“It’s Very Strange”The Politico gets the temperature of the current negotiations on the surveillance bill and stresses the “unknowns.” So while the signs tend towards the final bill somehow containing retroactive immunity for the telecoms against those vicious lawsuits, it’s still not a sure thing.
But there was this choice section, where Senate intelligence committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) expresses befuddlement that Republicans have boycotted talks on a compromise bill. The president and leading GOPers have said that it’s the Senate bill or nothing so there’s no use negotiating. From The Politico:
Rockefeller supports the immunity provision the administration wants, but he said he was perplexed by the fact that the White House has skipped the meetings the Democrats have tried to hold. “I don’t understand why the White House hasn’t been more active in pushing the solution they want,” he said.“It’s very strange.”
Of course, the Republicans and the administration have been pushing with all their might (I guess Rockefeller missed this ad… and Bush’s every public appearance for the past month). They just see no reason to go to the table, figuring that if they push enough, they’ll get what they want.