White House Tried To Interfere With Washington Post's Report, And To Change Quotes From NSA

[kpete]

White House Tried To Interfere With Washington Post's Report, And To Change Quotes From NSA

Among the many, many incredible revelations from the Washington Post report on the abuses by the NSA is a tidbit about an interview that the Post was able to do with the NSA's director of compliance, John DeLong, followed by the White House's attempt to completely whitewash the interview and block his quotes from being used, despite the Post being told otherwise initially:

The Obama administration referred all questions for this article to John DeLong, the NSA’s director of compliance, who answered questions freely in a 90-minute interview. DeLong and members of the NSA communications staff said he could be quoted “by name and title” on some of his answers after an unspecified internal review. The Post said it would not permit the editing of quotes. Two days later, White House and NSA spokesmen said that none of DeLong’s comments could be quoted on the record and sent instead a prepared statement in his name. The Post declines to accept the substitute language as quotations from DeLong.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/nsa-statements-to-the-post/2013/08/15/f40dd2c4-05d6-11e3-a07f-49ddc7417125_story.html

Read that again. This is the same White House that has been saying that they want to be as transparent as possible and to rebuild trust. And yet, here they are trying to block the Post from using an interview -- an interview they suggested in the first place -- and then to replace it with a bland and bogus "statement."

http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130816/01314924200/white-house-tried-to-interfere-with-washington-posts-report-to-change-quotes-nsa.shtml

[Autumn]

1. It's all getting so ridiculous.

Weasel words and bullshit. That's all we the people get.

[bemildred]

3. It's getting desperate. nt

[roguevalley]

8. very nixonian to do this kind of crap

[Eddie Haskell]

2. If you care to look, the lies are transparent.

[Fire Walk With Me]

4. NDAA: It is legal for the government to lie to your face.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023438872

So much for "transparency and the rule of law will be the touchstones of this administration."

Good intentional mockery, though.

[bvar22]

5. What they say...vs...What they do.

Two different worlds.



You will know them by their [font size=3]WORKS,[/font]
not by their speeches, promises, or excuses.

[geek tragedy]

6. Government tries to spin every story, not sure why people expect otherwise, nt

[Hydra]

10. Shall we lower the bar for them some more?

They're still tripping over it.

[Civilization2]

13. Big difference between spin and active cover-up,. "least untruthful" indeed.

free and open society, a democracy,. is that what we see???

[woo me with science]

7. Lies, lies, manipulation, intimidation, and more lies.

Most transparent administration in history, my ass.

[last1standing]

9. The repubs wanted their scandal and now they may have it.

Five years of bullshit faux scandals couldn't take Obama down, but if he doesn't change course and denounce these actions, this one real scandal may just do it.

[Hydra]

11. Not likely

This is a Republican program the President is protecting. More than half backed him up on the Amash/Conyers amendment, which would have been a good time to shove a knife in his back.

They'd rather it be a blowjob or something equally embarrassing. Maybe being President while Black.

[last1standing]

12. Obamacare was substantially written by the Heritage Foundation.

And don't forget that Amash is an extreme right winger.

The repubs don't care who's program it is, they just want to bring down the Democratic president. Just like they're willing to call a right wing insurance program "socialist," they'll have no problem calling a right wing domestic spy program "1984 redux." This isn't about ideology, it's about power and I believe the repubs are seeing a soft spot.

[Hydra]

24. They don't object to Obamacare

They just loved that he put their program in place, and they get to take credit for voting against it if it fails. Why the President thought he could reach a happy little consensus with a bunch of snakes is beyond me.

Regarding Amash, there are some Republicans that don't agree with Constitutional shredding. The fact that it's a Dem doing it makes it easier, just as if it were a Repub in the WH we'd have an easier time of it on our side.

The MIC Repubs will quietly work to shore up the President on this. After all, it's their powers they are defending. Clapper certainly isn't a Dem, and the next President is unlikely to be one either.

[Tiredofthesame]

14. I personally

don't put it past them to change their tune and start talking impeachment. IMO

[Hydra]

27. Welcome to DU!

And friendly bet- the Repubs main party has had plenty of chances to bite the President on this issue, and the usual blowhards are surprisingly quiet.

They want this program in place for the next Bush. Impeachment for real crimes is a dangerous precedent- needs to be a blowjob or a pocket full of skittles.

[Tiredofthesame]

32. Good point. I'll skip the wager. Haha

[FiveGoodMen]

19. The fact that our Democratic president is betraying all of us is much worse

than the fact that it may help the GOP betray us next.

[last1standing]

25. I can't disagree with that.

n/t

[Doctor_J]

15. remember when you voted for change?

His presidency has gone completely off the rails.

[no1uno]

16. Apparently lost...

WTF! Have I crossed over and ended up on a repugnut website?

[WilliamPitt]

17. Facts are stubborn things.

[LondonReign2]

20. It appears that only thing that has crossed over is our President

[AgingAmerican]

23. Of course

...because the Republicans are so anti-authoritarian.

[East Coast Pirate]

18. But wait,

Assinage likes Ron Paul and nothing else matters.

[Chuuku Davis]

21. I had high hopes in 08

Now crushed
Now officially no longer an Obama fan
Will I get banned here?

[BobbyBoring]

22. I can't believe

That none of the Obama defenders have weighed in. Is this the last straw????????????

[1awake]

26. is this

IS this the last straw???????

Ha ha ha ha ha ha. Sorry, not laughing at you, just that will never happen.

[Hydra]

28. Actually, some surprising breaks in ranks the last few weeks

It may come down to the queen of them all holding the line by herself, though.

[last1standing]

29. All ten of her?

n/t

[1awake]

30. I may need a break for a bit,

The people that are touting "that" line here... I would be banned if I ever posted what I think about them. I expect it from Right wingers but.... doesn't matter. I hope your right, truly.

[Hydra]

33. I didn't have much hope

But I popped into one of the threads of someone I should have had on my ignore list since day one...and he'd seen the light! After I got done picking my jaw off the floor, I decided that everyone can change except the ones who are directly benefiting from it.

Restored my faith in the common man, it did

[cantbeserious]

31. When First We Practice To Deceive - Oh The Wicked Web We Weave

eom