Unitary Flyboy

by digby

So McCain declares Mission Accomplished in Iraq — in 2013. Yea. War is over. Someday. Maybe.

Even more good news. McCain also says he’s going to be different than Bush and be more transparent and seek congressional approval. According to his faithful hound, Huckleberry Graham, he doesn’t believe in the Unitary Executive theory:

“I think Sen. McCain would be an aggressive advocate of executive power, but not to the extent that this administration has framed it,” said Graham.

Boy, that’s a relief, huh? Well, there is a tiny little wrinkle though. He does believe that the President has nearly unlimited power as Commander in Chief. Which is what the unitary executive “powers” allegedly derive from:

“The Congress can declare war, but it cannot dictate to the president how to wage war,” McCain said when Democrat Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia tried to restrict the resolution to authorize military strikes only if there was a clear threat of attack from Saddam Hussein.

So, don’t count on McSame being substantially different from his predecessor. If he feels the need to torture, spy on Americans or invade countries at will, he believes he has the constitutional right to do it. It seems he’s only promising not be as arrogant and in your face about it. So that’s good.

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