AP reported on Monday that President-elect Barack Obama, after moving into the White House next week, will issue an executive order to begin the process that would lead to the closing of the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay. With that in the news, I was asked to appear on Hardball to debate conservative talk-show host Michael Smerconish, who supports the use of waterboarding. Here’s the clip:
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At least Smerconish, a lawyer, agreed with one basic point: the US government, despite what the Bush-Cheney administration has contended, has no right to hold anyone–not even enemy combatants–indefinitely. Perhaps Obama is right: conservatives and liberals–that is, those of us who don’t take our constitutional advice from Dick Cheney’s office–can find some common ground.
