Constitutional Triangulation

"We had to destroy Ben Tre in order to save it." US Army spokesman, 1968, on the bombing and shelling of a Vietnamese village.

"Well, when the president does it, that means that it is not illegal." Richard Nixon, 1977, interview with David Frost.

FOX NEWS INTERVIEWER CHRIS WALLACE: "This is at the core of the controversies that I want to get to with you in a moment. If the president during war decides to do something to protect the country, is it legal?"

VICE PRESIDENT DICK CHENEY: "General proposition, I'd say yes. You need to be more specific than that. I mean — but clearly, when you take the oath of office on January 20th of 2001, as we did, you take the oath to support and defend and protect the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic."

Fox News Sunday, 12/21/2008.