Price introduces bill on interrogation

U.S. Rep. David Price introduced a sweeping bill today to rein in interrogation techniques of suspected terrorists and shutter Guantanamo Bay.

Price, a Chapel Hill Democrat, wants to reverse what his office calls "flawed policies" enacted by the Bush administration since Sept. 11, 2001, Barb Barrett reports.

His bill would repeal the Military Commissions Act and require trials of terrorists in civilian and military justice systems.

It would require the United States to notify the International Red Cross of detentions by intelligence officials and allow visitation by the agency. It would require strategic interrogations to be videotaped.

Price also wants to close the detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and direct the president to set up a detention system that, Price says, does not breed future terrorists.

"What we've been doing for the last seven years simply hasn't worked," Price said. "We need an approach that combines principled leadership with results, and that's what this bill offers."

The bill is co-sponsored by nine other House Democrats, including U.S. Reps. Brad Miller of Raleigh and Mel Watt of Charlotte.

Kal (not Kumar) coming to N.C.

Kal Penn is coming to North Carolina.

The Indian-American actor will make stops in Charlotte, Winston-Salem, Elon and Durham this weekend for the Barack Obama campaign.

In case you've never heard of him, the Obama campaign provided this brief bio:

Kal Penn currently stars in the FOX television show House, and he has also appeared on the television shows 24 and Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, and in movies such as National Lampoon’s Van Wilder and The Namesake. Kal Penn has campaigned for Senator Obama in numerous states, speaking about his belief in Senator Obama's ability to bring about change.

Still not sure who he is? Um, how about "Kumar" from the movie "Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle" and its recent sequel "Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay"?

Given that the movies are the Gen-Y equivalent to Cheech & Chong (with a few jokes at the expense of Homeland Security in the second for good measure), it's not surprising that Obama failed to mention them.  

Separation (of powers) agreement?

John Edwards said he would like a little less power, if elected.

At a town hall meeting in Tilton, N.H., the former North Carolina senator said that President Bush has overreached while in office, hurting the historical separation of powers.

"We've seen the most dramatic expansion of executive power in our lifetimes under this president," he said.

He said he would restore transparency to presidential decision-making, end the use of signing statements to amend laws, stop "illegal spying" on American citizens, close the Guantanamo Bay detention camp and prohibit torture.

"I understand that there are three branches of the federal government," he said, to a burst of applause.

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