By: E&P Staff In his lengthy appearance today before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee probe of the domestic spying dispute, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales took several opportunities to criticize the press for using the term "domestic spying program" and for leaking information about the warrantless eavesdropping.
When he said that the latter severely damaged the program, Democratic Sen. Joseph Biden asked for an explanation.
The exchange follows.
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BIDEN: General, how has this revelation damaged the program? I'm almost confused by it but, I mean, it seems to presuppose that these very sophisticated Al Qaida folks didn't think we were intercepting their phone calls.
I mean, I'm a little confused. How did it damage this?
GONZALES: Well, Senator, I would first refer to the experts in the Intel Committee who are making that statement, first of all. I'm just the lawyer.
And so, when the director of the CIA says this should really damage our intel capabilities, I would defer to that statement.
I think, based on my experience, it is true -- you would assume that the enemy is presuming that we are engaged in some kind of surveillance. But if they're not reminded about it all the time in the newspapers and in stories, they sometimes forget....
BIDEN: Well, I hope you and my distinguished friend from Alabama are right, that they're that stupid and naive because we're much better off if that's the case.
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