Russ Feingold: “In times of war, we don't give up our responsibility in the Senate to review and make laws. The notion that we simply…”

“In times of war, we don't give up our responsibility in the Senate to review and make laws. The notion that we simply defer this to the Director of National Intelligence and whatever he says is an abdication of our duties, especially in times of war. In fact, let's remember why this is here. The Senator regrets we are debating this and some of these very important matters that are generally kept secret are being discussed. I agree. But why are they secret? Because the administration was conducting an illegal wiretapping program and somebody inappropriately blew the lid on that. That wasn't the doing of anybody in this body. That was due to the incompetence and inappropriate conduct of this administration in the first place. That is why we are here with this kind of debate, not because of anything anybody did here. By the way, this horrible conflict we have with those who attacked us on 9/11, this conflict is something we all agree on. Not a single Senator doesn't think we should be able to get at these foreign calls. Not a single Senator doesn't want to give the admiral what he has asked for that is reasonable. We simply want protection for the civil liberties of people who have done absolutely nothing wrong.”