From the You Must Be Joking Department comes an interview on radical-left Pacifica Radio’s Democracy Now program on Thursday. The guest is Jameel Jaffer of the American Civil Liberties Union, touting a new report that suggests President Barack Obama is creating an authoritarian “new normal” of abusing terrorist suspects. But when anchor Amy Goodman suggests the ACLU is part of the left, Jaffer declares an utter denial that there’s any ideology involved:
AMY GOODMAN: Gibbs is concerned about you comparing Obama with Bush. What about Bush Senior? Do you think the comment about the professional left is equivalent to President George H.W. Bush talking about card-carrying members of the ACLU?
JAMEEL JAFFER: Oh, I don’t know. I mean, I’m not even sure that we consider ourselves part of the left at the ACLU. You know, we consider ourselves having the Bill of Rights as our—
GOODMAN: I think it’s what they consider you.
JAFFER: Right, right. You know, again, I just think it’s disappointing that the administration uses this kind of language to respond to thoughtful and considered criticism. I think it debases political discourse in this country. And part of the Press Secretary’s job is to make sure that political discourse is civil and informed.