22 pm
Each time I tune into Countdown I wonder how much longer how much longer until a suit on the network’s board decides to pull the plug on Keith’s program because he’s too fair, or too honest, or too liberal? I keep thinking, this can’t go on forever?
Oh well, lets enjoy him while we can!
+ at 1:33 am
Keith always comes through. And I wonder too, how long before NBC pulls he plug?