"Not Above the Law"

Hello, I’m Charlotte Bellis, and you’re watching Newsy.com.

U.S. President Barack Obama has announced he is open to the prosecution of Bush administration officials who authorized harsh interrogation policies that critics have called torture.

“Under pressure from Congress and outside critics. Today President Obama for the first time left open the possibility that Bush administration lawyers could be prosecuted.” -NBC

“He’s giving a green light to a probe into who drew up those torture tactics.” -MSNBC

“That message directly contradicted what the White House had been saying the President believes.” -ABC

“The president’s comments contradict what two of his top advisers said.” -FOX News

“The question is just what changed?” -CNN

FOX News reports Chief of Staff Rahm Emmanuel said prosecution was out of the question just this weekend:

“Those who devised the policy, he believe that they shouldn’t be prosecuted either.” -Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel

MSNBC brings us White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, who faced a barrage of questions from reporters asking whether this signals a policy change:

“To clear up any confusion I would point you to what the president said. Did he have a change of heart? No he was asked, and discussed the rule of law. No one is above the rule of law.” -White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs

Did the President always intend to leave open the possibility of prosecution?

Here’s what he told ABC’s George Stephanolopous in January:

“My instinct is to make sure we’re doing the right thing in looking forward. That doesn’t mean someone who has broken the law is above the law.“ -U.S. President Barack Obama

An editorial in the San Francisco Chronicle advises against an investigation, urging Obama to just move forward:

“Americans should not use truth commissions and political show trials to settle old scores, even if it would - in this case - give the Bush-haters some perverse satisfaction.” (San Francisco Chronicle)

The Young Turks suggests regardless of whether Obama changed his stance, where to go from here is out of his control:

“If he covers up the violation of law and doesn’t prosecute, then he’s on the hook for it. If the Attorney General says this is violation of law, what’s Obama supposed to say? No, don’t prosecute it? He really had no choice.” (The Young Turks)

What do you think about President Obama’s announcement? Does it represent a policy change or not? Does it matter?