Snowden, a fool not a spy according to Jonah Goldberg (ugh)

[mimi85]

One thing that comes through in former National Security Agency contract employee Edward Snowden's remarks so far is his affection for a set of ideals that rises above nations.

It would make things so much easier for everyone if Edward Snowden were working for China.

And that's certainly a possibility. His decision to flee to Hong Kong — a Chinese vassal — was an odd one, given that China is hardly a bulwark of transparency and civil rights. It's a bit like complaining that Boston is too Catholic and then moving to Vatican City in protest.

Then there's the nature of the crime itself. Informed sources I've spoken with are generally aghast by what they say is the scope of information Snowden stole, material some believe he couldn't have gotten by himself. That doesn't mean he's the Manchurian IT Guy, but it does cause some to wonder whether he had help — and from where.

.............

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-goldberg-edward-snowden-nsa-20130618,0,3098423.column

[Cooley Hurd]

1. "A fool, not a spy..." kinda like Jonah's mom, Lucianne.

http://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/An-Affair-to-Remember-Goldberg-upset-over-LBJ-2784391.php

[railsback]

2. The most awesome thing about all of this

is that now a country like China knows what to look for when spying on us, while we're in the dark as to what methods their using. I couldn't be happier.

[sabrina 1]

3. Jonah Goldberg soon to be hero to some on the 'left' joining, King, Cheney, Clapper,

Boehner and a whole host of right wingers.

They say you can tell as much about a man by his enemies as by his friends.

So old Jonah is still 'catapulting the propaganda' for his bosses. Note his use of the insinuations re China. I guess they thought that would be a good one, since the ballerina and the boxes didn't have much impact.

Note also that those catapulting the China insinuations haven't produced a shred of evidence and since Snowden was asked and answered that question, all we have are a whole lot of the usual suspects on the right, defending Bush's surveillance state, using the exact same 'talking points'. So what are we to think?

I know what I think of Jonah Goldberg, his mother, their friends and party affiliations, Dick Cheney, Peter King, Clapper, Bush, and has Karl Rove weighed in yet?

[randome]

6. It is not at all easy to agree with Goldberg.

I think I'm going to...to...

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[font color="blue"][center]Stop looking for heroes. BE one.[/center][/font]
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[sabrina 1]

7. Does this mean you are beginning to move over to the right side? It has to be hard to

see all those in your corner, Cheney? Fleischer? Seriously, how much more do you need? hi:

[KittyWampus]

8. you've got teabaggers and Ron Paul in your "corner". This line of reasoning is childish to the

extreme.

[sabrina 1]

11. I've got no tea baggers on my side. Care to name a few? They are rabid against Snowden

right now, for that alone it is almost worth it.

On the side of democracy since you mentioned sides, (I was kidding with my buddy Randome just fyi) I have Ron Wyden, Alan Grayson, Jerry Nadler, Bernie Sanders, The ACLU, EFF and a whole host of Civil Liberties Orgs, John Conyers among others. But most of all, I have the US Constitution to refer back to whenever there is any doubt about the law.

[randome]

14. And Al Franken says Snowden is wrong.

I agree with the point being made that all this about Snowden crosses ideological boundaries.

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[font color="blue"][center]You should never stop having childhood dreams.[/center][/font]
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[Life Long Dem]

15. Tea Party on NSA Snooping: We Told You Not to Trust Big Government!

But almost as outrageous to many Tea Partiers as the NSA snooping itself has been the lack of outrage by Republican leaders.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/06/13/tea-party-on-nsa-snooping-we-told-you-not-to-trust-big-government.html



Don't say teabaggers are not on your side. For all I know, you could be a teabagger.

[snooper2]

16. Rush and Hannity aren't teabaggers

learn something new every day

[Life Long Dem]

17. I'd want to be on the other side of Rush, Beck, Hannity, and the Teabaggers myself

Some say I'm on the side of James Clapper because he was nominated by Bush.

Yet they dismiss this nomination.

On June 5, 2010, President Barack Obama nominated Clapper to replace Dennis C. Blair as United States Director of National Intelligence. Then that must make him a Democrat.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_R._Clapper

And all I said was "I believe there was a misunderstanding of the word "collection".

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/intel-dir-james-clapper-lie-congress-complicated/story?id=19390786#.UcDMm5zNlA0

[randome]

10. Hardly. If Bush, Jr. said something I considered true, I would accept it.

Now if Anthony Weiner said "It wasn't me!" I would probably not believe that. Conservative or Progressive, I don't care.

Goldberg's piece is just an opinion but one I happen to agree with so there's not much point in debating facts with him.

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[font color="blue"][center]You should never stop having childhood dreams.[/center][/font]
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[sabrina 1]

12. Aw, well, really I'm not surprised. You generally do come down on the side of those who supported

and initiated Bush's policies. So I guess you did agree with Bush after all. I can't eg, remember a single thing that Bush was ever right about, even though I didn't hate him the way others did, there was just nothing I could ever agree with him on.

[randome]

13. I can't think of a good thing to say about Bush, Jr., either! So my point was purely hypothetical!

[hr]
[font color="blue"][center]You should never stop having childhood dreams.[/center][/font]
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[bornskeptic]

18. So you're opposed to comprehensive immigration reform?

Why?

[sabrina 1]

20. Aren't you in the wrong thread? The topic is Jonah Goldberg calling anyone else in the world,

'a fool'! I am a Democrat, I support Democratic values and principles so why do you ask me a question about something democrats generally agree on?

So you don't support the 4th Amendment?

See how that works?

[Monkie]

21. not rove, but i raise, John Boltons editorial in the guardian

you couldnt make it up, the guardian did their "fair and balanced" thing, and got ridiculed for it in the comments, it might not be suitable reading for democrats with a weak stomach.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/jun/18/edward-snowden-leaks-grave-threat

Edward Snowden's leaks are a grave threat to US national security

Whatever his grandiose claims, the NSA leaker has betrayed his country by gifting China moral equivalence for its cyber warfare

[marions ghost]

4. I think it's great he is in China

the irony the irony

The conspiracy theorists are having a field day...

Working for the Chinese--why would he do that? Makes no sense. He's against totalitarian governments.

[Comrade Grumpy]

5. If Goldberg is agin' him, I'm fer him.

[bemildred]

9. Goldberg calling anybody a fool is pretty rich. nt

[reformist2]

22. Well, it does take one to know one...

[Whisp]

19. '''material some believe he couldn't have gotten by himself.''' n/t