UPDATE: Nadler walked back his comments in a statement to BuzzFeed on Sunday.

[Tx4obama]

-snip-

Update Rep. Nadler in a statement to BuzzFeed says: “I am pleased that the administration has reiterated that, as I have always believed, the NSA cannot listen to the content of Americans’ phone calls without a specific warrant.”

http://www.buzzfeed.com/andrewkaczynski/video-congressman-claims-he-was-told-government-could-listen

-snip-

UPDATE: Nadler walked back his comments in a statement to BuzzFeed on Sunday. “I am pleased that the administration has reiterated that, as I have always believed, the NSA cannot listen to the content of Americans’ phone calls without a specific warrant," he said.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/15/nsa-phone-calls-warrant_n_3448299.html

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. And hearings were called for

Yawn. Toothpaste is out of the tube.

Hayden had it right, for once, not sustainable politically.

They know it's out.

We live in a police state...yup, those words have been on my tv today.

[RobertEarl]

5. Cannot... legally

But they most certainly can listen to any thing the NSA wants. That's their job. That's why we give the NSA billions.

I remember back years ago when the news first broke. The statement at the time was that the NSA only listened to stuff that came from foreign countries. Foreign, like oh, say, Canada.

The neat trick was that all communications were routed via high speed lines that went into Canada. Therefore all coms in the US were foreign!

And Obama hasn't lifted a finger to alter any of that. That's why all the Obama people are in such an uproar. Obama has let them down. And they can't believe it!

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. They are not in an uproar

It's my team right or wrong.

[RobertEarl]

8. Are you kidding?

They are running around with their hair on fire, saying the NSA can't tap phones. Which is a lie, the NSA can and does tap phones. Any phone, any time.

[Tx4obama]

10. No, the NSA can NOT 'wiretap' a phone without a warrent. You're thinking about how it was under Bush

not under Obama.

[RobertEarl]

12. Bwahaha

And some people wonder how they get away with tapping our phones.

You are all the evidence we need. The hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil, about Obama and Big Brother, is how they can get away with tapping phones.

[Tx4obama]

18. I do not know why they are wondering about that, we know how.

A judge signs a Court Order for a phone to be wiretapped when probable cause is shown.

It's no mystery and it is not illegal when gone through the proper channels.

Now if you're talking about the storage of meta-data (not conversations) that is also currently legal.

There is a big difference between what folks think should or should not be done and the reality of what is actually allowable under law.

[cascadiance]

21. So do you want a criminal in government to look at EVERY call all investigative journalists make?

... and every email, and every text, etc.? If a person in government has access to this "harmless" metadata, it would allow them in effect to SHUT DOWN a free press. Is that democracy? NOT THE F' IN MY BOOK!!! Chris Hedges noted this earlier too in an interview in Democracy Now. You can rationalize all you want about some things being "legal", even if they were ILLEGAL not too many years before a lot of this CORRUPT legislation like the Patriot Act and others following it have in effect DEREGULATED our "intelligence factories", and to have the rules ready for the time when the massive data mine storage facility is fully operational in Utah, and they can take the gloves off and have a real police state, where no one dares question the government or put themselves on the radar at all if they don't want to "disappear".

And don't forget it was just a short time ago that Senator Wyden had asked those testifying in the senate if ANY data gathering was being done with the American public, and the person perjured himself and LIED when he said "No!". If they lied then about not collecting any data, why do you choose to believe them now that they aren't collecting more than metadata as well? Hearings need to be had, and we need explanations for this earlier outright PERJURY that no one seems to want to take issue with, and that journalists are too afraid to ask people about, and those in government are too afraid to talk about.

We are on the verge of being a police state, and those that continue to support the rationalizations out there now, and the targeted character assassinations are aiding and abetting this happening. You'll only have yourselves to blame later for helping this happen.

A lot of what constitutes a warrant under FISA now wouldn't be made a warrant in earlier sets of laws. Groups of people now can be targeted with searches and not just individuals (the way that laws used to be written). And showing cause for why they should be spied upon is a lot looser in definition now too.

[SkyDaddy7]

34. Thanks!

I had read an article (Which I can't find now) the other day not long after Nadler said what he did & the article pointed out that Nadler must have seriously misunderstood the NSA briefing...Turns out that was the case. However, you are NEVER going to convince those here on DU who want so badly for the Obama administration to be OUT OF CONTROL so they can raise hell...It is no different than trying to convince a Tea Bagger that the science of anthropogenic climate change is real...Or that Romney was going to lose the election. Complete mental block in order to hold the views they want to be true.

Again, thanks for all the work you do here on DU!!!

[nadinbrzezinski]

11. As I said my team right or wrong

If this was oh 2007...they'd be leading the outrage parade. What they are trying, and it's not working, is to put the toothpaste back since ...well, here is an old Soviet Russia joke that applies here.

A child went to class and said to the teacher, last might a litter f kittens was born, and all were communists. The teacher was impressed as to how loyal this child was, and she told the principal, who told the head of the local directorate of the party and all the way to Ioseph Stalin himself.

The Chairman of the Central committee was impressed and invited this child to Moscow. So Stalin asked the child about the kittens. And the child smiled...ten days ago ten kittens were born, but only two remain communists.

But ten days ago you said all were communists, Stalin asked.

Yes, but since eight have opened their eyes.

We are those kittens, and they are desperately trying to make us close our eyes. And there are variations of this joke from many other police states.

[SidDithers]

2. DURec...nt

Sid

[BeyondGeography]

3. You called it

So much for Saturday night fever...

[rhett o rick]

4. He made a statement that the WH told him everything was fine. He didnt "walk back anything".

And this is a duplicate post.

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. Nope, it's a new talking point

[Tx4obama]

9. Dupes are allowed in GD & my OP is not an exact dupe of any other thread - so what's your point?

[Cali_Democrat]

13. They're mad this story has been debunked

Ruined a perfectly good poutrage. Some are still clinging on though.

[Tx4obama]

14. The CNET article was pretty much debunked last night too but not many wanted to accept that fact.

I sorta thought when Nadler walked back his comments folks would finally accept it, but I guess I assumed wrong

It's funny how folks (all over the internet last night) were basically saying that Nadler is a guy that can't be pushed around,
then today some are saying that the White House is forced him to change his tune.
I think it's hilarious.

I wish folks would stick to proven facts and not believe a first article that comes out regarding any issue before there is evidence the article is true or not - it would be a lot more sane around here

Even the CNET article yesterday said that Nadler wasn't available for a comment - that should have clued folks in that CNET never even talked to Nadler.

[RobertEarl]

15. I am mad

But this story has not been debunked.

I am mad that we actually have DUers obfuscating the truth.

All this time, I figured from all the efforts of a great many DUers, that the edumacation(sic) sunk in and we all understood that Obama has the power to tap our phones and he isn't doing anything to put a halt to it.

Alas, it is not so. Too many still think Obama is some perfect saint.

[BeyondGeography]

16. And you think he's lying through his teeth

You think an agenda-driven pseudo-journalist and a narcissistic runaway child speak with more credibility than Barack Obama.

And we're the dopes.

Got it.

[RobertEarl]

20. No. Obama never lies!

Especially when it comes to our security.

Thing is... NSA is capable of tapping. Do you believe that? Or am I lying?

[Dragonfli]

22. They do appear to believe he never lies and take it on as their mission to indoctrinate others.

Obama's faultless! He's our man!
Haters Racists understand,
He's never done a thing that's bad!
For he's the best we've ever had!

He walks on water YES HE CAN!
He's so much more than just a man!

He watches us when we're asleep
protecting us from thoughts that creep.
He sends his drones do do God's work,
The children killed are just a perk.

He walks on water YES HE CAN!
He's so much more than just a man!

He loves the banker common man.
Appoints the ones that understand
That greed is good and jail is bad
For he's the best we've ever had!

He walks on water YES HE CAN!
He's so much more than just a man!

His wars are just, his coal is clean,
Haters racists just can't glean
The brilliant chess we all have seen.
They all just hate him 'cause they're mean!

He walks on water YES HE CAN!
He's so much more than just a man!

[RobertEarl]

24. Now they've gone and done it haven't they?

For awhile I was content to let Obama slide and focus on the NSA and Bush.

But the more falsehoods they claimed; like that Obama would not tap my phone, the more I considered that Obama supports tapping my phone.

Hmmm... which now has come around to my not allowing Obama to slide.

I want to thank them for propelling me to this new stance: Obama is the only one can can do anything about the NSA tapping my phone and if he doesn't make them quit, screw him. He's no good.

They have failed to protect Obama. Completely and utterly failed.

[Tx4obama]

17. I do not understand why folks are refusing to see the truth.

The CNET article was not 'sourced'.

The CNET article was written from what Nadler said in the taped hearing. And he did NOT say in the hearing that NSA told him phone conversations were being listened to without a warrant.

CNET got their story wrong.

CNET even said in their article they didn't talk to Nadler - the article states that Nadler was unavailable for a comment.

If you want to talk about 'truth' then ALL the truth needs to be looked at.

[Major Hogwash]

19. You are fantastic!

There is just no other way to say it.

[cantbeserious]

28. Well Cali - My Suspicions Are Now Even Greater - The Retraction Is Too Swift And Timely

Do I Trust The Obama Administration - no more than any other politician that accepts money from corporate paymasters like Booze, Allen and Hamilton.

[Cali_Democrat]

30. Ah yes. So your suspicions are actually greater now

And if Nadler didn't offer a retraction and instead came out and confirmed that they engage warrantless wiretapping, your suspicions would be less?



I cannot even begin to tell you how much DU has made me laugh the last two weeks.

[cantbeserious]

31. Glad That You Are In Stitches About The Death Of The 4th Amendment To the US Constitution

eom

[burnodo]

33. What did Nadler retract?

[Logical]

35. They are allowed. But still really silly. n-t

[GoneFishin]

23. " ... I am pleased that the administration has reiterated that ..."

Well, there it is in print.

The administration absolutely, definitely, positively "reiterated" it.

[sigmasix]

25. boo hoo why doesn't anyone wanna listen to ODS ravings?

The Cnet article was so very important to many teabagger sock puppets and ODS "outrage" pushers. When they call us "Obama Lovers" you know that they really want to replace the first word with a more colorful expression.
I'm sick of watching teabaggers and ODS sickos try to use DU as a launch-pad for attacks on the democratically elected president of the United States of America.
These attacks on his character and patriotism are nothing new, the accusers are just wearing different disguises.
They cling tenaciously to the worst stories and associations about the president, even when thier paranoid conclusions are proven to be false and damaging to our country and represent real danger for our brave military and intelligence personell.
All that matters to them is that thier fears be legitamized and the narrative of "Obama wants to spy on every American" be given the seal of truth. Truth involves more than sensationalistic "journalism" and scary assertions.
Is the present state of affairs surrounding intelligence gathering perfect? No. Does this imperfection prove Obama is trying to spy on every American? Only if you suffer from ODS or value the opinion of Teabaggers.

[cantbeserious]

26. A Strong Arm Has Been Played - One Wonders What Pound Of Flesh Was Extracted For The Retraction

eom

[Benton D Struckcheon]

27. So that's the clarification Nadler wanted

This controversy's done. Next...

[RobertEarl]

29. Clarified

No walk back

Don't believe the DU press.

That would be the DU press that claims Obama doesn't lie.

What Nadler said was that he was told the NSA taps any phone they want.

That is true.

What Nadler is saying now is that Obama has told him it is not legal for the NSA to tap any phone the NSA wants to tap.

Both statements are true. No walk back.

[Thinkingabout]

32. Tx4obama, i think i am reading some tone deaf posts, Snowden who thinks he might be a

Hero but he will not be a hero to me. The ability to wiretap has been available, even before Snowden was born so this is not news. I feel sure if the Patriot Act is challenged in court it will be ruled constitutional and it does have oversight checks. I did not like order issued previously with the warrants but it is different now. Everything can be abused as proven with Snowden copying file and revealing them to foreign medias.

[Tx4obama]

36. I'm ready for the republicans/libertarians to come out with a new fake story so we can move on...

from this one

[Cha]

37. Ooops! Cooler heads Prevail..

A blockbuster article published by CNET Saturday night alleges that the National Security Agency has the power to listen to Americans' phone calls without a warrant.

That bold assertion lit up social media, but also drew skepticism, with many arguing that it seemed to be based on a misunderstanding.

Thanks Tx