What we have here is a perfect example of the moral and intellectual failing of the Speaker of the House.

She clearly has no issue with putting the needs of political expediency and power in front of what’s best for the country and the truth. The only reason that she is still spinning like a top on this issue is because she flat out lied and got caught dead center in that lie. Now comes the deflection to hide not only the extent of the lie - but why the lie was needed at all.

Lost in this are some key facts. Congress, with her as the House Minority Leader and then as the Speaker, had the ability to legally define waterboarding as torture - specifically and clearly for all to see. President Bush could have either signed that and amended the instructions regarding intensive interrogations or vetoed it and risked override / ramifications. However, the Democrat leadership was unwilling to go on record by making this a law because they were concerned about the ramifications to their political power and careers in the event that lessened interrogation methods failed to prevent attacks like the LA Library Tower attack waterboarding prevented.

Also lost is the basic premise that illegal combatants - those who are not defined as legal combatants under the Geneva Conventions and who also are not defined as civilians because of their active roles in conducting combat operations - primarily against legal non-combatants - are not entitled to any protections under international treaty. Those who capture these illegals are entitled to define the level of treatment based upon their own morals and willingness to be accountable and responsible for their actions to public opinion. We would be in our rights to summarily execute them upon capture since they are, by their actions, war criminals. But we extend to them some protections - far more protections and rights than they extend to their victims.

For every video or picture of a supposed maltreatment of illegal combatant, we should show a video or picture of their victims as they leap from the top of the WTC to escape the flames or are beheaded.

Ultimately, we also must decide that the best representatives for this country are not those who think of themselves and their power first, but those who put their country and obligations to serve first.