“The detainee bill signed by President Bush today is not consistent with America’s values. It is wide open to constitutional challenges, a serious flaw that could essentially hand terrorists a get-out-of-jail-free card. It fails to honor our international commitments, a problem that generals agree could put our troops at further risk if they are captured.

“Republican leaders must lack faith in the strength and endurance of our nation if they believe we aren’t strong enough to fight terrorists and preserve our long-held values at the same time. We are strong enough.

“In a democracy, real leaders aren’t afraid to have people disagree with them. But Dennis Hastert and John Boehner, who are afraid that people might see things differently than they do, are not real leaders. We have committed thousands of lives and hundreds of billions of dollars to bringing democracy to Iraq and Afghanistan, only to have Republican leaders attempt to stamp out democratic debate here at home.

“The despicable comments made by Hastert and Boehner over the last month have shown just how little regard they have for a healthy democracy. Because of this, they are not fit to hold their respective offices.

“Republicans have failed to make America safer. First they resisted the creation of the bipartisan 9/11 Commission, and now they refuse to fully implement the Commission’s recommendations. And they allowed George Bush to take his eye off of North Korea’s nuclear program to instead fight an unjustified war in Iraq.

“It is time for a new direction in this country. We have to use every tool at our disposal to keep the country safe while preserving the values that we have cherished for 230 years. Democrats would implement all of the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission, because we believe that keeping the American people safe is our most solemn responsibility – not a campaign slogan.”

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