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1 Lidane  Jun 3, 2014 4:43:26pm

A hack has a stopped clock moment:

2 Charles Johnson  Jun 3, 2014 4:44:31pm
3 Lidane  Jun 3, 2014 4:46:14pm
4 Charles Johnson  Jun 3, 2014 4:46:34pm

re: #1 Lidane

He’s right, of course. What Obama did was perfectly within his authority as head of the executive branch - nothing illegal about it.

The right is going to raise holy hell to try to make people think it was illegal, though. I’m a little shocked Krauthammer isn’t just parroting that himself, as he usually does.

5 Charles Johnson  Jun 3, 2014 4:53:03pm

If anyone has ideas for Snopes-like questions for a FAQ that’s being put together about the Edward Snowden affair, please post them here and I’ll forward the good ones on.

6 ObserverArt  Jun 3, 2014 5:00:45pm

re: #4 Charles Johnson

He’s right, of course. What Obama did was perfectly within his authority as head of the executive branch - nothing illegal about it.

The right is going to raise holy hell to try to make people think it was illegal, though. I’m a little shocked Krauthammer isn’t just parroting that himself, as he usually does.

The right. He’s getting crap from some dem/liberals too. Senator Diane Feinstein is having a sad about not being informed, and the president not following the 30 day notice.

White House apologizes to Senate intel chief for prisoner swap secret

-cut-

She said the chairmen and ranking Republicans of the “connected committees” spent a lot of time in 2011 reviewing the possibility of a prisoner swap and came out firmly opposed to releasing senior militants from the prison camp at Guantanamo Bay.

“There were very strong views and they were virtually unanimous against the trade,” she said.

“I certainly want to know more about whether this man was a deserter,” she said of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, who was released to American special
forces in return for the freedom of five senior Taliban commanders.
Administration officials have said in public that they did not have time to inform Congress of the prisoner swap because Bergdahl’s life was in
danger and they did not know how long the Taliban would be willing to wait to finalize the deal.

The National Defense Authorization Act required the administration to alert Congress of the pending release of prisoners from Guantanamo at
least 30 days in advance.

“The notification to us is important and I think that it would have been a much better thing to do because you do try to work together,” Feinstein
said.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said Tuesday he was notified by the administration of the prisoner swap immediately before it
happened.

Strange in a way though. Reid was informed. And if McCain knew enough to say it in a February interview you’d think Feinstein would have known.

Maybe she doesn’t get Christmas cards from Obama…you think?

7 b.d.  Jun 3, 2014 5:04:00pm

re: #5 Charles Johnson

If anyone has ideas for Snopes-like questions for a FAQ that’s being put together about the Edward Snowden affair, please post them here and I’ll forward the good ones on.

Sounds like a fun, informative project.

8 Charles Johnson  Jun 3, 2014 5:06:30pm

Looks to me like the Obama administration knew exactly what was going to happen after Bergdahl was freed, and tried to get it done as quickly as possible by letting as few people know in advance as they could.

Easier to ask forgiveness than permission. And if this is how the right wing crackpots act when a soldier is freed, imagine what they would have done if they had advance warning of the plan.

9 Feline Fearless Leader  Jun 3, 2014 5:07:48pm

re: #5 Charles Johnson

If anyone has ideas for Snopes-like questions for a FAQ that’s being put together about the Edward Snowden affair, please post them here and I’ll forward the good ones on.

Given the self-contradicting and self-serving statements by Greenwald, Snowden, & company is there really anything that can be considered factual as a timeline beyond Snowden fleeing to Hong Kong and then onward to Russia? And the fact that he apparently took a bunch of classified documents with him that Greenwald and others have doled out and attempted to exploit to further their own agenda?

10 jaunte  Jun 3, 2014 5:08:39pm

Well here we go:

A piece at The Hill, ominously titled “Prisoner swap: Did Hillary know?” reports that “Republicans are raising questions about whether Hillary Clinton knew about the White House plan to release senior Taliban commanders in exchange for the last U.S. prisoner of war.” What did she know? What we know, at least, is that Obama and Clinton had lunch last week. Was that where secret overlord Hillary Clinton gave Obama her permission to use his presidential powers?

“If Mrs. Clinton remains politically active, people will want to know what her advice was on the subject,” said Sen. Jeff Sessions (Ala.), a senior Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee.

salon.com

11 jaunte  Jun 3, 2014 5:09:49pm

DID HILLARY KNOW?????

12 b.d.  Jun 3, 2014 5:10:32pm

re: #8 Charles Johnson

The Great Chuck Todd says that:

NBC News Chief White House Correspondent Chuck Todd told MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell on Tuesday that the White House has been surprised by the concerned reaction to the release of U.S. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl. He said that the White House expected criticism of the decision to release five Taliban in exchange for Bergdahl, but they also expected “euphoria” over the release of the last American soldier held captive in Afghanistan.

mediaite.com

Of course, I’d say the same thing.

13 b.d.  Jun 3, 2014 5:12:41pm

How are we supposed to tell the difference between a BENGHAZI twitter ribbon and the upcoming BERGDAHL twitter ribbon?

14 nines09  Jun 3, 2014 5:13:01pm

What did Obama know and when did he know it? /

15 Charles Johnson  Jun 3, 2014 5:13:38pm

re: #12 b.d.

16 TedStriker  Jun 3, 2014 5:14:20pm

re: #8 Charles Johnson

Looks to me like the Obama administration knew exactly what was going to happen after Bergdahl was freed, and tried to get it done as quickly as possible by letting as few people know in advance as they could.

Easier to ask forgiveness than permission. And if this is how the right wing crackpots act when a soldier is freed, imagine what they would have done if they had advance warning of it.

We all know exactly what would have happened: the second that word of an imminent swap would have made its way to any TPGOPer on Capitol Hill, it would have been leaked to the press, this swap would have likely been scuttled, and Bergdahl would have continued to languish in captivity (likely until he died).

17 jaunte  Jun 3, 2014 5:15:09pm

Angry conservatives can’t get to Obama, hate-call Bergdahl’s hometown instead.

Jane Drussel, the President of the Hailey Chamber of Commerce, has been fielding dozens of angry calls.
…….
She said the staffers at the Chamber of Commerce, and at a store she runs, don’t know how to deal with the vitriol.
“(We’re) really surprised at the people who are calling — they are hate calls, they’re not just people voicing an opinion,” she said. “The girls just don’t even… we’re all just absolutely in shock, we don’t know how to respond to that to tell you quite truthfully.”
nbcnews.com

18 blueraven  Jun 3, 2014 5:16:50pm

re: #4 Charles Johnson

He’s right, of course. What Obama did was perfectly within his authority as head of the executive branch - nothing illegal about it.

The right is going to raise holy hell to try to make people think it was illegal, though. I’m a little shocked Krauthammer isn’t just parroting that himself, as he usually does.

Yeah, I was watching that earlier.

And BTW…

Somebody please explain to me under what twisted logic is Kirsten Powers a Democrat; a liberal or even a moderately conservative one?

Unbelievably, she was arguing with Charles Krauthammer on Fox about this. She took the opposite position and said Obama should have to get permission from Congress.
She also referred to Bergdahl as a deserter.
She is against a woman’s right to choose.
She thinks Obama is lying about Benghazi.
She rails about Obamacare.

She recently converted from atheism to evangelical christian…fine, to each his own. Fox bills her as The Democrat on every panel (fair and balanced!). I can see no evidence for that moniker.

19 Kid A  Jun 3, 2014 5:16:53pm
20 nines09  Jun 3, 2014 5:18:13pm

An American serviceman is returned home after 5 years as a POW and this is the shit that passes for discourse? Take down the black POW MIA flags in the USA. You are not forgotten!?? They mean nothing now.

21 Charles Johnson  Jun 3, 2014 5:20:15pm

re: #18 blueraven

She recently converted from atheism to evangelical christian…

/raised eyebrow

22 Kid A  Jun 3, 2014 5:22:25pm

The stupid never ends.

23 Charles Johnson  Jun 3, 2014 5:24:08pm

She’s Fox’s liberal fox.

24 klys  Jun 3, 2014 5:24:36pm

re: #18 blueraven

Yeah, I was watching that earlier.

And BTW…

Somebody please explain to me under what twisted logic is Kirsten Powers a Democrat; a liberal or even a moderately conservative one?

Unbelievably, she was arguing with Charles Krauthammer on Fox about this. She took the opposite position and said Obama should have to get permission from Congress.
She also referred to Bergdahl as a deserter.
She is against a woman’s right to choose.
She thinks Obama is lying about Benghazi.
She rails about Obamacare.

She recently converted from atheism to evangelical christian…fine, to each his own. Fox bills her as The Democrat on every panel (fair and balanced!). I can see no evidence for that moniker.

Just remember, it’s ok. No actual Republicans watch Fox.

////

25 b.d.  Jun 3, 2014 5:24:50pm

re: #22 Kid A

The stupid never ends.

[Embedded content]

Dastardly?

Who the hell has used that word this century?

26 Zamb  Jun 3, 2014 5:26:27pm

re: #22 Kid A

Oh good because this discussion was really lacking intelligent well thought out arguments by adults knowledgeable in the subject at hand.

27 jaunte  Jun 3, 2014 5:26:55pm

re: #25 b.d.

Snidely Whiplash

Sarah Palin’s vocabulary coach.

28 blueraven  Jun 3, 2014 5:26:59pm

re: #23 Charles Johnson

She’s Fox’s liberal fox.

She does meet the Fox requirements I guess. She is young and blonde.

29 Charles Johnson  Jun 3, 2014 5:26:59pm

I’ve never considered Kirsten Powers to be a liberal at all. She’s a Fox News caricature of a liberal.

30 ObserverArt  Jun 3, 2014 5:28:05pm

re: #22 Kid A

The stupid never ends.

Bristol posted an answer to supporters of Obama’s terrorist negotiations to free the Taliban’s Dastardly Dream… fb.me

That family is a sad commentary on America. It’s almost like a really bad sitcom.

31 Stanley Sea  Jun 3, 2014 5:29:57pm

re: #22 Kid A

The stupid never ends.

[Embedded content]

BRISTOL?

So, Bristol gets paid and her ghostwriter gets paid. Never ever gonna read that dreck.

32 blueraven  Jun 3, 2014 5:30:03pm

re: #29 Charles Johnson

I’ve never considered Kirsten Powers to be a liberal at all. She’s a Fox News caricature of a liberal.

Along with Pat Caddell and Doug Schoen.

33 makeitstop  Jun 3, 2014 5:31:36pm

re: #32 blueraven

Along with Pat Caddell and Doug Schoen.

Is Bob Beckel still on Fox? Him, too.

They must pay an awful lot of money for liberals to hang out with those knuckle-dragging freaks.

34 dog philosopher  Jun 3, 2014 5:32:36pm

re: #29 Charles Johnson

I’ve never considered Kirsten Powers to be a liberal at all. She’s a Fox News caricature of a liberal.

does she “believe government should solve all problems”, think “government should redistribute income to insure equality of outcomes”, and “worship castro”?

35 Rightwingconspirator  Jun 3, 2014 5:33:34pm

Awshit.

Gen. Dempsey: Army may still pursue desertion charge for Bowe Bergdahl

latimes.com

36 CuriousLurker  Jun 3, 2014 5:33:50pm

re: #15 Charles Johnson

[Embedded content]

After 5 years of watching these asshats crap on every single thing he does, I can’t imagine the WH thinking there’d be euphoria over any action by President Obama, at least not from the right.

No matter what he does, he’s still a black man with a foreign sounding name, and a Democrat to boot.

He cannot win. It’s like when Mullah Nasruddin said, “I cannot tell the truth”—it wasn’t because he was a liar incapable of or unwilling to tell the truth, it was because the truth literally could not be articulated (it could only be indirectly referenced through the symbolism & metaphor of storytelling).

37 Stanley Sea  Jun 3, 2014 5:35:11pm

re: #31 Stanley Sea

I wanna puke.

38 Rightwingconspirator  Jun 3, 2014 5:37:05pm

re: #36 CuriousLurker

Mullah Nasruddin?

Off to Wiki.

39 b.d.  Jun 3, 2014 5:38:01pm

Have the Palinistas finally given up on trying to get Sarah to run for president yet?

40 Kid A  Jun 3, 2014 5:38:25pm

Jonah is quite possibly the worst of the wingnut donkeyfucks, and that is saying something.

41 Rightwingconspirator  Jun 3, 2014 5:40:18pm

re: #36 CuriousLurker

Aha.
The Will Rogers or Mark Twain of his day? Cool to see that.

42 Kid A  Jun 3, 2014 5:40:55pm
43 A Mom Anon  Jun 3, 2014 5:41:35pm

re: #36 CuriousLurker
(edit: I misread this, I thought the WH had said this, it turns out it was that fool Chuck Todd- my bad)
I kinda almost wonder if that “euphoria” remark was snark. This whole thing is making me sick. There’s a deep and ugly underlying sickness in this country, I don’t know what the anecdotes are to that ugliness. I do know this though:

Happy, well adjusted people don’t send tweets to the father of a newly released soldier telling him that his son deserved to die. They don’t wish death or destruction or bad things upon people they don’t agree with politically and they certainly don’t work to actively intimidate and threaten others just because they can. Bullies are not normal and happy people. I also know that hate can spread like a virus. But maybe that means love can too.

44 blueraven  Jun 3, 2014 5:42:21pm

re: #36 CuriousLurker

After 5 years of watching these asshats crap on every single thing he does, I can’t imagine the WH thinking there’d be euphoria over any action by President Obama, at least not from the right.

No matter what he does, he’s still a black man with a foreign sounding name, and a Democrat to boot.

He cannot win. It’s like when Mullah Nasruddin said, “I cannot tell the truth”—it wasn’t because he was a liar incapable of or unwilling to tell the truth, it was because the truth literally could not be articulated (it could only be indirectly referenced through the symbolism & metaphor of storytelling).

“On Sunday, I think they thought there would be some euphoria around this,” Todd agreed. “That there would be a rally around the flag. That didn’t happen.”

So this is now gospel because Chuck Todd “thought, they thought”

Got it.

45 piratedan  Jun 3, 2014 5:43:08pm

well the day that Chuck Todd achieves accuracy in reporting in regards to adequately gauging anything going on at the White House will be the first time. That guy couldn’t find his ass with both hands and a tutorial.

46 CuriousLurker  Jun 3, 2014 5:43:46pm

re: #35 Rightwingconspirator

Awshit.

Gen. Dempsey: Army may still pursue desertion charge for Bowe Bergdahl

latimes.com

Goddammit it was a clickbait headline and I fell for it. I’m, not pissed at you, pissed at the LA Times. There’s nothing new here, no smoking gun.

The Army may consider pursuing an investigation of possible charges of desertion or other violations by Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, who was freed Saturday after nearly five years in Taliban custody, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said Tuesday. […]

“Like any American, he is innocent until proven guilty. Our Army’s leaders will not look away from misconduct if it occurred.”

So they MIGHT pursue an INVESTIGATION of POSSIBLE charges of desertion or OTHER violations. I hate the effing MSM. I don’t trust them for shit anymore.

47 Belafon  Jun 3, 2014 5:44:30pm

re: #16 TedStriker

We know exactly what would happen because they did it before: Republicans Block Release of US Soldier Held by Taliban

48 Kid A  Jun 3, 2014 5:45:18pm
49 CuriousLurker  Jun 3, 2014 5:46:07pm

re: #43 A Mom Anon

re: #44 blueraven

Chuck Todd is an asshole, IMO.

50 Rightwingconspirator  Jun 3, 2014 5:46:44pm

re: #46 CuriousLurker

My awshit was about this crap coming from a general. Do they at the Pentagon not teach executive rank officers how to STFU?

51 CuriousLurker  Jun 3, 2014 5:47:23pm

re: #41 Rightwingconspirator

Aha.
The Will Rogers or Mark Twain of his day? Cool to see that.

Yeah, sorry—sometimes I forget that not everyone knows who Nasruddin is. ;)

52 Varek Raith  Jun 3, 2014 5:47:50pm

Lol, Chuck Todd.

53 Stanley Sea  Jun 3, 2014 5:48:25pm

re: #40 Kid A

Jonah is quite possibly the worst of the wingnut donkeyfucks, and that is saying something.

[Embedded content]

They see an opportunity actually. All the craziest RWNJ’s are fighting to be the most dispicable. Somehow money flows after that.

54 Rightwingconspirator  Jun 3, 2014 5:48:38pm

re: #51 CuriousLurker

Yeah, sorry—sometimes I forget that not everyone knows who Nasruddin is. ;)

That’s fine, one of the best things about this blog is the occasional trip to educate myself and keep up.

55 CuriousLurker  Jun 3, 2014 5:48:46pm

re: #50 Rightwingconspirator

My awshit was about this crap coming from a general. Do they at the Pentagon not teach executive rank officers how to STFU?

That too, but I blame the headline more. Gen. Dempsey didn’t say what the headline said.

56 A Mom Anon  Jun 3, 2014 5:48:49pm

re: #49 CuriousLurker

Yep. He’s like a gossip reporter. Of course that applies to most of the assholes on the teevee who claim to be informing us.

57 TedStriker  Jun 3, 2014 5:51:21pm

re: #47 Belafon

We know exactly what would happen because they did it before: Republicans Block Release of US Soldier Held by Taliban

Twice in the past four years, IIRC.

58 SteveMcGazi  Jun 3, 2014 5:53:12pm

Out of curiosity, does anybody know what kind of experience Bergdahl had in Afghanistan before the Taliban picked him up?

59 wrenchwench  Jun 3, 2014 5:53:49pm

re: #47 Belafon

We know exactly what would happen because they did it before: Republicans Block Release of US Soldier Held by Taliban

From your link:

Mitt Romney, goaded by his top foreign policy adviser John Bolton, has steadfastly opposed talks with the Taliban while remaining vague about his support for the 2014 drawdown.

And now an adviser to Bolton is goading Bergdahl’s former platoon mates to speak up against him. Is this personal for Grenell?

61 wrenchwench  Jun 3, 2014 5:56:09pm

re: #59 wrenchwench

From your link:

And now an adviser to Bolton is goading Bergdahl’s former platoon mates to speak up against him. Is this personal for Grenell?

Or for Bolton, or Romney? It seems there must be a deeper motivation for this irrationality.

Oh, wait.

Black president.

62 Skip Intro  Jun 3, 2014 5:57:31pm

re: #31 Stanley Sea

BRISTOL?

So, Bristol gets paid and her ghostwriter gets paid. Never ever gonna read that dreck.

The only Palin who actually applied herself and got a job is Willow. Not surprising, you never hear anything from her, unlike Mom and mom’s clone Bristol.

63 A Mom Anon  Jun 3, 2014 6:00:03pm

re: #59 wrenchwench

WTF is that shit anyway? I have lots of questions about this. How did a freaking PR guy find these guys and get them on TV so fast? Or has this been in the works for awhile? Has this ever happened before? And what about the guy who is raising money off this (or someone is raising money on his behalf)? Something is really fucked up about this whole thing. If someone wants to investigate some shit, that would be a good place to start. This whole thing stinks.

64 Rightwingconspirator  Jun 3, 2014 6:01:44pm

re: #5 Charles Johnson

If anyone has ideas for Snopes-like questions for a FAQ that’s being put together about the Edward Snowden affair, please post them here and I’ll forward the good ones on.

Why did Snowden not steal documentary proof of his contentions?

65 Killgore Trout  Jun 3, 2014 6:02:05pm

re: #58 SteveMcGazi

Out of curiosity, does anybody know what kind of experience Bergdahl had in Afghanistan before the Taliban picked him up?

You can look for reports of the emails he sent to his father. Don’t know if they’ve been verified but he was unhappy with the way soldiers treated locals, and had issues with the way the war was conducted. I think there was also hints that he thought he could solve the problem somehow. It might explain the reports that he sought out the Taliban. Maybe he had some sort of ill conceived peace plan.

66 Skip Intro  Jun 3, 2014 6:04:05pm

re: #55 CuriousLurker

That too, but I blame the headline more. Gen. Dempsey didn’t say what the headline said.

No surprise that they might charge him with something if an investigation turns up evidence that warrants it. You can’t do that while he’s still a POW, so the RWNJs should be happy. This is the way it’s supposed to work.

As for the LA Times, it’s almost as though they’ve been bought out by Murdoch.

67 Decatur Deb  Jun 3, 2014 6:09:20pm

re: #60 Varek Raith

Alaskan researchers issue rare red alert as Paflof Volcano begins erupting

Bobby Jindal maintains his state of befuddlement.

68 TedStriker  Jun 3, 2014 6:11:59pm

re: #59 wrenchwench

From your link:

And now an adviser to Bolton is goading Bergdahl’s former platoon mates to speak up against him. Is this personal for Grenell?

I think it’s all about the money and a possible return to the TPGOP fold, after getting canned by the Romney campaign.

There’s just one little problem with this strategy for Grennell: he’s still gay.

69 CuriousLurker  Jun 3, 2014 6:13:11pm

re: #66 Skip Intro

No surprise that they might charge him with something if an investigation turns up evidence that warrants it. You can’t do that while he’s still a POW, so the RWNJs should be happy. This is the way it’s supposed to work.

As for the LA Times, it’s almost as though they’ve been bought out by Murdoch.

Yeah, I have no problem with him being investigated and charged, if there was any wrongdoing. I just resent clickbait headlines that strip out the subtlety of what was actually said becuase it totally changes the meaning.

70 CuriousLurker  Jun 3, 2014 6:20:39pm

re: #54 Rightwingconspirator

That’s fine, one of the best things about this blog is the occasional trip to educate myself and keep up.

Here’s a PDF with a much better, more in-depth explanation of Nasruddin than the one you’ll find at Wikipedia or wherever. It delves into the Sufi teaching aspect of his stories, if that interests you.

71 funky chicken  Jun 4, 2014 11:11:49am

re: #50 Rightwingconspirator

My awshit was about this crap coming from a general. Do they at the Pentagon not teach executive rank officers how to STFU?

There’s nothing wrong with what he said. He didn’t reveal anything new or secret, and the fact that they are going to investigate the kid for desertion doesn’t mean that the brass believes he should have been left to die over there. I see no hint of criticism of the administration’s decision in this statement.

72 Tigger2  Jun 5, 2014 3:53:29am

re: #22 Kid A

The stupid never ends.

[Embedded content]

I see Sarah and Bristol Brain dead are talking to the other brain dead people in their party.


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