The question we must ask ourselves "Why is the NSA story breaking now?"

[Lone_Wolf]

and "Why is Bush admitting it?"

I'm not going to be surprised if this case makes it's way up to the SCOTUS. When it does, you can be sure that the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978, the law which prohibits domestic spying, will be overturned. We'll be in all aspects, a police state then.

[alfredo]

1. A book about it is coming out soon.

They are trying to blunt the impact.

[BobBoudelangFan69]

2. This Question Has Been Buzzing Around My Head Too!!

[patcox2]

3. Its a MIHOP leak; Bush put it out there on purpose.

Seriously.

He wanted this out there.

To nuetralize the issue.

Its the first thing he has ever admitted to; think of that. And he responded instantly, when was the last time the Bush administration responded immediately to an unexpected development.

He doesn't even seem too angry about it.

[azmouse]

4. People will be preoccupied the next two weeks

and the Reps are hoping that the story will be lost in the craziness of
the holiday season.

[jbonkowski]

5. I think it's Patriot Act related

There is a big debate right now in the Senate over renewing the Patriot Act. Those who don't want to renew it are concerned about the abuse of power it represents, and whether the government can be trusted. No better time to run with a story like this.

jim

[gratuitous]

6. Considering the NYT sat on the story for over a year

I think the book coming out reason is the operative one. Someone needs to goose their initial sales run so they can make more money on their next book telling us what they knew all along, but somehow didn't see it as news that was fit to print, but buy my book to find out all the sordid details and marvel at my god-like access to the corridors of power where these heinous decisions that imprisoned you were made.

[neoblues]

8. Hmmm.

How does that explain the strange behavior of Bush? Unless he or Cheney wrote the bookand will profit from it (massively), there's a missing explanation of why he isn't outraged over the leak. Besides, Bush actually admit something? That has got to be a historical event, literally! Something's not fresh in vegetableville. This pig's wings are too small for it to fly. Besides, who can doubt that Bush would want the unqualified power to surveil anybody, anywhere without asking or being tracked? Plus, as pointed out, the SCOTUS is indeed packed with ringers right now--anybody notice how Bush is positively salivating at the prospect of getting Alito confirmed? Hmmm.

[Supersedeas]

7. Another post-election revelation from the left wing media