GOP Senator Says Waterboarding Is "Like Swimming, Freestyle, Backstroke"

Talking Points Memo:

GWEN IFILL: I just would like to -- but do you think that waterboarding, as I described it, constitutes torture?

SEN. KIT BOND: There are different ways of doing it. It's like swimming, freestyle, backstroke.

Read the whole story: Talking Points Memo

Comments

[dgr]

IOC ANNNOUNCES WATERBOARDING TO BE OLYMPIC SPORT IN BEIJING 2008

(5:00 am Rooters)
The International Olympic committee has announced that "waterboarding" will be the next Olympic sport. The RNC already has a team in place. "We have been advocating this for years." claimed the head Republican. Opponents claim that waterboarding is not a sport at all...


Sheesh, what's the world coming to?

[Violet47]

If he were water boarded, his perception would change radically. I can not find polite words to express my disgust with people who support torture.

[Ratso]

Hypothetical: If someone told with 99% assurance that waterboarding 2 individuals, X and Y, would have stopped the 9/11 incident, would you be for using waterboarding in this case? A simple "Yes" or "No" would be appreciated.

[DavidE]

Actually he was trying to say that there are different variations of waterboarding like there are different variations of swimming. But I suppose it's more fun to purposely misunderstand his comment.

[Bongborg]

Oh yeah... and this election cycle is like trolling for shark with chum in the water.

[whatsthatsound]

What's all the fuss about? If it's like the backstroke, then why don't we just do away with it? Every time we need information from a terrorist, we'll just stick 'em in a pool, and tell 'em, "Give me ten laps, evildoer, unless you'd care to come clean about your nefarious plans!"
Wouldn't it be great if every problem could be solved so easily?

[ibsteve2u]

Wow.

All politics aside, I'd be embarrassed to have voted for Bond simply because he is an idiot.

[VivaZapata]

as soon as his foot is out of his mouth, he can commence lying for the bush guys again.

[phal4875]

Who would Jesus waterboard? Just wondering.

[jimimosey]

I did not have the opportunity to read all of the comments, but to anyone who knows how government works, it is apparent that the reason Mukasey and ilk refuse to call the procedure torture is that if it is determined to be the case, all of the information culled from the illegal act cannot be used in court proceedings. Thus, withholding human rights will prevent our government from prosecuting individuals who have been on the receiving end of an "interrogation."

I had held out hope that after the Gonzales debacle, common sense and honesty would out of necessity override the nasty, divisive, partisan policies of the current administration. That outcome, however, sadly does not seem to be the case. Business as usual. And the Demos do not seem capable of challenging the administration on any level, except to threaten to write harsh letters, so the only options left are to wait until Jan 08 and hope that our dictator in chief does not declare martial law and continue in office long after he should be in prison.

George and Karl and Dick in chains!! Please. Any reason will do since there are so many crimes from which to choose and the sentences should be commensurate with the crimes. Let's see, how many years should a citizen receive for destruction of the Constitution? For lying to the public? For politicizing all aspects of government and meddling in scientific reporting to match the right wing agenda? Hey, we'll figure it out...

Thanks

Jimi

[parisblues]

That being the case, Senator, surely you won't mind submitting to a demonstration.

[itsnotmyfault]

Kit Bond is right you know...In fact the destroyed CIA tapes without the sound playing look just like the summer Olympics at the pool. The terror suspects are forced to enter the swimming pool wait for the gun to sound and race like the devil to the other end, paddling furiously. Moments after they touch the side they babble incessantly, between gasps for air, revealing all of the most vital information to keep us safe here as opposed to there or something like that. I for one will never look at the Olympics in the same way again.

[dwillisno1]

Missouri needs a Repair Kit.

[AtomicSplash]

Do you know what's really funny? Conservatives really hate it when we call them stupid.

[V4Vigilance]

Being a GOP Senator is like talking out of both sides of your face, backwards.