Obama prosecuting Bush admin officials: "My view is also that nobody's above the law..."

[ProSense]

Transcript:

Obama: All right.

Sam Stein, Huffington Post. Where's Sam? Here. Go ahead.

Question: Thank you, Mr. President. Today, Senator Patrick Leahy announced that he wants to set up a truth and reconciliation committee to investigate the misdeeds of the Bush administration. He said that, before you turn the page, you have to read the page first.

Do you agree with such a proposal? And are you willing to rule out right here and now any prosecution of Bush administration officials?

Obama: I haven't seen the proposals, so I don't want to express an opinion on something that I haven't seen.

What I have said is that my administration is going to operate in a way that leaves no doubt that we do not torture, that we abide by the Geneva Conventions, and that we observe our traditions of rule of law and due process, as we are vigorously going after terrorists that can do us harm. And I don't think those are contradictory; I think they are potentially complementary.

My view is also that nobody's above the law and, if there are clear instances of wrongdoing, that people should be prosecuted just like any ordinary citizen.

But that, generally speaking, I'm more interested in looking forward than I am in looking backwards. I want to pull everybody together, including, by the way, the -- all the members of the intelligence community who have done things the right way and have been working hard to protect America and I think sometimes are painted with a broad brush without adequate information.

So I will take a look at Senator Leahy's proposal, but my general orientation is to say let's get it right moving forward.

[EraOfResponsibility]

1. "if there are clear instances of wrongdoing, that people should be prosecuted just like any ordinary

citizen"

that sounds good to me. That leaves the door open for prosecutions.

[torbird]

2. BS

Hey, dummies, wake up: he's not going to do anything! Let me put it in a way you will immediately understand:

"Look.

Let's be clear.

I am not going to personally do or say anything that will lead to any repercussions for Bush or his associates.

I am another lame, weak Democrat who puts my own political desires over the good of the country."

Are we all getting it now?

[EraOfResponsibility]

3. that's how you choose to see it

I choose to see it differently.

[ProSense]

4. "dummies"?

"I am another lame, weak Democrat who puts my own political desires over the good of the country."

Yes you are.

[TayTay]

5. True.

Perhaps there is some sort of 12 step for folks like this.

[stillcool]

6. Your use of language..

reminded me of this quote..

I did never know so full a voice issue from so empty a heart: but the saying is true 'The empty vessel makes the greatest sound'.

William Shakespeare

[karynnj]

8. So, you not only know what Obama will do, but his motivation

You might end up right on Obama not wanting to try significant people in the Bush administration, but it would more likely be because it would be a distraction for a nation facing two wars, non-state terrorism and the worst economic crisis since the depression. It might be that he considers that he needs as many people on board to deal with all of this - and that would make it harder.

At this point the good of the country might be that - as much as I want everything exposed.

[AtomicKitten]

7. Obama has consistently yet diplomatically left the door open.

I believe the U.S. is a signature of four treaties that compel the U.S. to prosecute. Leahy's Truth Commission while perhaps destined to be impotent at best will excavate data that can only lead to prosecution. If we don't do it, a global world body will and I don't see Obama putting the U.S in that embarrassing position. I still have reasonable confidence he will do the right thing on behalf of America and the world and prosecute them for war crimes.