He’s just basically trying to talk me into bed now:
While Americans’ decisive call for change this election was a clear repudiation of the Bush administration’s conduct, failing to act swiftly to reverse the damage could essentially legitimize that conduct and the extreme legal theories on which it was based. That is why it is critically important for President-elect Obama to unequivocally renounce President Bush’s extreme claims of executive authority. As I mentioned in the interview yesterday, stating this position clearly in the inaugural address would affirm to the nation, and the world, that respect for the rule of law has returned to the Oval Office.
This declaration should be followed with quick action, to ensure that history sees the outgoing administration’s actions as an aberration and not a redefinition of executive power. I plan to try to help our new President by presenting him with a range of recommendations for restoring the rule of law from constitutional, legal and historical experts. In September, I held a hearing in the Senate Judiciary Constitution Subcommittee on what should be done to restore the rule of law. An impressive array of experts set forth detailed recommendations and proposals. I hope the record of this hearing will provide President-elect Obama with a useful blueprint for his efforts, just as it will help inform my work in the Senate.
The recommendations primarily focus on four key areas – the separation of powers among the branches, government secrecy, detention and interrogation policy, and protecting the privacy of law-abiding Americans. Following my hearing in September, I laid out many of these potential changes in a speech from the Senate floor, which I also invite you to read to get a sense of what needs to be done.
I am happy to see that this issue has been gaining traction in the media and on the blogs.
I mean, come on.
A.