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Chapter 6
Development of Congressional Powers
Male Narrator: In refusing to turnover a list of the people Vice President Cheney consulted in formulating a national energy policy, the White House is waging a battle fought by every president since George Washington.
President Bush: We are not going to let the ability for us to discuss matters between ourselves to become eroded.
Male Narrator: In fact, George Bush came into office determined to strengthen the principle of presidential privacy.
President Bush: This is not only important for us, for this administration, it is an important principle for future administrations.
Male Narrator: There is nothing in the Constitution that specifically gives a president this right though it has been recognized by the courts.
Male Speaker #1: That is something that a president needs to operate it, it is the oxygen that president uses to do some very difficult things.
Male Narrator: Don’t tell it to Democrat Congressman Henry Waxman who asked the general accounting office to obtain information about the energy meetings.
Congressman Waxman: Government should operate transparently which means everybody ought to know who is arguing for what, who’s going to benefit?
Male Narrator: Waxman suspects the White House fears political embarrassment by its dealings with powerful energy interests like Enron. But that’s not viewed as a good enough reason to withhold information.
Male Speaker #1: Executive privilege exists for the purpose of protecting the public interest it is not there to protect the political interest of the president.
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