The Buckshot's Here

What About Gore?

As Jim Krane wrote for the Associated Press last week: "Former Vice President Al Gore told a mainly Saudi audience on Sunday that the U.S. government committed 'terrible abuses' against Arabs after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, and that most Americans did not support such treatment."

Chris Cillizza and Dan Balz write in Monday's Washington Post: "The comments stirred an angry reaction on the right and in the blogosphere, and also drew a rebuke from Peter Wehner, director of the White House Office of Strategic Initiatives, which was e-mailed to reporters and others Tuesday. 'It is noteworthy that Mr. Gore would travel to Saudi Arabia -- a repressive society which is the home of Osama bin Laden and most of the terrorists who executed the worst attack on the American homeland in our history -- to criticize (inaccurately) our government's response to that attack.' "

But doesn't the White House's new get-tough rhetoric on Saudia Arabia clash somewhat with this memorable photo of Bush holding Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah's hand as the two men walked through a field of bluebonnets at Bush's Crawford ranch last spring?

Bush v. Negroponte

Walter Pincus of The Washington Post noted some conflicts between Bush's talk in Tampa and a speech at Georgetown University by Director of National Intelligence John D. Negroponte.

For instance: "Negroponte warned that 'prospects for economic development in 2006 are constrained by the unstable security situation, insufficient commitment to economic reform on the part of the government and corruption,' while Bush said that 'businesses are flourishing in Iraq.' Negroponte said that 'Iraq security forces require better command and control to improve their effectiveness,' while Bush said that 'there's a command structure -- command and control structure -- getting in place, and this military's getting better and better.' "

Fitzgerald Watch

Neil A. Lewis writes in the New York Times: "A federal prosecutor has said I. Lewis Libby Jr., former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney, is trying to sabotage the criminal case against him by insisting through his lawyers that he be given sensitive government documents for his defense."

Here is a copy of special prosecutor Patrick J. Fitzgerald's court filing, via USAtoday.com.

Civil Liberties Watch

Richard B. Schmitt writes in the Los Angeles Times: "For Americans troubled by the prospect of federal agents eavesdropping on their phone conversations or combing through their Internet records, there is good news: A little-known board exists in the White House whose purpose is to ensure that privacy and civil liberties are protected in the fight against terrorism.

"Someday, it might actually meet."

Oversight Watch?

Charles Babington writes in The Washington Post: "At two key moments in recent days, White House officials contacted congressional leaders just ahead of intelligence committee meetings that could have stirred demands for a deeper review of the administration's warrantless-surveillance program, according to House and Senate sources.

"In both cases, the administration was spared the outcome it most feared, and it won praise in some circles for showing more openness to congressional oversight.

"But the actions have angered some lawmakers who think the administration's purported concessions mean little. Some Republicans said that the White House came closer to suffering a big setback than is widely known, and that President Bush must be more forthcoming about the eavesdropping program to retain Congress's good will."