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Once upon a time, then-Sen. Obama blasted Pres. Bush for 'hiding behind executive privilege'
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House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi blasted Republicans for proving that contempt resolution leader Pelosi saying.
I could have arrested Karl Rove on any given day I'm not kidding there's a prison here in the capital if we spotted him in the capital we -- -- arrested him.
But isn't a policy -- him -- That goes back to 2007 the Bush Administration invoking executive privilege it happened during the scandal over the firing of US attorneys the focus of the executive privilege assertion.
Carlos conversation -- Justice Department officials.
Then Senator Obama was asked about it during an interview with Larry King.
There's been on the part of this administration -- to.
Tried to.
Hide behind executive privilege every time there's something.
A little shaky that's taking place and I think the other administration would be best served by coming clean on this.
You there there doesn't seem to be any national security.
Issues involved -- -- US attorney.
Question.
There there doesn't seem to be any justification.
For not.
Offering up some clear plausible.
Rationale for why these -- US attorneys were targeted went by all.
Assessments they were doing an outstanding job I think the American people deserve to know what was going on the top.
I'm joins us.
Nice to see -- -- Great to see you -- -- like every night they're part of the story so I'm not making any interior real name popped up again today -- leader Pelosi -- -- that she would she could read the arrested.
Your thoughts on that.
Actually think he actually she's she's absolutely dead wrong let's go back June and July 30.
The House Judiciary Committee votes to hold -- in contempt.
For the White House declaration that I I could not be subpoenaed to discuss internal White House deliberations.
And they recommended to the house that I be held in contempt.
But the House of Representatives under then speaker -- he never took up the resolution never voted on it.
The only way I could have been arrested is -- -- house and adopted the resolution which it did not so.
It's nice and on the speaker Pelosi wanted to have me arrested it's nice to know that she thinks she had the power to.
But we're still -- national laws and she had no authority to do so and -- she attempted to arrest me on any in the number of times.
But I was in and out of the capital without a resolution passed by the entire House of Representatives.
She would have been up the proverbial creek without the proverbial paddle.
I you know she sounds a little bit like an inspector clue so and a little bit about the mad red queen bed that.
You know speaker -- he was dead wrong inner -- today I'm sure she had a good laugh and it's nice to know.
That she dreams of putting slapping me and her -- in our own personal jail but.
Didn't have any authority to do it.
I told bush you're a lot what -- tell me -- -- -- then not even be -- and this you understand is probably as well as anybody out.
Advice for the attorney general tonight the president.
I'm mystified by -- frankly look and I hate to reflect back on my own situation.
But the White House had legitimate.
Concerned about establishing the president did.
White House staff could be routinely subpoenaed to appear before the congress to discuss items that involves internal White House deliberations.
On the other hand what the White House had offered was they said look we understand -- you wanna hear from rove will provide growth.
Have a have a private hearing swearing -- -- if you tell -- he doesn't tell the truth.
He is -- you can be he can be prosecuted for doing so and he'll tell you everything that you wanna know about.
His involvement or non involvement in US attorney situation.
But that way we protect the form of the president's privilege while giving you the substance of what you want which is complete unfettered access to rove.
And that's probably why the house never took it up because the white in the White House had made this offer.
And and and I suspect some of the house democratic leadership said you know what when I'm gonna look good if they've offered to assist affected tickets they finally took the White House the bush White House up on the offer.
In march of 2009 and hadn't spent two days -- trying.
In front of a hapless member of the Judiciary Committee interrogating me Adam Schiff -- California was really sort of funny the transcript is available publicly.
He wasn't particularly well prepared -- focused.
But but -- I do think this I think the president of the United States has made a mistake.
First all he said explicitly that fast and furious had no involvement at the White House not an item that touched the White House no White House discussions involved.
And yet he is exerting his privilege over a member of his cabinet which is pretty much of a stretch was the White House involved.
Are not involved they said they were not involved -- now by exerting privilege he sort of implying that they work.
And and and -- you've said it you've heard it several times already this evening on various programs and on your own sometimes.
The attempt to cover up is worse than whatever the problem was in the beginning and -- -- F as.
Congressman diocese said and attorney general said -- it be embarrassing documents.
Better that they get the embarrassing documents out and that they continue down this this past.
So teams recommend what tomorrow to have them call up that -- -- it let's talk again and essentially deliver what may be embarrassing documents.
Yeah but -- but you know what they can't they can't at this point the president has drawn a line in the -- this is why it is very you know with 24 times in thirty some odd forty some odd years.
Executive privilege has been asserted.
This is not done routinely and it's because the president doesn't -- -- necessarily draw the line in this -- has drawn a line a guy who went out of his way to tell.
You get out of -- he's basically immediate is.
Well assuming assuming when he -- like there -- so do I do over how does he get out of this.
-- You don't want to Greta I don't think he wants a do over I've got to you know you earlier said is this a legitimate expression of an executive.
Privilege or is this obstruction it may be you know it may be a little bit of -- But I'll tell -- I think there's a heck of a lot of politics in this I think the president United States would loved to have.
This dominate the dialogue.
For you know a week or two or three we've got you know twenty -- -- weeks left until the the November election I think the president would like to chew up.
You know 5% of that 10% of that 15% that.
Talking about sentiment is not connected would jobs the economy deaths in debt spending and of an Affordable Care Act I think he thinks this is the best of a bunch of bad options.
And gives him a chance to avoid the kind of dialogue he doesn't.
