My very excellent support for allowing the FBI and related agencies wider latitude in tracking suspected terrorists was greeted by Mullsters with something less than overwhelming enthusiasm.
Let me summarize my responses:
-- We have to fully analyze the pros and the cons of these proposals.
-- We must weigh the consequences of maintaining the status quo against the prospective advantages - or disadvantages - of changes to that status quo.
-- We must embrace, not discourage, the free and open exchange of views, opinions, and information.
-- We must reject the notion of using invective. Calling names is no way to have a grown-up discussion about vitally important issues.
morons.
One of the points I made on Wednesday was that "The Constitution of the United States has always had a certain amount of elasticity �"
Professor Jonathon Turley of George Washington University, and occasional Green Room pal, wrote in the National Review:
"The Madisonian democracy was designed to handle bad, not good, weather. The Framers even inserted provisions into the Constitution to deal with extreme emergencies, including such drastic measures as the suspension of habeas corpus."
What he said.
I got an e-mail from a Mullster (which e-mail I forwarded along to the White House but didn't save a copy and so can't give proper credit for the idea) that suggested we utilize retired police officers, fire fighters, and military service members in what can be known as a Home Guard.
Rather than using current active duty National Guard and Reserve service members to carry out routine security operations at airports, truck stops, ports, and so on; we can hire retired folks to serve in these positions.
They need not have police powers, per se, but they would be trained observers and, as retirees, might like the idea of strapping it on and going back to work for a couple of years.
The active reserve personnel can, then, be assigned to units within their Military Occupational Specialty to either enhance the table of organization or to replace active duty personnel who are moving overseas.
Retired military could be limited to former MPs. If my experience at Fort Bragg, NC was typical, there must be 3,741,824 of them available for this limited duty.
The President visited Chicago yesterday to talk about airport and airline security, as well as to give a boost to airline employees who are, like so many others, suffering from severe economic as well as emotional shock in the aftermath of the attacks.
Sky Marshals, federalized security workers, additional physical security for pilots, and the like were announced. A little bit of technology which a former colleague wrote to me about last week came up in the briefing. It is a piece of gear which, according to a senior administration official, "could allow the air traffic control to take control of an aircraft in flight by remote control and bring it to ground safely in the event the pilot should lose control."
The full Jonathan Turley quote, plus some background color on the President's trip to Chicago as well as a Catchy Caption on the Secret Decoder Ring.
The Mayor of New York, Rudy Giuliani, has asked the remaining contenders in the race to succeed him for permission to remain in office for six months. Two of them have agreed to something on the order of three months allowing Giuliani to remain until the end of March, 2002.
According to Mullings sources, the Mayor met with conservative leaders on Wednesday night to explore the possibility of end-running the two-term limit by allowing him to run on the Conservative line. Some observers believe that Giuliani could run as a write-in and, according people close to the discussions, Terry Gray, who is the Conservative Party's candidate, might agree to withdraw and allow Giuliani to run as a write-in.
The Lad was part of the President's advance team in Chicago. When he called several days ago to say he was hitting the road, I asked him where he was going. "Can't tell you," he said adhering to the previously announced rules regarding the President's schedule.
Yesterday afternoon, following the President's appearance in Chicago, this telephone conversation took place:
-- Me: "This is Rich Galen."
-- Operator: "Mr. Galen, this is the Air Force operator. I have a call from Air Force One.
-- Me: (Looking for a nitro) "Ok."
-- The Lad: "Hey."
-- Me: "Way cool!"
� 
