Obama Speaking Now About NSA, Verizon, Spying

On Fox. Apparently he's already burned a strawman.

He claimed that when he was speaking a few weeks ago about striking the proper balance in the war on terror he meant this. Implication: I sorta did tell you about it, you know.

Then he proceeds to swipe at the right for being interested in this, saying that we we weren't interested in it five years ago, and that it's "mature" that we now are.

Speaking of people who once had different opinions on this but whose views have "matured"...

He meant to leave but someone asked a question and he stayed to answer it. The question was about leaks. He's now gone off on a tangent, effectively blaming Congress, saying they are "fully briefed" and "empowered" to object if there's anything objectionable.

In fact that's false. As Glenn Greenwald noted the other night, Congress may be "briefed" but they're also not permitted to reveal anything they're briefed about. He had a good word for it, which I sadly forget, striking at the idea that they are involuntarily conscripted into being false supporters in such things, as they do not, in fact, have any liberty to discuss it or object openly.

Senator Ron Wyden made this point a few weeks ago.

posted by Ace at 12:19 PM

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