Looks like the media miscalculated again


The national media have been all abuzz in the last day or so over USA Today's revelation that the NSA has been collecting information on who has been telephoning in the United States ever since 9/11. The idea is to identify patterns which might suggest terrorist activity.

We have been deluged by a cacaphony of tsk-tsking at what we've been assured is an egregious abuse of our civil libeties. The Left and their allies in the media sense that they have this president cornered at last. Another scandal! Another case of the Administration abusing its power! Another article of impeachment!

There's only one thing wrong. ABC and the Washington Post did a poll on what the American people thought about the subject, doubtless expecting to report a tidal wave of outrage and indignation. But they got a surprise instead.

It seems that 63% of the American people think it's a perfectly acceptable strategy for fighting terrorism- and fully 66% said that it wouldn't bother them to find out that the NSA had been keeping track of their own phone calls!

HT: Drudge
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Comments

Anonymous said…
I haven't made up my mind on the data collection story, but please remember that rights aren't determined by popular opinion.
5/12/2006 09:12:00 PM
Robert Elart Waters said…
Of course not. Of course, I personally can't see how anyone's rights were violated, though. And it was the political question- whether the American people would be outraged, as the media assumed- is the matter which I addressed in this entry.

The media guessed wrong, and the egg on their faces becomes them.
5/13/2006 12:02:00 AM
Anonymous said…
The reason I haven't made up my mind about it is because it was so easy for the White House. They got it into their head that it would be a good idea to collect this information so they did it. It seems like they could have put in a little extra effort to tie it up in a clean legal bowtie--a court order or legislation, or something.

I guess what they say is true. It is easier to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission.
5/13/2006 07:37:00 AM
Robert Elart Waters said…
But why would a court decision or legislation even be needed? Nobody's rights were violated, and only the calls of people under suspicion were even surveilled!
5/14/2006 12:32:00 AM
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