Fourth Amendment protections against unwarranted search and seizure, for instance, did not apply in the United States as long as the president was combatting terrorism, the Justice Department said in an Oct. 23, 2001, memo.
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"First Amendment speech and press rights may also be subordinated to the overriding need to wage war successfully," Deputy Assistant Attorney General John Yoo wrote, adding later: "The current campaign against terrorism may require even broader exercises of federal power domestically."

On Sept. 25, 2001, Yoo discussed possible changes to the laws governing wiretaps for intelligence gathering. In that memo, he said the government's interest in keeping the nation safe following the terrorist attacks might justify warrantless searches.

That memo did not specifically attempt to justify the government's warrantless wiretapping program, but it provided part of the foundation.

"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both"- Ben Franklin

"If the president does something, it's not illegal." Richard Nixon

Wonder which one Bush believes in? Just a hunch, but I'm thinking, Nixon...

Cheney is the real pusher of the Imperial Presidency gambit. It merely fit Bush bullying character to go with the flow.