Panel Plus: June 16, 2013
Watch the ‘FOX News Sunday' panel, Brit Hume, Jane Harman, Karl Rove and Juan Williams as they mix it up over Syria and NSA surveillance, in our web exclusive Panel Plus.
Former Vice President Cheney Makes Forceful Defense
“I think he’s a traitor. I think he has committed crimes,” former Vice President Dick Cheney said about Edward Snowden, the man who took privileged intelligence and leaked it to the press.
Cheney added that he is suspicious about Snowden's connections to China, and he is worried about what information Snowden might have not yet revealed.
Snowden's leak has brought to the fore a debate about the limits to lawful surveillance and how they measure up to Americans' rights. Kentucky Senator Rand Paul (R), along with several other members of Congress, say they believe the programs encroach on the 4th amendment rights of U.S. citizens.
Cheney, who as vice president in the aftermath of 9/11was central to the development of some of these programs, said he thinks Paul is wrong.
“We made a decision based on 9/11 that we no longer had a law enforcement problem, that we were at war,” Cheney said in defense of the heightened surveillance.
Cheney also echoed what top officials have testified to on Capitol Hill this past week, that prior to 9/11, had the government had these tools, communications between the attackers might have been intercepted and raised the alarm.
Panel Plus: June 9, 2013
Watch the ‘FOX News Sunday' panel, Bill Kristol, Mara Liasson, Mary Matalin and Peter Baker as they discuss immigration reform, in our web exclusive Panel Plus
Government Surveillance in the Headlines
The headlines were full of intelligence leaks once again this week, this time pulling back a couple layers on US electronic surveillance operations.
The administration reacted by pointing out that Congress, as well as the judicial branch, okayed these programs and continues to excercise its oversight responsibilites.
One senator who has consistently opposed these programs is Republican Rand Paul from Kentucky.
“Looking at a billion phone calls a day, doesn’t sound like modest invasions of privacy, it sounds like an extraordinary” invasion of privacy, Paul said in response to the president's characterization of surveillance operations this week.
Paul added that he has "no problem going after those with probable cause, get a warrant, go after a terrorist," but Paul said, "don’t troll through a billion phone calls."
Paul said he wants to challenge it at the Supreme Court with a class action suit.
General Michael Hayden, who has headed both the CIA and the NSA, has firsthand knowledge of these programs, having been instrumental in the implementation of some of it.
Hayden said reports that government is “trolling through” billions of records is “not true.”
The former NSA director defended the programs, describing them as far more targeted than has been reported.
General Hayden added that “two very different presidents are doing pretty much the same thing” with regard to surveillance, and this “seems to suggest these things do work.”
Asked what President Obama has done differently, Hayden said he has “expanded (the) volume, changed legal grounding a little bit. Added a bit more oversight.”
Hayden pointed to an “incredible continuity” over the two presidents’ exercise of the program to attest to its soundness and success.
Panel Plus: June 2, 2013
Watch the ‘FOX News Sunday' panel, Laura Ingraham, Evan Bayh, Jennifer Rubin and Amy Walter, as they discuss the Syrian crisis , in our web exclusive Panel Plus
Congressmen Debate Holder's Veracity
Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), said, “It is fair to say we are investigating the conflict” in Attorney General Eric Holder's testimony and the language in the affidavit that was used to argue in support of a search warrant of James Rosen's communications.
Holder was before Goodlatte's committee May 15 when he said that he wasnt aware or involved in any "potential prosecution" of reporters in the Justice Department's efforts to identify leakers of national intelligence.
Goodlatte said it is troubling that Holder seems to have contradicted actual events with his testimony, but the chairman added, what is more troubling is if the department put false information in the affidavit in order to get sign off on the warrant by a judge.
Rep Chris Van Hollen, a leading House Democrat, argued there is no conflict in reality at all.
"It is often the practice to target someone for purposes of gathering information for an investigation," but never have any intention to prosecute him, Van Hollen argued.
America's Veteran Reflects
Nearing his ninetieth birthday, former presidential nominee and Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole joined Chris Wallace to reflect on his life and career, and how he wants to be remembered.
The US Senate, a body he served in for nearly 30 years, is if not broken, "badly bent," Dole said.
Dole, known for his bipartisan success at securing the passage of some major pieces of legislation, said both sides need to expect some give and take.
Dole was critical of his own party in particular.
"Reagan wouldn't have made it. Certainly Nixon couldn't have made it," in today's party, Dole said.
Dole also gave his quick impressions of leaders with whom he has served over the years.
Nixon: "Brilliant, criminal. He could have been a great president. He just threw it away."
Gingrich: "Newt is a brilliant in many respects. He's the kind of a guy that can lead the revolution, but he can't lead after he succeeds."
And of the man responsible for effectively ending his time in elective office, Bill Clinton:
"He's a good guy. I remember getting a handwritten seven page letter from Nixon telling me all about the race. And the last paragraph was, if the economy is good, you can't beat Clinton. That's probably not the only reason I didn't beat Clinton, but it was a factor."
Dole has lived a full life, accomplished much.
But it's clear what he would like to be remembered for most: his service to his country.
Asked what he would like to be written on his tombstone, Dole replied, "Veteran. He gave his most for his country, which -- which I think is true. And I tried to make the most of it. And I think I did."
Panel Plus: May 19, 2013
Watch the ‘FOX News Sunday' panel, Brit Hume, Kirsten Powers, Karl Rove and Dennis Kucinich as they discuss Benghazi, in our web exclusive Panel Plus
Panel Plus: June 16, 2013
Watch the ‘FOX News Sunday' panel, Brit Hume, Jane Harman, Karl Rove and Juan Williams as they mix it up over Syria and NSA surveillance, in our web exclusive Panel Plus.
Former Vice President Cheney Makes Forceful Defense
“I think he’s a traitor. I think he has committed crimes,” former Vice President Dick Cheney said about Edward Snowden, the man who took privileged intelligence and leaked it to the press.
Cheney added that he is suspicious about Snowden's connections to China, and he is worried about what information Snowden might have not yet revealed.
Snowden's leak has brought to the fore a debate about the limits to lawful surveillance and how they measure up to Americans' rights. Kentucky Senator Rand Paul (R), along with several other members of Congress, say they believe the programs encroach on the 4th amendment rights of U.S. citizens.
Cheney, who as vice president in the aftermath of 9/11was central to the development of some of these programs, said he thinks Paul is wrong.
“We made a decision based on 9/11 that we no longer had a law enforcement problem, that we were at war,” Cheney said in defense of the heightened surveillance.
Cheney also echoed what top officials have testified to on Capitol Hill this past week, that prior to 9/11, had the government had these tools, communications between the attackers might have been intercepted and raised the alarm.
Panel Plus: June 9, 2013
Watch the ‘FOX News Sunday' panel, Bill Kristol, Mara Liasson, Mary Matalin and Peter Baker as they discuss immigration reform, in our web exclusive Panel Plus
Government Surveillance in the Headlines
The headlines were full of intelligence leaks once again this week, this time pulling back a couple layers on US electronic surveillance operations.
The administration reacted by pointing out that Congress, as well as the judicial branch, okayed these programs and continues to excercise its oversight responsibilites.
One senator who has consistently opposed these programs is Republican Rand Paul from Kentucky.
“Looking at a billion phone calls a day, doesn’t sound like modest invasions of privacy, it sounds like an extraordinary” invasion of privacy, Paul said in response to the president's characterization of surveillance operations this week.
Paul added that he has "no problem going after those with probable cause, get a warrant, go after a terrorist," but Paul said, "don’t troll through a billion phone calls."
Paul said he wants to challenge it at the Supreme Court with a class action suit.
General Michael Hayden, who has headed both the CIA and the NSA, has firsthand knowledge of these programs, having been instrumental in the implementation of some of it.
Hayden said reports that government is “trolling through” billions of records is “not true.”
The former NSA director defended the programs, describing them as far more targeted than has been reported.
General Hayden added that “two very different presidents are doing pretty much the same thing” with regard to surveillance, and this “seems to suggest these things do work.”
Asked what President Obama has done differently, Hayden said he has “expanded (the) volume, changed legal grounding a little bit. Added a bit more oversight.”
Hayden pointed to an “incredible continuity” over the two presidents’ exercise of the program to attest to its soundness and success.
Panel Plus: June 2, 2013
Watch the ‘FOX News Sunday' panel, Laura Ingraham, Evan Bayh, Jennifer Rubin and Amy Walter, as they discuss the Syrian crisis , in our web exclusive Panel Plus
Congressmen Debate Holder's Veracity
Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), said, “It is fair to say we are investigating the conflict” in Attorney General Eric Holder's testimony and the language in the affidavit that was used to argue in support of a search warrant of James Rosen's communications.
Holder was before Goodlatte's committee May 15 when he said that he wasnt aware or involved in any "potential prosecution" of reporters in the Justice Department's efforts to identify leakers of national intelligence.
Goodlatte said it is troubling that Holder seems to have contradicted actual events with his testimony, but the chairman added, what is more troubling is if the department put false information in the affidavit in order to get sign off on the warrant by a judge.
Rep Chris Van Hollen, a leading House Democrat, argued there is no conflict in reality at all.
"It is often the practice to target someone for purposes of gathering information for an investigation," but never have any intention to prosecute him, Van Hollen argued.
America's Veteran Reflects
Nearing his ninetieth birthday, former presidential nominee and Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole joined Chris Wallace to reflect on his life and career, and how he wants to be remembered.
The US Senate, a body he served in for nearly 30 years, is if not broken, "badly bent," Dole said.
Dole, known for his bipartisan success at securing the passage of some major pieces of legislation, said both sides need to expect some give and take.
Dole was critical of his own party in particular.
"Reagan wouldn't have made it. Certainly Nixon couldn't have made it," in today's party, Dole said.
Dole also gave his quick impressions of leaders with whom he has served over the years.
Nixon: "Brilliant, criminal. He could have been a great president. He just threw it away."
Gingrich: "Newt is a brilliant in many respects. He's the kind of a guy that can lead the revolution, but he can't lead after he succeeds."
And of the man responsible for effectively ending his time in elective office, Bill Clinton:
"He's a good guy. I remember getting a handwritten seven page letter from Nixon telling me all about the race. And the last paragraph was, if the economy is good, you can't beat Clinton. That's probably not the only reason I didn't beat Clinton, but it was a factor."
Dole has lived a full life, accomplished much.
But it's clear what he would like to be remembered for most: his service to his country.
Asked what he would like to be written on his tombstone, Dole replied, "Veteran. He gave his most for his country, which -- which I think is true. And I tried to make the most of it. And I think I did."
Panel Plus: May 19, 2013
Watch the ‘FOX News Sunday' panel, Brit Hume, Kirsten Powers, Karl Rove and Dennis Kucinich as they discuss Benghazi, in our web exclusive Panel Plus
