Look! Over there!

I have to admit that I'm angry/confused/disgusted/pick one that the focus of the warrantless wiretapping issue seems to be the investigation of the leak and not the actions themselves.

Bush characterizes the leak as "shameful" while defending his illegal wiretapping. I feel that any government employee witnesses blatantly illegal acts is morally bound to report them. Yes, this is a 'secret program', but I really need someone to explain to me how breaking the news that they are listening to domestic phonecalls and wiretapping without a warrant actually "helps the terrorists", as the spinmeisters have claimed. They didn't know that they were being watched? Not having a warrant made it...more secret? The whole FISA process is classified secret already.

Let me be clear -- I absolutely want the government to listen in on conversations with Al Qaida or any other terrorist organization. I expect them to. I urge them to. But I also expect that they do so within the laws already in place to support their actions. There is no law prohibiting the wiretapping, there is simply a legal process that must be adhered to to ensure that the power is not abused. All this foofaraw about the leaker and investigating who-done-it really draws attention away from the real issue here.