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Look Who Says Bush Was Right on Terror

Obama invokes Bush policies as defense in Couric interview

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted Feb 9, 2010 5:00 AM CST

(Newser) – President Obama rolled out a surprising line of defense when Katie Couric quizzed him about civilian trials for terrorists in an interview Sunday, writes William McGurn. "We're not handling any of these cases any different than the Bush administration handled them all through 9/11," Obama insisted. Invoking Bush to defend himself is quite the reversal for someone who campaigned as the anti-Bush, McGurn writes in the Wall Street Journal.

The "new dawn" the administration promised on counterterrorism has turned into case after mishandled case that raises questions about its competence, McGurn writes. Expect more tough-sounding speeches as the administration tries to fix its image problem, McGurn writes, and maybe a rebranding of Guantanamo Bay to the "Caribbean House of Constitutional Correction" when they realize they can't close it.

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In this image released by CBS, CBS News anchor Katie Couric poses with President Barack Obama during an interview in Washington. (AP Photo/CBS)

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 37 comments

Face-Of-RNC

Feb 11, 2010 2:20 AM CST

Aren't you speaking of treason, covered under the Uniform Code of Military Justice?

SilenceDogood

Feb 10, 2010 12:55 PM CST

A US Federal criminal trial, affording US citizen rights and protection to foreign terrorist. I think you may want to reconsider who these laws were meant to protect, the US citizens or the terrorist? I think you have your priorities upside down.

cornelison

Feb 10, 2010 12:21 PM CST

That's the difference, Stasis. Obama didn't commit any crimes.

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Wall Street Journal (Source Grid »)

Politics • Crime & Courts • US • World

Bush administration • War on Terror • Katie Couric • Guantanamo Bay • counterterrorism • Khalid Sheikh Mohammed • President Obama • William McGurn • Khalid Sheikh Mohammed trial • Detroit terror incident • Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab • KSM trial

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Look Who Says Bush Was Right on Terror