The Distinguished Gentleman from Vermont Is All Right

Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) is collecting online signatures to create a Bush Truth Commission to dive into what Bush and Cheney did that they have kept covered up for years.

This is especially important now that the Obama administration has apparently decided to keep the lid on torture and rendition:

“Is there anything material that has happened” that might have caused the Justice Department to shift its views, asked Judge Mary M. Schroeder, an appointee of President Jimmy Carter, coyly referring to the recent election.

“No, your honor,” Mr. Letter replied.

“The change in administration has no bearing?” she asked.

“No, your honor,” he said once more. The position he was taking in court on behalf of the government had been “thoroughly vetted with the appropriate officials within the new administration,” and “these are the authorized positions,” he said.

No, that's not the same old mold-and-rotting-filth smell out of Capitol Hill you've been gagging on for eight years, that's the smell of Change!

Obama's on a hiding to nowhere new, and he better get it turned around.

UPDATE: Sen. Leahy and Arlen Specter have reintroduced the State Secrets Protection Act, shot down in the Senate in 2008, which seeks to prevent the Executive Branch from declaring "State Secrets!" like they've just touched base in hide-and-seek.

This bill was passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee with all committee Dems voting for it, including Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton. Arlen Specter threw in on it so we could have bipartisanship. Then the Senate as a whole killed it.

I'm so glad we now have bipartisan support for limiting the power of the Executive Branch. Did you remember where you left your spine, Arlen?