War Room

By Alex Koppelman
Friday, Jan. 19, 2007 11:55 EST

The Alberto Gonzales School of Constitutional Interpretation

Testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said that "there is no express grant" of habeas corpus in the Constitution, just a "prohibition against taking it away."

He's right about that, technically speaking: The Constitution says that the "writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in cases of rebellion or invasion the public safety may require it."

That said, we're still wondering where the nation's top lawyer is going with his rather novel legal theory. By Gonzales' logic, after all, the Constitution doesn't offer an "express grant" of freedom of speech, freedom of religion, the right to bear arms or the right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures; it simply says that the government shall not take those rights away.

― Tim Grieve
Former Bush cabinet member as Obama's running mate?
Politico reports that a Republican who served in George W. Bush's cabinet during his first term has been mentioned by Barack Obama's search team as a potential running mate.
Saturday, Jul 26, 2008 03:22 EDT
GOP candidates may skip convention
Most of the Republicans in the hottest Senate races say they aren't going to St. Paul to celebrate John McCain (and send off George W. Bush).
Saturday, Jul 26, 2008 01:23 EDT
Rove map shows Obama beating McCain
A series of Electoral College maps produced by the company run by the man once known as "Bush's Brain" has Barack Obama narrowly winning the presidency.
Friday, Jul 25, 2008 23:10 EDT
The John Edwards "love child" story
Yes, the original report comes from the National Enquirer, but new information lends additional credibility to its article.
Friday, Jul 25, 2008 21:57 EDT

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GOP candidates may skip convention
Most of the Republicans in the hottest Senate races say they aren't going to St. Paul to celebrate John McCain (and send off George W. Bush).
Rove map shows Obama beating McCain
A series of Electoral College maps produced by the company run by the man once known as "Bush's Brain" has Barack Obama narrowly winning the presidency.
The John Edwards "love child" story
Yes, the original report comes from the National Enquirer, but new information lends additional credibility to its article.
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War Room is written and edited by Alex Koppelman, with contributions from Salon reporters around the country.

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