Nothing to Fear but These Idiots

BY JAMES TARANTO
Friday, February 10, 2006 3:30 p.m. EST

Nothing to Fear but These Idiots
The Los Angeles Times reports on Democratic reaction to President Bush’s speech yesterday, in which he described how the government foiled an al Qaeda plot to fly hijacked planes into L.A.’s Library Tower:

The details did little to counter skepticism from Democrats and some law enforcement officials who have questioned whether the reported scheme had ever been put into operation before it was thwarted.

So we’re supposed to wait until after terror plots have been put into operation before thwarting them? Members of Congress weigh in:

Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks) described Bush’s speech as a political stunt meant to draw attention from the mounting criticisms of the National Security Agency’s warrantless wiretapping program and other questions about administration tactics.

“I can’t think of a governmental reason to disclose these details at this time to the general public. Clearly, the goal was to create headlines,” said Sherman, who monitors security matters as the ranking Democrat on the House subcommittee on international terrorism and nonproliferation.

Sen. John D. Rockefeller IV of West Virginia, the senior Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said he “didn’t find [Bush's comments] very helpful . . . from a professional point of view.”

But it is very helpful to disclose crucial details about the terrorist surveillance program?