Reed Hunt Is Right On The General.

TPM Cafe's, Reed Hunt put forth a well thought out little essay on the recently revealed NSA data mining project:

The latter issue involves highly secret technology that is difficult to discuss in an open hearing. The technology itself is hard to explain in lay language. There's no doubt that some warrantless searching of some calls is on occasion necessary, and it is hard to explain to the casual observer where the line is between reasonably necessary sleuthing and the massive mining by computers of innumerable phone calls (or for that matter Internet communication).

While I really like the article as a whole, I have a problem with this clause here

it is hard to explain to the casual observer where the line is between reasonably necessary sleuthing and the massive mining by computers of innumerable phone calls

Actually its not. If there is probable cause the President/AG can begin a wiretap and in 72 hours the tap must be approved by the FISA court. It is done in specific cases for specific reasons to specific people. What the NSA's program entails is the collection of every point to point communication, in other words one phone number to another. This data can then be compiled to show calling patterns and partners.

The rest of the article is fairly on the money. Hayden's part in these questionable activities MUST come up at his confirmation hearing if, as Hunt says, and I believe prophetically, he gets that far.

The general's confirmation might be DOA as of today.