Good that Obama released the documents. Now, if our famously free press would just get the facts straight. AP:

The Justice Department released nine legal opinions showing that, following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the Bush administration determined that certain constitutional rights would not apply during the coming fight. Within two weeks, government lawyers were already discussing ways to wiretap U.S. conversations without warrants.

Even Pravda knows that's not true. Back on October 13, 2007:

Nacchio's account, which places the NSA proposal at a meeting on Feb. 27, 2001, suggests that the Bush administration was seeking to enlist telecommunications firms in programs without court oversight before the terrorist attacks on New York and the Pentagon. The Sept. 11 attacks have been cited by the government as the main impetus for its warrantless surveillance efforts.

The Village wanted warrantless surveillance, for reasons of its own, well before 9/11, although 9/11 was the shock that allowed the policy to be implemented. Too bad Obama didn't go against the Village with his vote to [cough] reform FISA. If he had, we might have confidence that all the relevant documents were just released. As it is, I don't see how we can. I mean, when you see this:

The new administration pledged on Monday to begin turning over documents related to the videos to a federal judge and to make as much information public as possible.

does it end the matter for you? Or does it make you want to hope -- but verify?

NOTE WaPo via Corrente.