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How about asking some hard questions instead of tossing softballs? For instance, why wasn't Keith Alexander confronted by the fact that he lied to Congress and
by wyclif 13y ago
How about asking some hard questions instead of tossing softballs? For instance, why wasn't Keith Alexander confronted by the fact that he lied to Congress and the FISA courts? But no, that would have cut into their driveby on Snowden. Did you know that Edward Snowden kicks puppies? &c.
I watched the interview and it was a real puff piece. Last week, 60 Minutes doled out advertising to Amazon. This week, they did it for NSA.
- res0nat0r 13y agoThe lying to Congress issues aren't so black and white as I mentioned in another thread. Here is a writeup about Clapper: > There is an added wrinkle here, however, is that it is not clear to me whether Clapper could have given a direct (and truthful) answer in a public hearing, as such an answer would have required him to disclose the existence of a then-classified government program. Even a non-answer or evasion could have revealed the existence of operations the NSA was trying to keep secret. http://www.volokh.com/2013/06/11/did-james-clapper-lie-to-congress/ http://www.volokh.com/2013/06/11/did-james-clapper-lie-to-co...
- mrobot 13y agoWell, maybe they should have touched on it, then. I wonder why they didn't!
- lemming 13y agoHe could have said "I can't comment on that in a public forum".
- growupkids 13y agoI think that might where the miscommunication comes in with lay people. Commenting at all would confirm the existence of a classified program. That's the rule everyone is taught when you get read in. You're taught to never divulge. So whereas a case could be made that this program was illegal, the fact that it's classified means it's next to impossible to comment at all about it in a public forum. So, you lie As far as lying to congress, I seem to recall that both parties leaders trotted out to say that all was well, and that this is done to keep us all safe. It's hard to claim anyone was lied to when it seems the intelligence committees and leaders in both houses knew full well what was going on. Does anyone really believe these highly connected politicians didn't know? It's just seems like political convenience for congress to continue that meme, when the intelligence committees seem to have know exactly what was going on. Maybe I'm just jaded, but I suspect the politicians knew and are more than happy to throw anyone else under the bus. Otherwise, if they'd didn't know, then why haven't they done anything?
- mrobot 13y agoDoes anyone really believe these highly connected politicians didn't know? Doesn't hiding the details of the program protect it from those who would oppose it? Wouldn't some effort be expended there?
- betterunix 13y ago"It's hard to claim anyone was lied to" His statements are on the Congressional Record. That means he lied to everyone in the world, since the record is public.
- rhizome 13y agoSo, you lie And, presumably honorably, take the consequences for hiding an illegal program.
- TheCondor 13y agoHow does it change this that he was given the questions ahead of time? He is not a low level employes, he has the ears of people at the highest levels and could have requested a closed hearing. He probably could have asked the president to request one. Was this an orchestrated lie? If there wasn't a policy change to acknowledge the program, it would be closed.
- vinceguidry 13y agoI would've been happy with any treatment of parallel construction. They seemed to avoid that like it was puppy-killing. Which, it probably is as bad.