President Obama is sitting on the horns of a dilemma.

[kentuck]

The NSA debate is a no-win for the President.

If he acknowledges there are problems within the NSA and intelligence organizations, there is the likelihood that the story will explode into a full-blown scandal.

If they ignore it or attempt to minimize it, it could drip-drip-drip until it forces the political opposition to ask for an investigation.

If the latter were to happen, it could distract the American voters from everything else with an upcoming election. With the blame and finger-pointing all directed at the White House, it could help the right-wing extremists take over the Senate and further neutralize the Obama agenda. It could be a devastating blow for our Party and our country.

So, the President is sitting in a very precarious position. What should he do? Perhaps fire Clapper and Alexander and try to get the story behind him? Or just continue paddling the boat down the river of denial? There may be less time to make a decision than we realize?

[Fire Walk With Me]

1. Throw the bum out and vote for Warren/Sanders. It's too late for Obama

but presenting a positive choice NOW would go a long way with the American people. Obama is far too complicit with the NSA and surveillance state to survive, and this is as it should be. Such monstrosity must be eliminated no matter which party is in office supporting it.

[bunnies]

3. Sounds like youre advocating for impeachment...

are you?

[Fire Walk With Me]

6. He and all involved are blatantly unConstitutional and deserve indefinite detention with neither

trial nor representation, just like the NDAA section 1021 Obama twice signed, and then sent lawyers to reinstate after Chris Hedges et al. sued him over it and got it struck down as unConstitutional (which it is). Doesn't this destroy the 4th and 6th Amendments in a single blow? From a Constitutional scholar?

Good for the goose, good for the gander. You DO have a problem with the blatantly illegal long-term surveillance of US citizens, yes?

[bunnies]

9. I appreciate your honesty. nt

[Fire Walk With Me]

12. I'm not here to be popular (obviously). I voted for Obama, then he went way off the charts

on these matters and more. I value the Constitution and the founding principles of this country, and will call bullshit on ANYONE who attacks them.

[Cali_Democrat]

13. You think Obama deserves to be detained?

Jailed?

[Cali_Democrat]

7. How do you propose throwing Obama out?

Just curious.

[Cooley Hurd]

2. I still have a fear that the President has a proverbial gun to his head...

...and that he cannot do otherwise for fear that he could "go the way of JFK" if he deviates from the script (i.e. the NSA/CIA has been threatening him). I just don't think he's the Authoritarian type. Call it a "vibe".

[Fire Walk With Me]

8. Then he is a coward and worthless to the citizens of this country. Manning and Snowden are

heroes in comparison.

[Cooley Hurd]

11. Self-preservation, and the preservation of one's family is not cowardly.

Manning and Snowden are both to be commended for coming forth, but they aren't surrounded by a bunch of guys with guns on a 24/7 basis.

On edit, Manning certainly is, come to think about it.

[BlueCheese]

4. I don't see this as a partisan issue.

Most Republican leaders sound quite happy with what the NSA is doing. Some more libertarian-minded ones are against, but didn't the Amash-Conyers amendment get more votes from Democrats than Republicans?

[DirkGently]

5. The plan appears to be "Speak loudly and carry a soft stick."

[leftstreet]

10. No, he's sitting on a lawn chair vacationing

He needs to A) stop talking B) charge Clapper with perjury

He needs to STOP making statements and START making it at least look like he's taking action

[Autumn]

14. I think we need an investigation.

This whole NSA thing is a serious, dangerous problem.

[Demo_Chris]

22. I agree. nt

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

15. Appoint an independent special prosecuter to investigate the NSA/CIA/et al with full powers.

So far, they've muddied the waters so thoroughly that what's needed is someone(s) who can get past all the whimpers of "National Security", congressional CYA, and past the lies, to get at the truth.

Or, a lot more whistle blowers to open the windows and turn on the lights.

[Autumn]

19. ^^^^THIS^^^^^

Something must be done. Now.

[Hydra]

16. He put himself in this pickle

He managed to look innocent until he decided to back Clapper and the NSA without reservation.

Before that, he could have sacrificed Clapper and then said he was going to clean house. That would have fixed it, even if the clean up was faked.

[NoOneMan]

17. Pretend to fix it with some symbolic tinkering

Ya know, worked for the financial sector

[bemildred]

18. I concur. nt

[KoKo]

20. If he cared he'd be ALL OVER THIS...Fire Clapper, Alexander...and get Holder

out there finding out who stopped the NSA AUDIT from getting to the Senate Intelligence Committee and he'd get this STUFF CLEANED UP on EXECUTIVE ORDER.

Instead "PBO" is acting similar to NIXON who had John Mitchell (sychophant) as his Attorney General...and the Damned thing played out for months ...and Nixon was Eventually Impeached...but, never served time (Like the Wall Street Crooks) and the Broom swept clean and he was "Outta There."

PBO should have read more HISTORY when he was in College and at Harvard getting his Law Degree. He seems to not have a sense of what Presidents went through before him.

That's worrysome. Particularly since what he's involved in SMACKS of NIXON with this Sychophant Attorney General...John Mitchell.

Don't want to live through that horror again. Obama needs to "GET HIS ACT TOGETHER" or he will put America through a HORROR that NONE of us EVER WANT TO SEE AGAIN!

[mike_c]

21. he should command the high road and become the public face of opposition...

...to the NSA and the "war on terrorism." He should work hard and very transparently to dismantle the security state. THAT is how he could turn this into a win.