McCain Holds Firm on Anti-Torture Language

After multiple reports of negotiations between the Administration and the office of Senator McCain over the language in McCain's anti-torture amendment, the senator flat-out rejected any notion that he's planning to allow the measure to be watered down. Asked on "Meet the Press" if he would accept compromise language, McCain responded "No, I won't. We won't." He said that his discussions with NSA Hadley and others focus on "aspects" of the amendment but would not comment on which aspects those were (presumably the Administration is still trying to weasel out a CIA exemption or something).

McCain and the others must stand their ground here. The Administration knows its position is absolutely untenable, and this president must realize that using his first veto to defend the executive branch's ability (which doesn't exist under treaty-law anyway, in my view) to use torture is hardly a desirable thing to do. This amendment, with all its strengths intact, must be included in the final bill - and if the president vetoes that bill, his veto should be overturned.

[Update: Joe Gandelman at TMV has more on this, so don't miss his post. Also, The Moderate Voice has earned a well-deserved nomination as Best Group Blog for the 2005 Wizbang Weblog Awards. I will certainly be casting my ballot for them, and if you'd like to, you may do so here. -- 7:40 a.m.]