April 7, 200620 yr Angry man tells Bush he is shamed and frightened by his leadership By RON HUTCHESON and JIM MORRILL Knight Ridder Tribune News CHARLOTTE, N.C. - President Bush isn't used to tongue-lashings, but he got a scolding Thursday from a North Carolina man who told the president that he should be ashamed of himself. "While I listen to you talk about freedom, I see you assert your right to tap my telephone, to arrest me and hold me without charges, to try to preclude me from breathing clean air and drinking clean water," real estate broker Harry Taylor told Bush at a town hall meeting. "I have never felt more ashamed of nor more frightened by my leadership in Washington." The audience at Central Piedmont Community College booed, but Bush seemed to take the criticism in stride. "I'm not your favorite guy," the president said. "What's your question?" Taylor didn't have one, but he wasn't finished. "I feel like, despite your rhetoric, that compassion and common sense have been left far behind during your administration," he told Bush. "And I would hope, from time to time, that you have the humility and the grace to be ashamed of yourself." Bush defended his decision to authorize domestic eavesdropping in cases involving conversations between the United States and terrorist suspects or their associates in other countries. "I'm not going to apologize for what I did on the terrorist surveillance program. Would I apologize for that? The answer is, absolutely not," he said. The extraordinary encounter highlighted just how far Bush has come from the days when he limited his appearances to carefully screened crowds. Bush rarely took questions, and when he did, they were almost always fawning. That's changed amid growing unease with the war in Iraq. Aides acknowledge that Bush's new willingness to take tough questions is part of an effort to respond to war worries. Bush and Taylor agreed on at least one thing. "I really appreciate the courtesy of allowing me to speak what I'm saying to you right now," Taylor said near the conclusion of his reprimand. "That is part of what this country's about." "It is," Bush agreed. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nation/3777314.html The scolder...my hero :smug: :wink:
April 7, 200620 yr well if I have to be unjustly arrested to save the lives of 1000 people then I would admit it works and is something that should be used. I don't think they're going to just arrest anyone and listen for just any phone conversation about whatever private things people talk about. I do believe the ideas could be improved but I'm not 100% against it like some people.
April 7, 200620 yr Author :thinking: I agree that something should be done..about surveillence and that, but to be careful in violating people's privacy. I feel in my heart of hearts, that there has to be some other way. But admit to now knowing what, exactly.
April 7, 200620 yr Author he shouldnt apologize for protecting america... he didn't HAVE to...he's just a nice guy like that ;)
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