Harry Reid just threw us a bone.
His "Friends of Harry Reid" group has just sent out a letter saying that he will vote against the nomination of Mukasey for attorney general. How nice. Of course, in a Senate where Lieberman, Feinstein and Schumer at the very least will be voting with the Republicans, Mukasey will of course be approved.
Worse, Reid's letter makes some perfectly good points. I'll copy you below the fold.
Dear ***********,
Waterboarding is torture.
Because Michael Mukasey cannot admit to this basic fact, I will vote against his nomination.
I respect Michael Mukasey and believe he is an intelligent and capable man. However, given our recent history, it is important that our next attorney general be able to stand up to the President and for the rule of law. I am not confident that Michael Mukasey will.
Send the message:
If he can't say no to torture - we say no to Mukasey.
While Michael Mukasey refuses to answer the question of whether waterboarding is torture, the precedent is clear. In 1947, Yukio Asano, a Japanese officer, was sentenced to 15 years of hard labor for performing a form of waterboarding on an American citizen.
In 2004, Daniel Levin, who was then acting assistant attorney general, volunteered to be waterboarded. Later, he told the White House "even though he knew he wouldn't die, he found the experience terrifying and thought that it clearly simulated drowning."
If Michael Mukasey cannot answer the simple question of whether or not waterboarding is torture, he should not serve as attorney general.
Our message needs to be loud and clear:
If he can't say no to torture - we say no to Mukasey.
Thank you,
Harry Reid
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Yes, Senator Reid, waterboarding is torture. Yes, we have sent people to jail for it because it is torture. But you're the majority leader. You can do more to make this not happen than ordinary folks, even ordinary senators.
It's time for you to twist the arms of Feinstein and Schumer. Lieberman, as we all know, is beyond hope.
Show some leadership, please?