Investigate phone spying, Clark says

Investigate phone spying, Clark says The former NATO commander is stumping for Leonard Boswell on a two-day Iowa visit. Friday, May 12, 2006 By THOMAS BEAUMONT REGISTER STAFF WRITER
Des Moines -- Retired Army Gen. Wesley Clark said in Iowa Friday that the Bush administration's tracking of millions of private telephone calls as part of its war on terrorism warranted a full congressional investigation.
The former NATO commander and 2004 Democratic candidate for president said Congress needs to sort out the controversy as a way of maintaining its check on the presidential power.
"If you have a president, for reasons he believes are legitimate for national security, who is accused of misleading people about the extent of the program, and nobody knows what the extent of the program is, then I think a full congressional investigation is mandated," Clark said.
The Bush administration is facing questions about its regard for civil liberties after the disclosure that the National Security Agency collected information on millions of Americans' telephone calls.
At the heart of the matter is Gen. Michael Hayden, who was in charge of the surveillance program and is now Bush's nominee to become director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
Clark was on the first leg of a two-day Iowa trip, campaigning for U.S. Rep. Leonard Boswell, a Des Moines Democrat seeking re-election this year.
Clark planned to meet with Polk County Democrats Friday before traveling to Cedar Rapids today to meet with activists who supported him in 2004.
Clark also plans to headline a meeting of the Hawkeye Labor Council in Cedar Rapids tonight.
Although Clark has said he is weighing a second presidential bid in 2008, he declined to discuss it Friday.
Iowa will host the lead-off Democratic nominating caucuses in 2008, and some party activists hope Clark runs again.
Lu Ann Pedrick of Urbandale was a Clark supporter in 2004, although Clark did not campaign in Iowa. Pedrick, a project coordinator for the Iowa Foundation for Medical Care, said Clark's tactic of skipping Iowa was a mistake she hopes he does not repeat if he runs in 2008.
"I hope he does run," Pedrick said. "And this time he should come to Iowa."
However, some party activists say Clark has not worked as hard as other would-be candidates to stay in touch with potential backers.
Clark, who was making his second trip to Iowa since the election, said he was focused on helping Democrats retake control of Congress.
However, Clark has said he would consider running if national security remained a top priority for voters in 2008.
"I haven't really thought about that," he said. "What I want to talk about is 2006."