Spying on the Press

"Under the deal, President Bush dropped his demand that Congress redefine the nation's obligations under the Geneva Conventions, handing a victory to a group of Republicans, including Senator John McCain of Arizona, whose opposition had created a showdown over a fundamental aspect of the rules for battling terrorism.

"The administration's original stance had run into fierce resistance from former and current military lawyers and Mr. Bush's former secretary of state, Colin L. Powell, a former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. They argued, as did Mr. McCain and the other two senators leading the resistance, that any redefinition would invite other nations to alter their obligations and endanger American troops captured abroad."

Here's the telling paragraph: "The White House moved quickly to assert that it had not surrendered. Administration officials characterized the negotiations as cooperative and the result as a victory for all sides."

Doth protest too much?

The Boston Globe : "Both sides expressed confidence that the agreement would allow the CIA's interrogation program for 'high-value' suspects, the exact parameters of which remain classified, to continue . . .

"The breakthrough ends a political stand off that had become a distraction for the GOP. Rather than showing a unified front in battling terrorism, Republicans in recent days have been forced to grapple with internal divisions over how to interrogate suspects, with Democrats sitting on the sidelines."

The liberal blogs don't like the deal.

"Yes, McCain sells out the country and Democrats look like crap," says Atrios . "Shame on me for allowing myself to get a tiny bit optimistic just for a moment."

McJoan at Daily Kos picks up on a Bill Frist quote: "The 'very important program of interrogation' that they have agreed to preserve is torture. Torture is at the heart of this program and is what the administration has been fighting for since the Supreme Court handed down Hamdan . . .

"That's no compromise, all you 'principled' GOP rebels. It's capitulation. Lay down your much vaunted 'integrity' and take up your Rubber Stamps."

On the right, Power Line's Paul Mirengoff holds his nose:

"The administration has made a deal with the terrorist rights wing of the Republican party -- Senators McCain, Graham, and Warner -- on detainee treatment . . . My sense is that this is not a bad deal under the circumstances. Unfortunately, the circumstances weren't very good."