To me the big story arising out of General Gonzales’ testimony (am I the only one who finds it absurdly funny that that’s the proper way to address the Attorney General?) before the Senate Judiciary Committee was not what he said (no surprise there), or what he didn’t say (no surprise there either), but what poked its head out between the lines.

Apparently, the NSA warrantless surveillance program we know about is not the only anti-terrorism program of questionable legality that is currently in existence. Asked about press reports that former Attorney General John Ashcroft and former Deputy Attorney General James Comey had expressed reservations about the NSA program, General Gonzales repeatedly stated that they had not expressed reservations about “the program the President has confirmed”. There are obviously other programs that Ashcroft and Coomey found even more troublesome than the NSA warrantless surveillance program, programs that the President has not yet confirmed (presumably because no traitor has yet committed the crime of leaking it to the press).

It’s true that Gonzales was repeatedly asked whether President Bush had authorized other programs that would be illegal if not for the claims of constitutional power or authorization to use military force the administration has been invoking to justify the NSA program, and Gonzales said: “Not to my knowledge.” But I set little store by that. When details of such programs emerge (and I do believe it is just a question of when, not if), Gonzales will be there to look straight at the camera and smoothly explain why his “not to my knowledge” answer was perfectly accurate.