This is from 2005, I've been meaning to post this for awhile. It's an account a meeting that the President had back in 2005 with GOP Congressional leaders when discussing renewing the Patriot Act.
Several provisions of the act, passed in the shell shocked period immediately following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, caused enough anger that liberal groups like the American Civil Liberties Union had joined forces with prominent conservatives like Phyllis Schlafly and Bob Barr to oppose renewal.
Here's the moneyshot:
"I don't give a goddamn," Bush retorted. "I'm the President and the
Commander-in-Chief. Do it my way.""Mr. President," one aide in the meeting said. "There is a valid case that the provisions in this law undermine the Constitution."
"Stop throwing the Constitution in my face," Bush screamed back. "It's just a goddamned piece of paper!"
I've talked to three people present for the meeting that day and they all confirm that the President of the United States called the Constitution "a goddamned piece of paper."
I wonder how much of that is just being in office for 5 years (at the time).
Update - added link to article
1 comment:
Thanks for the reminder. It was infuriating the first time I heard it and is no less infuriating now.
Sadly, there are many people who do not understand the importance of the Constitution, and that to dismiss it it to dismiss every right and freedom woked for and established "on paper" since its creation.
On the other hand, I would love to see that turned around and used as a defense - "Stop throwing the Patriot Act in my face. It's just a goddamned piece of paper!"
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