Posted by
Longplay on Wednesday, April 22, 2009 5:00:00 PM
Following the Obama administration’s release of memos regarding the
Bush administration’s use of extreme measures to extract information
from terrorists, and Obama’s own hints that he is open to prosecuting
the memo’s authors, despite campaign assertions to the contrary, there
are those on the right who wonder if Obama realizes that such hearings
would expose the complicity of the Democrats currently in power
(mentioned in Hugh Hewitt’s conversation with Michael Gerson here ).
My contention is that he does indeed realize this. Obama and his
associates are extremely crafty. What he has done is throw red meat to
the press and to Democrat demagogues, under the guise of the
“transparency” he promised, even if it’s only transparency about the
previous administration. All he has to do now is sit back and let the
court of public opinion do the work he knows he can’t risk having done
in public hearings.
When the characters have been assassinated, Barack the Merciful will
step in and magnanimously refuse to prosecute the “criminals”. “Move
along. We have more important things to do. Nothing to see here.”
Yes, nothing but a few ruined reputations and a huge hole in our
intelligence service’s ability to do its job of protecting the country.
Perhaps the GOP should call Barack’s bluff and insist on hearings -
hearings not just on allegations of torture, but while we’re at it, on
Fannie and Freddie, too. While the Republicans don’t have the votes to
combat Obama on legislative matters, public hearings could afford them
the opportunity of exposing Democrat hypocrisy, while at the same time
tying them up in a distraction. And if Obama and the Dems refuse the
hearings, the GOP can explain to the public exactly why they refuse.
Call their bluff!