Obama Caught Spying on Netanyahu -- And The US <i>Congressmen</i> Who Communicated With Him

Obama Caught Spying on Netanyahu -- And The US Congressmen Who Communicated With Him

Obama promised to stop spying on our allies after there was a storm of (silly) anger in Europe over the US eavesdropping on Angela Merkel and others.

But note -- he said US allies.

And Israel is not an ally in the Long Years of Obama.

President Barack Obama announced two years ago he would curtail eavesdropping on friendly heads of state after the world learned the reach of long-secret U.S. surveillance programs.
But behind the scenes, the White House decided to keep certain allies under close watch, current and former U.S. officials said. Topping the list was Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Obama targeted Israel for spying especially because of Israel's opposition to his Brilliant Plan to give Iran the bomb.

...
The National Security Agency’s targeting of Israeli leaders and officials also swept up the contents of some of their private conversations with U.S. lawmakers and American-Jewish groups. That raised fears--an “Oh-s-- moment,” one senior U.S. official said--that the executive branch would be accused of spying on Congress.

White House officials believed the intercepted information could be valuable to counter Mr. Netanyahu’s campaign. They also recognized that asking for it was politically risky. So, wary of a paper trail stemming from a request, the White House let the NSA decide what to share and what to withhold, officials said. “We didn’t say, "Do it,'" a senior U.S. official said. "We didn’t say, 'Don’t do it.'"

That is Peak Obama -- we'll break the law, sure, but we're going to make the bureaucracy, and not us, sit on the hook for doing so.

Posted by: Ace at 05:22 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 *raises hand*

May I suggest that Obama is a very bad man and also not a good President?

Posted by: Bandersnatch at December 30, 2015 05:24 PM (1xUj/)

2 Hi Mom....I'm in the top ten!

Posted by: eleven at December 30, 2015 05:24 PM (qUNWi)

3 Two faced no good really bad president.

Posted by: grammie winger, sign of The Time at December 30, 2015 05:25 PM (dFi94)

4 The worst of hands, the fate of this country is in.

Time to drink. Slainte!

Posted by: Anna Puma at December 30, 2015 05:26 PM (WnA2J)

5 This is luxurious. I never dreamed....

Posted by: eleven at December 30, 2015 05:26 PM (qUNWi)

6 3rd?

Posted by: Tilikum Killer Whale at December 30, 2015 05:26 PM (0x/TW)

7 Someone -- I think it was nevergiveup -- asked earlier if Choom Boy eavesdropped on Iran as well.

He didn't need to. He knows exactly what he said to them, and what they said to him. And he doesn't want US to know about those little chats between BFFs.

Until it's too late.

Posted by: Mr Scribbler at December 30, 2015 05:26 PM (z/vax)

8 If that damned Trump brings this up, too, we will fight for a pause in spying on Congressmen!

Posted by: The GOPe at December 30, 2015 05:27 PM (+c55T)

9
3rd? Nope. 6th. I was the fifth loser!

Posted by: Tilikum Killer Whale at December 30, 2015 05:27 PM (+aCe4)

10 Obama still doesn't know this happened, had nothing to do with it, missed the briefing where it was discussed,

Posted by: Mateusz at December 30, 2015 05:27 PM (gKnC5)

11 6 3rd?
Posted by: Tilikum Killer Whale

x2, so yes, 3rd.

Posted by: rickb223 at December 30, 2015 05:28 PM (rIQuo)

12 Does anybody know what Trump's position on Israel is?

Posted by: eleven at December 30, 2015 05:28 PM (qUNWi)

13 I was furious when I read this in the paper!

... bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah. Oh, Hell, I can't even joke, I hate that Netanyahu.

Posted by: SCOAMF at December 30, 2015 05:28 PM (H9MG5)

14 Geez, Nixon was a piker compared to what Ole Barky is up to.

Posted by: Old Blue at December 30, 2015 05:28 PM (9iR5/)

15 Wait till he reads about this in the NY Times. Boy, will he be mad then.

Posted by: Bossy Conservative...a rube in America at December 30, 2015 05:28 PM (+1T7c)

16 >>>Obama still doesn't know this happened, had nothing to do with it, missed the briefing where it was discussed,

man is he going to be SO MAD when he reads about it in the papers!

Posted by: ace at December 30, 2015 05:28 PM (dciA+)

17 Someone -- I think it was nevergiveup -- asked earlier if Choom Boy eavesdropped on Iran as well.

It's not eavesdropping if you're the guy who made the phone call.

Posted by: t-bird at December 30, 2015 05:28 PM (+c55T)

18 Very likely that they were tapping reporters and others who were fighting against the Iran plan too. Or just seemed to not be saying harrumph.

Posted by: Netflix and Chill Guy at December 30, 2015 05:29 PM (39g3+)

19 Hmm. Something new for the MSM to ignore.

Posted by: Cicero (@cicero) at December 30, 2015 05:30 PM (8ZskC)

20

"I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse."

Genesis 12:3

Take heed Obama, lest ye fall into the pit.

Posted by: grammie winger, sign of The Time at December 30, 2015 05:30 PM (dFi94)

21 Obama so mad, not because it happened, but because it was in the papers. He needs to hang some journolists to encourage the others to keep to the party line.

Obviously this was a state secret, and somebody who knew about it leaked it, and somebody in the press made it public. So, hanging time for somebody.

Posted by: Mateusz at December 30, 2015 05:30 PM (gKnC5)

22 >>>Hmm. Something new for the MSM to ignore.

notice when this gets leaked.

Would Christmas morning have been too obvious?

Posted by: ace at December 30, 2015 05:31 PM (dciA+)

23 I can neither confirm nor deny that Obama is a SCOAMF.

Posted by: Lauren at December 30, 2015 05:31 PM (GZ6Pf)

24 19
Hmm. Something new for the MSM to ignore.
-------
Guaranteed to never see the light of day, or to only be read during the commercial break.

Posted by: Old Blue at December 30, 2015 05:31 PM (9iR5/)

25 6 / 2 = 3

So in some way the killer whale was correct.

Posted by: Anna Puma at December 30, 2015 05:31 PM (WnA2J)

26 Let me be clear, I hate Jews.

Posted by: Barackhenaten I at December 30, 2015 05:31 PM (VSbKT)

27 We apologize, and we'll never do this again.

**accepts ~~vacation~~ paid suspension as penalty**

Posted by: low level staffers in a Cincinnati office at December 30, 2015 05:32 PM (H9MG5)

28 As far as Barack Obama goes, he is a serial liar, and every promise he makes has an expiration date.

Spying on allies, friends, Congress, opposition enemies; it's all the same. He has an agenda and the ends justify the means.

Posted by: Bossy Conservative...a rube in America at December 30, 2015 05:32 PM (+1T7c)

29 >>>Take heed Obama, lest ye fall into the pit.

Hang on, I think if I reach down far enough I can chip the ball out and make the green.

Posted by: King Obama the Golfer at December 30, 2015 05:32 PM (dciA+)

30 "Geez, Nixon was a piker compared to what Ole Barky is up to."

When the Israelis were sore beset in 1973, the USAF C-5s and C-141s started arriving at Ben-Gurion with badly needed munitions and spare parts.

Tricky Dick was, well, a dick. His privately voiced views of American Jewry veered at times into outright conspiratorial antisemitism. But when Israel needed help, Nixon provided it generously. A study in contrasts.

Posted by: torquewrench at December 30, 2015 05:32 PM (noWW6)

31 He'll be furious when he finds this out on Sportscenter.

Posted by: Puddleglum at December 30, 2015 05:32 PM (/rY/K)

32 I'm honored to make the top 50. (I have very low aspirations.)

Posted by: oldbuffalo at December 30, 2015 05:32 PM (/pOl7)

33
House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) said Wednesday his committee is looking into whether the intelligence community collected communications between Israeli officials and members of Congress.

Tanned, rested and spastic. At your service.

Posted by: Rep Trey "Inspector Javert" Gowdy

Posted by: Laurie David's Cervix at December 30, 2015 05:32 PM (kdS6q)

34
*raises hand*

May I suggest that Obama is a very bad man and also not a good President?
Posted by: Bandersnatch
.....................

Bander, how would you like to sit in the corner and wear this cap for the rest of class?
Anybody else?

Posted by: Mrs. Frump, 3rd grade teacher at December 30, 2015 05:33 PM (HgMAr)

35 This is what you get when you take impeachment and spending cuts off the table.

Posted by: Vic We Have No Party at December 30, 2015 05:33 PM (t2KH5)

36 (cue tired, obvious, yetcorrect and important observations)

Imagine if Bush administration had .....

Imagine if any GOP administration had shown 1/1000th the hostility and characteristically classless Third World sort of behavior of this gang of affirmative action/Beltway airheadstowards Israel .....

Posted by: rhomboid at December 30, 2015 05:33 PM (QDnY+)

37 notice when this gets leaked.

Would Christmas morning have been too obvious?

I thought they'd hold it to the second Dem debate on the Sunday night with the football playoffs.

Posted by: Bandersnatch at December 30, 2015 05:33 PM (1xUj/)

38 "Hmm. Something new for the MSM to ignore."

I read this story on the front page this morning's Wall Street Journal. But the alphabets are waiting for their White House talking points before they cover it.

Posted by: Brown Line at December 30, 2015 05:33 PM (zcbZo)

39 Well, it worked with the IRS. Why not the NSA?

Posted by: Bitblt at December 30, 2015 05:34 PM (rNGa+)

40

Well there's your problem. Bibi's not the Israeli head of state, he's the head of government.

Posted by: I know Barry's not that clever at December 30, 2015 05:34 PM (/FOB4)

41 Torquewrench, might as well give them the name of the operation at least.

Operation Nickel Grass
http://annapuna.blogspot.com/2006/07/operation-nickel-grass.html

Posted by: Anna Puma at December 30, 2015 05:34 PM (WnA2J)

42 "And Israel is not an ally in the Long Years of Obama".

They certainly have been long years.

But let's recall that Obama now has less than thirteen months to go.

Posted by: torquewrench at December 30, 2015 05:34 PM (noWW6)

43 "
May I suggest that Obama is a very bad man and also not a good President?"

Mr. Bander, please follow me to your new home in cell #9348

Posted by: Lauren at December 30, 2015 05:34 PM (GZ6Pf)

44 Shit! I quoted the "President Barack Obama announced two years ago he would curtail eavesdropping on friendly heads of state..." part but Pixy ate it.

Posted by: Prince Ludwig the #Problematic at December 30, 2015 05:35 PM (/FOB4)

45 And the Oversight Committees knew.

Posted by: DaveA at December 30, 2015 05:35 PM (DL2i+)

46 But let's recall that Obama now has less than thirteen months to go.

Posted by: torquewrench at December 30, 2015 05:34 PM (noWW6)
================================================

And then we get a new warden. Yay us.

Posted by: grammie winger, sign of The Time at December 30, 2015 05:36 PM (dFi94)

47 "But let's recall that Obama now has less than thirteen months to go."

In a better world, that would be followed by the phrase "and then twelve to twenty years, without parole."

Posted by: Qoheleth at December 30, 2015 05:36 PM (iIzG7)

48 The National Security Agency's targeting of Israeli leaders and officials also swept up the contents of some of their private conversations with U.S. lawmakers and American-Jewish groups. That raised fears--an 'Oh-s-- moment,' one senior U.S. official said--that the executive branch would be accused of spying on Congress.

Totes accident, yo!

Posted by: weft cut-loop at December 30, 2015 05:36 PM (9YDUz)

49
"one senior U.S. official said--that the executive branch would be accused of spying on Congress."
...........................

And the GOP will fight! FIGHT! *holds breath, turns blue*

Posted by: wth at December 30, 2015 05:38 PM (HgMAr)

50 Dems are chomping at the bit to open their very own version of Lubyanka prison. You know, that place where political prisoners mysteriously kept dying of typhus and dysentery in record numbers.

Posted by: Old Blue at December 30, 2015 05:38 PM (9iR5/)

51 If Obama was doing this two years ago, then it's old news, like Benghazi. Over, done, and forgotten.

It will be interesting to see how many leaks spring up in the information dikes that have been protecting Obama for the last seven years. Could be a flood.

Posted by: Mateusz at December 30, 2015 05:38 PM (gKnC5)

52 (cue utterly academic observation providing no real solace or encouragement, but just because)

Well at least, in theorwellian world we now inhabit, there's the fact that somebody actually leaked the info, and some "jouranlist" actually used it in a story. Silver nano-lining.

Posted by: rhomboid at December 30, 2015 05:38 PM (QDnY+)

53 Tricky Dick was, well, a dick. His privately voiced
views of American Jewry veered at times into outright conspiratorial
antisemitism. But when Israel needed help, Nixon provided it generously.
A study in contrasts.

Posted by: torquewrench

Nixon was of two minds on this subject. He knew that domestic (American) Jews were largely largely Liberal/Democrat, and his natural adversaries (not necessarily enemies). He also knew that Israel was in an important strategic position to oppose Soviet hegemony attempts in the Middle East.

Henry Kissinger, Jewish scholar, was his National Security council chairman and then Secretary of State. Did Nixon hate Jews categorically, or just knew that the majority of American Jews were liberal democrats, just as CBD and Nevergiveup have often said, and would fight against him?

Posted by: Bossy Conservative...a rube in America at December 30, 2015 05:38 PM (+1T7c)

54 Man, I sure am glad I wasn't first.

Posted by: Weasel at December 30, 2015 05:38 PM (e3bId)

55 The fucking media could end this clown's regime in an afternoon. He's given them plenty of ammunition.

"News is where you look."
-Dan Rather.

Posted by: aquaviva at December 30, 2015 05:38 PM (rUfyz)

56 So if Bush was spying on members of congress, would he be impeached next week, or would congress wait until the whole new years party weekend was over first?

Posted by: 18-1 at December 30, 2015 05:39 PM (5LOno)

57 Congress should've formally declared war on Iran when TFG 1st started flailing, then done him for Treason.

Posted by: DaveA at December 30, 2015 05:39 PM (DL2i+)

58 "News is where you look."
-Dan Rather.

Indeed.

Posted by: Ostriches at December 30, 2015 05:40 PM (8ZskC)

59 TRUMP'S A RACIST!!

Posted by: Hillery davidfly!!! at December 30, 2015 05:40 PM (qSIlh)

60
"But let's recall that Obama now has less than thirteen months to go."
................

Then what, he comes back from Hawaii?

Posted by: wth at December 30, 2015 05:41 PM (HgMAr)

61 Any accusation that I somehow know that John Boehner likes to dress up like Little Bo Peep when being intimate with his wife is completely ridiculous.

Though, um, I've seen the pictures and it is not pretty.

Posted by: Barack Obama at December 30, 2015 05:41 PM (5LOno)

62 bet you Obama or one of his spokesweasels will eventually claim it was being done because the Israelis had info that made our negotiating position with Iran much stronger.

Posted by: Hillery!!! at December 30, 2015 05:41 PM (qSIlh)

63 Dems are chomping at the bit to open their very own version of Lubyanka prison. You know, that place where political prisoners mysteriously kept dying of typhus and dysentery in record numbers.
Posted by: Old Blue

But mostly they died of lead poisoning.

Posted by: Prince Ludwig the #Problematic at December 30, 2015 05:41 PM (/FOB4)

64 *ahem*

Posted by: Weasel at December 30, 2015 05:41 PM (e3bId)

65 As a true Marxist student, good job Barak

Posted by: Skip at December 30, 2015 05:42 PM (C1Suc)

66 >>let's recall that Obama now has less than thirteen months to go.

One can only hope.

Posted by: Garrett at December 30, 2015 05:42 PM (C6IIn)

67 Oh, fuck you! Fuck you ALL!!!

Posted by: President Bitchy Girl at December 30, 2015 05:43 PM (EDYaR)

68 So, the WH is spying on Congress critters and learned something too good pass on. But they had a problem, how to explain that they know stuff they shouldn't know.

Solution, announce to the world that you are spying on those evil Israeli's and *caught* Congress critters by accident.

Posted by: tbodie at December 30, 2015 05:43 PM (kWQPe)

69 Golly!

Posted by: eman at December 30, 2015 05:44 PM (MQEz6)

70
*ahem*
Posted by: Weasel
..............

Yes? Can we help you?

Posted by: wth at December 30, 2015 05:45 PM (HgMAr)

71 I think the side bar slightly amusing is funny as hell. Trying to find myself there.

Oh and on the post, Prezzy obama - "I have no responsibility" (tm)

Posted by: Guy Mohawk at December 30, 2015 05:45 PM (ODxAs)

72 "But let's recall that Obama now has less than thirteen months to go."

-
But first, a victory lap around the world!

Posted by: The Great White Snark at December 30, 2015 05:45 PM (Nwg0u)

73 A Republic doesn't do this shit, but an Empire does.

Posted by: eman at December 30, 2015 05:46 PM (MQEz6)

74 Byrd might have been a racist KKK SOB, but if he was in the Senate today, he'd be drawing up articles of impeachment.

Posted by: rd at December 30, 2015 05:46 PM (Ltj2h)

75 Oh everyone spies on everyone, there's no more privacy ...
*snort*
*drops turkey leg and drifts off to sleep*

Posted by: Gatekeepers of the idiocracy at December 30, 2015 05:46 PM (k8tEg)

76 Golly!
Posted by: eman

That's my line.

Posted by: Gadget Hackwrench at December 30, 2015 05:46 PM (/FOB4)

77 But let's recall that Obama now has less than thirteen months to go, if the Republic should last that long.

Posted by: Qoheleth at December 30, 2015 05:47 PM (iIzG7)

78 an 'Oh-s-- moment,' one senior U.S. official said--that the executive branch would be accused of spying on Congress.

Weren't they already guilty of that? Bugging "cloakrooms" (whatever they are) or something.

Posted by: t-bird at December 30, 2015 05:47 PM (+c55T)

79 I just can't imagine what this next year is going to be like. Not even under the influence of mind altering chemicals can I imagine it. Anything is possible.

Posted by: Mateusz at December 30, 2015 05:47 PM (gKnC5)

80 The Obama Administration breaking the law is like Bill Clinton getting his rape on.

It's what they do.......like you know what they used to call having a hobby.

Posted by: Hairyback Guy at December 30, 2015 05:48 PM (ej1L0)

81 70 comment 62 defamed weasels and we demand reparations.

Posted by: Weasel at December 30, 2015 05:48 PM (e3bId)

82 that place where political prisoners mysteriously kept dying of typhus and dysentery in record numbers.

-
I didn't know a symptom of typhus and dysentery was a hole in the back of the skull.

Posted by: The Great White Snark at December 30, 2015 05:49 PM (Nwg0u)

83 Dems are chomping at the bit to open their very own version of Lubyanka prison. You know, that place where political prisoners mysteriously kept dying of typhus and dysentery in record numbers.
Posted by: Old Blue

Don't need a prison if you know every detail of the lives of people you consider 'unhelpful.'

Posted by: weft cut-loop at December 30, 2015 05:49 PM (9YDUz)

84 Side bar? Ya, like Maxim is a credible source and safe to enable scripts that will do unmentionable, unknowable things to your private bits.

Posted by: Mateusz at December 30, 2015 05:49 PM (gKnC5)

85 Headline at Fox says that Rubio is endorsing a Constitutional Convention. I remember some of the more thoughtful people here saying that it could be too easily subverted. Hmmmmmm

Posted by: mustbequantum at December 30, 2015 05:50 PM (MIKMs)

86 Byrd might have been a racist KKK SOB, but if he was in the Senate today, he'd be drawing up articles of impeachment.

Posted by: rd at December 30, 2015 05:46 PM (Ltj2h)

... against George Bush, and claiming that the damned darkies were stealing his tin-foil beanies while he slept.

Posted by: Washington Generals at December 30, 2015 05:50 PM (k9qR4)

87 I bet Beard and Turtle are so upset by this they can't decide what they want for dessert.

Posted by: eman at December 30, 2015 05:50 PM (MQEz6)

88 I thought I remembered congressional emails being sifted through by the NSA a while back.

You know, the whole reason the CIA couldn't act in America (well, legally) was because congress didn't want the executive branch spying on US soil with all those tools and lack of, shall we say, compunction. Then they created the NSA and gave it all that power anyway?

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at December 30, 2015 05:50 PM (39g3+)

89 "It's what they do.......like you know what they used to call having a hobby."

I think you misspelled the word "addiction," Hairyback Guy, but I do take your meaning.

Posted by: Qoheleth at December 30, 2015 05:50 PM (iIzG7)

90 They're spying on Congress anyway, 24-7.

They're no more concerned with that taboo than with the one against weaponizing the IRS.

Posted by: Pappy O'Daniel at December 30, 2015 05:51 PM (oVJmc)

91 The Obama Administration breaking the law is like Bill Clinton getting his rape on.

No better place for crooks than in charge of the Executive branch. Heist of the century, for seven years, in broad daylight.

Posted by: t-bird at December 30, 2015 05:51 PM (+c55T)

92 We are now ruled by the House of Borgia.

Posted by: Keep playing with your device at December 30, 2015 05:51 PM (k8tEg)

93 >>> May I suggest that Obama is a very bad man and also not a good President?

"Mr. Bander, please follow me to your new home in cell #9348"

Cell? Cell?

::: stamps feet indignantly :::

We do _not_ use _those_ words any longer.

That nomenclature has been superseded. Officially so.

Our guests will be housed in _meditation chambers_, thank you very much.

Please make a note of it.

Posted by: Happy Fun Camp Activities Director at December 30, 2015 05:52 PM (noWW6)

94 "Nixon was of two minds on this subject."

So back in 1973 when US Jews were adamant in their support for Israel, Nixon takes aggressive and risky action that might have made the difference in Israel's survival, and US Jews return the favor in 1974 by _______.

I once explained to my teenage son, who knew about Watergate and Nixon's resignation, the critical role played by Deep Throat Mark Felt, who orchestrated Nixon's downfall out of personal pique and to protect the prerogatives of the FBI after Nixon bypassed Felt to succeed J Edgar Hoover and instead appointed an outsider. My son wouldn't believe me for making up such an outlandish story.

Posted by: Ignoramus at December 30, 2015 05:52 PM (r1fLd)

95 I bet Beard and Turtle are so upset

If only there were a hill to die on! *shaking tiny fists*

Posted by: Beard and Turtle at December 30, 2015 05:53 PM (+c55T)

96
81
Aha. We'll sick the GOP on them ASAP and they will fight for you. Man, will they fight. You should expect results sometime never.

Posted by: wth at December 30, 2015 05:53 PM (HgMAr)

97 "We are now ruled by the House of Borgia."

You say that now; wait until we have a president whose cabinet members die in mysterious plane crashes, and whose intimates all start committing suicide in Fort Marcy Park.

Posted by: Qoheleth at December 30, 2015 05:53 PM (iIzG7)

98 Posted by: Mateusz at December 30, 2015 05:47 PM (gKnC5)

If we avoid a nuclear exchange, it will be a minor miracle.

Posted by: rd at December 30, 2015 05:53 PM (Ltj2h)

99 Art V and Rubio.

Sounds like a plan.

Posted by: eman at December 30, 2015 05:54 PM (MQEz6)

100 Dems are chomping at the bit to open their very own version of Lubyanka prison.

I think what keeps the democrats from going full board on that kind of thing is greed. They can get so rich and powerful right now working with crony companies that they don't want to rock the boat. Every time someone draws up plans to round up the white patriots, they get an invite to a club with 15 tranny hookers and free blow, so they put it on the shelf.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at December 30, 2015 05:54 PM (39g3+)

101 @97
I was thinking of exactly that.
God forbid.

Posted by: Keep playing with your device at December 30, 2015 05:54 PM (k8tEg)

102 Can't wait for obamas State of Dis-union address... I'm sure it's gonna be a doozie we'll be lectured on all our "Phobias"

Posted by: donna at December 30, 2015 05:54 PM (/dSsq)

103 wait until we have a president whose cabinet members die in mysterious plane crashes

Technically, I think it was the bullet in the brain that killed Ron Brown.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at December 30, 2015 05:55 PM (39g3+)

104 @102
What night is it on?
I have socks that need sorting.

Posted by: Keep playing with your device at December 30, 2015 05:55 PM (k8tEg)

105 rd @ #74: correct, and echoes something I've pointed out before, in connection with the "recess appointment" affair. In all prior US history, a stunt like the one Obama pulled would have lasted about 2 hours, during which the leaders of both parties would have gone before cameras and informed the WH that it would immediately reverse itself or suffer a thorough political and budgetary disembowling. Instead, ONE party goes to COURT to "fix" the problem. A condensed illustration of just how far the informal constitutional governors have failed.

Mateusz @ #79: your comment about anything being possible the next 13 months is completely different than the identical words had they been spoken any other time in my life. We really are in a world with endless (bad, destructive) possibilities.

Posted by: rhomboid at December 30, 2015 05:55 PM (QDnY+)

106 Tricky Dick was, well, a dick. His privately voiced views of American Jewry veered at times into outright conspiratorial antisemitism. But when Israel needed help, Nixon provided it generously. A study in contrasts.

Posted by: torquewrench at December 30, 2015 05:32 PM (noWW6)

In fairness, how much of that was just Nixon's frustrated befuddlement at the mindless leftism of all too many ostensibly Jewish people in America?

Posted by: Curmudgeon at December 30, 2015 05:55 PM (GsebS)

107 I mean... how can we have a functioning government when the progressive bureaucracy (and the progressive president) spies on Congress?

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at December 30, 2015 05:55 PM (AkOaV)

108 What I find hilarious -- and historically significant -- is that Netanyahu took office in March of 2009, so he has been the Prime Minister of Israel for basically the ENTIRE time Obama has been in office.

It's funny that Obama thereby has been utterly thwarted in all his goals involving Israel.

It's historically significant because if a leftist self-hating Prime Minister had been in power in Israel during Obama's reign, the Obama would have been able to get cooperation in achieving those goals -- which were:

1. The dismantlement of the state of Israel;
2. Handing the reigns of power over to the Palestinians instead;
3. And then siting back and expressing mock surprise when the next Holocaust plays out on your watch -- which was your true goal all along.

Posted by: zombie at December 30, 2015 05:56 PM (jBuUi)

109 the whole reason the CIA couldn't act in America (well, legally) was because congress didn't want the executive branch spying on US soil with all those tools and lack of, shall we say, compunction.

-
The smoking gun that caused Nixon to resign was an audio tape in which Nixon and others discussed telling the FBI to back off investigating the Watergate burglary citing a CIA operation rather than telling the truth, it was for political reasons.

Posted by: The Great White Snark at December 30, 2015 05:56 PM (Nwg0u)

110 I also looked at politico comments on this last night -- they think that CONGRESSMEN should be impeached for talking to Netanyahu behind King Obamas back.

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at December 30, 2015 05:56 PM (AkOaV)

111 Nixon, watergate, looking back, knowing what we know now, what could you suspect Obama and the democrats of having done these last . . oh, since Reagan's election?

Like volunteer to work with the Russians to discredit Regan, or something? Or since the '70's when the CIA was handcuffed because we don't spy on US Citizens, that's not who we are.

Rham Emmanuel, Mayor of Chicago, Former White House Chief of staff 'vacations' in Cuba. Negotiating the details of giving Gitmo back to Cuba?

Nah, unbelievable.

Posted by: Mateusz at December 30, 2015 05:56 PM (gKnC5)

112 We should be spying on other countries: enemies and allies alike. You can bet every other country in the world is doing the same. I would hope that each and every member of congress has enough of an understanding of how national security works to realize that when they are in contact with foreign governments, they will liking have those conversations monitored. Not because of who they are, but because of who the people they are contacting are.

Posted by: Anon Y. Mous at December 30, 2015 05:57 PM (R+30W)

113 What acts of treachery isn't he capable of?
Bueller?
Anyone?

Posted by: Keep playing with your device at December 30, 2015 05:58 PM (k8tEg)

114 Well, I was about to play the 'go to the gym or drink bourbon' game with myself tonight but this settles it.

Bourbon it is.

Obama is the worst.

Posted by: Lea at December 30, 2015 05:58 PM (vmMMi)

115 So back in 1973 when US Jews were adamant in their support for Israel, Nixon takes aggressive and risky action that might have made the difference in Israel's survival

Yeah Nixon might have been an antisemitic bastard but he would probably have grumbled "but those damn Joos are so useful"

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at December 30, 2015 05:59 PM (39g3+)

116 If we avoid a nuclear exchange, it will be a minor miracle.

Posted by: rd at December 30, 2015 05:53 PM (Ltj2h)
==========================================

Major.

Posted by: grammie winger, sign of The Time at December 30, 2015 05:59 PM (dFi94)

117 "Technically, I think it was the bullet in the brain that killed Ron Brown."

Ron Brown and Vince Foster. "They got a lucky break. Yesterday they were just clerks; today, they are the honored dead."

Posted by: Qoheleth at December 30, 2015 06:00 PM (iIzG7)

118 We should be spying on other countries: enemies and allies alike.

Yeah, the "spying on Israel" part I don't care about. Knock yourselves out, spy on Canada. Its the "spying on US citizens because they oppose me" part that is bad.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at December 30, 2015 06:00 PM (39g3+)

119 Headline at Fox says that Rubio is endorsing a Constitutional Convention. I remember some of the more thoughtful people here saying that it could be too easily subverted. Hmmmmmm

Posted by: mustbequantum at December 30, 2015 05:50 PM (MIKMs)

Can't you see it now? The convention will be staffed by Occupy Wall Street, Black Lives Matter, La Raza, NORML, and three little old ladies that support Luap Nor.

Posted by: rd at December 30, 2015 06:00 PM (Ltj2h)

120 Not because of who they are, but because of who the people they are contacting are.
=================================================

Yes, Bibi is the real threat here. Second only to Queen Elizabeth.

Posted by: grammie winger, sign of The Time at December 30, 2015 06:01 PM (dFi94)

121 116 If we avoid a nuclear exchange, it will be a minor miracle.

Posted by: rd at December 30, 2015 05:53 PM (Ltj2h)
==========================================

Major.
Posted by: grammie winger, sign of The Time at December 30, 2015 05:59 PM (dFi94)

*magor

Posted by: Insomniac - Pale Horse/Death 2016 at December 30, 2015 06:01 PM (kpqmD)

122 " so he has been the Prime Minister of Israel for basically the ENTIRE time Obama has been in office.
"

Thanks be to God.

Posted by: Lauren at December 30, 2015 06:02 PM (bYGAR)

123 Can't you see it now? The convention will be staffed by Occupy Wall Street, Black Lives Matter, La Raza, NORML, and three little old ladies that support Luap Nor.
Posted by: rd

Then Rubio will finally get the amnesty that he and his boyfriend Chuck Schumer wants.

Posted by: Prince Ludwig the #Problematic at December 30, 2015 06:02 PM (/FOB4)

124 I am still convinced that Foster shot himself in despair, seeing no way the Clintons could get around Whitewater. Finding him dead in the White House, the administration panicked and had him moved to the park so it wouldn't look as bad.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at December 30, 2015 06:02 PM (39g3+)

125 Nixon resupplying Israel did make a difference in 1973. He might have done it because USSR was resupplying Egypt and Syria.

Posted by: scorecard at December 30, 2015 06:02 PM (PGh+Q)

126 #JooSpiesMatter

Posted by: Marie Hork and Jen Psocki at December 30, 2015 06:02 PM (Dwehj)

127 Impeach, convict, and then hopefully execute for treason, because if this doesn't qualify as treason, what does?

Let him have another Historic First, first President to be convicted of, and executed for, treason.

I know, it will never happen, but it SHOULD, and in a just world ...

Posted by: acethepug at December 30, 2015 06:02 PM (RHPFv)

128 like Maxim is a credible source

-
Yeah, well, then why do all the lesbians I know look like John Goodman?

Posted by: The Great White Snark at December 30, 2015 06:03 PM (Nwg0u)

129 Yes, Bibi is the real threat here. Second only to Queen Elizabeth.

Hey, I was there first.....

Posted by: Lyndon LaRouche at December 30, 2015 06:03 PM (GsebS)

130 Kissinger wanted to contain the communists.
Obama wants to get out of their way.

Posted by: Mateusz at December 30, 2015 06:04 PM (gKnC5)

131 Yeah, well, then why do all the lesbians I know look like John Goodman?

Hey, be fair. Some of them look like Steve Buscemi.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at December 30, 2015 06:04 PM (39g3+)

132 *magor

Posted by: Insomniac - Pale Horse/Death 2016 at December 30, 2015 06:01 PM (kpqmD)
===================================================

Oops - I almost forgot where I was.

Posted by: grammie winger, sign of The Time at December 30, 2015 06:04 PM (dFi94)

133 Yeah, the "spying on Israel" part I don't care about. Knock yourselves out, spy on Canada. Its the "spying on US citizens because they oppose me" part that is bad.
Posted by: Christopher Taylor at December 30, 2015 06:00 PM (39g3+)

Not even spying in US citizens. No matter how we feel about Congress, Obama was spying on a co-equal branch of government.

Like the NSA guy said, "oh shit".

Then Obama said (paraphrasing), "ehh, I'm not going to say don't spy on them, but you know, if you want to leave a report of what they said over there... I'm not going to say know? You know?" like some kind of mafia don.

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at December 30, 2015 06:04 PM (AkOaV)

134 The 'hick'storians have already spoken: no scandals in the 2nd term, top five President. Reality has no business in the assessment of The One That Snookered Them All.

Posted by: East Bay Jay at December 30, 2015 06:04 PM (PvCxa)

135 Guess maybe more people (like the MSM and Peggy Noonan types) should have noticed that Obama left no paper trail in his personal or political life, and that he had a tendency in state senate to vote "present" so as not to actually take a stand on anything (at least on the *public* record). This is so in character of O it is not a surprise.

Posted by: Lizzy at December 30, 2015 06:04 PM (NOIQH)

136 *no

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at December 30, 2015 06:04 PM (AkOaV)

137 So back in 1973 when US Jews were adamant in their support for Israel, Nixon takes aggressive and risky action that might have made the difference in Israel's survival

Yeah Nixon might have been an antisemitic bastard but he would probably have grumbled "but those damn Joos are so useful"

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at December 30, 2015 05:59 PM (39g3+)

He also knew that Israel was readying their nuclear weapons, and was going to use them..

Posted by: rd at December 30, 2015 06:04 PM (Ltj2h)

138 Yes, Bibi is the real threat here. Second only to Queen Elizabeth.

Posted by: grammie winger, sign of The Time at December 30, 2015 06:01 PM (dFi94)

++++

He is the leader of a foreign government. The USA has national security interests in knowing what all foreign governments are up to.

While the 4th amendment protects (or is supposed protect) American citizens, people outside of the US do not get its protections. Instead, the duty of our government is to protect this country. And that means spying on all the other ones.

Posted by: Anon Y. Mous at December 30, 2015 06:06 PM (R+30W)

139 It's a big, dangerous world out there. We should absolutely be listening to anyone and everyone. Forewarned is forearmed..we should listen in on the Israelis, as they are most certainly listening in on us, and probably doing a much better job of it. As for listening in on congress, I can't imagine a bigger waste of time. Who cares what those useless, incompetent morons say or think?

Posted by: macleod at December 30, 2015 06:06 PM (Qf5bp)

140 Semi-OT: whatever else he does,I hope Trump grabs the open wound of Bill Clinton's psycho-misogynist infamy and pounds on it like an action movie bad guy.

Of course it's too much to hope that he'll actually pile on by starting to puncture the absurd mythology around Clinton's being a "good" president.

Leaving his histrionic personal degradation of the office and country entirely aside, Clinton was a comprehensive disaster. Yet even non-dipshit sorts mindlessly murble their admiration for his "moderation" etc. He happened to be standing there when a revolutionary economic/technical transition occurred, leading to short-term economic benefits and excesses. He had literally nothing to do with it.

His administration presided over the evolution of both the 9/11 and 2008 financial disasters. Material involvement, consistent incompetence or actual contribution to the problems, all of it clearly called out at the time (not a bit of hindsight or second-guessing involved).

Obama is, of course, a far far worse disaster as president, but then again he's presiding over a degraded nation with no meaningful opposition party, hollow or rogue institutions, collapsed informal standards and civic culture, and the cretinized and irresponsible electorate (esp. the "educated" urban/suburban part).

Posted by: rhomboid at December 30, 2015 06:06 PM (QDnY+)

141 The best assessment of Obama I've ever read noted that his foreign policy - and the rest of his policy and life - is driven more by what he is trying to avoid more than what he is trying to accomplish. Avoid offending, avoid upsetting the wrong groups, avoid harming civilians, avoid taking a stand, avoid going on the record.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at December 30, 2015 06:07 PM (39g3+)

142 I have no problem with the State spying on domestic enemies. I do have a problem when the State is my enemy.

Posted by: Mateusz at December 30, 2015 06:08 PM (gKnC5)

143 I have a problem with the spying on Israel *and then telling Iran about it*.
I seem to recall an report some months ago that Obama was spilling all kinds of secrets to Iran. He's also let other secrets slip, like the stuxnet virus was Israel's and the existence of a secret base.

Posted by: Lizzy at December 30, 2015 06:08 PM (NOIQH)

144 I'm convince Foster was shot because he objected to a surveillance plan (NSA blackmail?) that was being rolled out. He said something that panicked the traitors. Remember Hillary's FBI files (on her political foes). They don't even try to hide the corruption.

Posted by: scorecard at December 30, 2015 06:08 PM (PGh+Q)

145 Obama was not caught.

Caught implies there could be consequences.

Posted by: eman at December 30, 2015 06:08 PM (MQEz6)

146 The USA has national security interests in knowing what all foreign governments are up to.
=================================================

Maybe we could divert the spies assigned to Queen Elizabeth over to spy on His Majesty Obama. I for one would like to know what that skunk is up to.

Posted by: grammie winger, sign of The Time at December 30, 2015 06:09 PM (dFi94)

147 12 Does anybody know what Trump's position on Israel is?

Trump is a strong supporter of Israel.

Posted by: despair at December 30, 2015 06:09 PM (VrdxH)

148

May I suggest that Obama is a very bad man and also not a good President?>>

Hi... This is God speaking.

You guys can forget about trying to smite the heathen Obama in this lifetime.

Y'all know I'm in charge of the hereafter n'shit

I have some plans for Barry that will scare the living shit out of the Devil.

Barry is going to wish his soul had never been created.

Posted by: turfmann at December 30, 2015 06:09 PM (QHOa0)

149

You can hit me -- but not in the face where the bruises will show.

I can take the pain. I just can't take the embarrassment.

Posted by: The GOPe Congress

Posted by: Laurie David's Cervix at December 30, 2015 06:10 PM (kdS6q)

150 I think Foster killed himself because he accidentally saw hillary naked.

Posted by: Guy Mohawk at December 30, 2015 06:10 PM (ODxAs)

151 82 that place where political prisoners mysteriously kept dying of typhus and dysentery in record numbers.

-
I didn't know a symptom of typhus and dysentery was a hole in the back of the skull.
Posted by: The Great White Snark at December 30, 2015 05:49 PM (Nwg0u)

Single bullet to the back of the head, then charge the family of the dissident for the cost of the bullet.

Posted by: Northernlurker at December 30, 2015 06:10 PM (hJrjt)

152 Obama "is driven more by what he is trying to avoid"

He's got a passive/aggressive side to his personality but don't think he doesn't have an agenda.

Posted by: Ignoramus at December 30, 2015 06:11 PM (r1fLd)

153 150 this makes more sense than anything I've heard.

Posted by: Weasel at December 30, 2015 06:11 PM (e3bId)

154 Yes, Bibi is the real threat here. Second only to Queen Elizabeth.
Posted by: grammie winger, sign of The Time

I was watching the Queen's Christmas Message and when she mentioned the dark events of the past year, she quoted the part from the Gospel of John about "the light and the darkness could not overtake it." And it struck me: imagine living in a country where the head of state actually quotes from the Gospels and doesn't trip over the words like they're seeing it for the first time, like some probable mohammedans I could mention.

Posted by: Prince Ludwig the #Problematic at December 30, 2015 06:11 PM (/FOB4)

155 The best assessment of Obama I've ever read noted that his foreign policy - and the rest of his policy and life - is driven more by what he is trying to avoid more than what he is trying to accomplish. Avoid offending, avoid upsetting the wrong groups, avoid harming civilians, avoid taking a stand, avoid going on the record.

Posted by: Christopher Taylor at December 30, 2015 06:07 PM (39g3+)

Avoid harming civilians?

Has anyone looked at Libya, Mali, Syria and Iraq?

Posted by: rd at December 30, 2015 06:11 PM (Ltj2h)

156
141 The best assessment of Obama I've ever read noted that his foreign policy - and the rest of his policy and life - is driven more by what he is trying to avoid more than what he is trying to accomplish. Avoid offending, avoid upsetting the wrong groups, avoid harming civilians, avoid taking a stand, avoid going on the record.
Posted by: Christopher Taylor at December 30, 2015 06:07 PM (39g3+)

No, his foreign policy is to injure and weaken the United States. His side goal is to do it and get folks to think it is about the things you wrote.

Posted by: eman at December 30, 2015 06:11 PM (MQEz6)

157 He is the leader of a foreign government. The USA has national security interests in knowing what all foreign governments are up to.

Posted by: Anon Y. Mous at December 30, 2015 06:06 PM (R+30W)

Yes and no.

It's something that has to be dealt with with a ... diplomatic touch.

I'm not necessarily against our government keeping tabs on everyone.

Bugging phone calls between US congressmen and the Israeli Prime Minster?

Yikes.

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at December 30, 2015 06:12 PM (AkOaV)

158 "Someone -- I think it was nevergiveup -- asked earlier if Choom Boy eavesdropped on Iran as well."

Somewhere in the White House is a secret room where a hologram of the ayatollah speaks to Obama.

Posted by: despair at December 30, 2015 06:12 PM (VrdxH)

159 133 Yeah, the "spying on Israel" part I don't care about. Knock yourselves out, spy on Canada. Its the "spying on US citizens because they oppose me" part that is bad.
Posted by: Christopher Taylor at December 30, 2015 06:00 PM (39g3+)

Not even spying in US citizens. No matter how we feel about Congress, Obama was spying on a co-equal branch of government.

Like the NSA guy said, "oh shit".

Then Obama said (paraphrasing), "ehh, I'm not going to say don't spy on them, but you know, if you want to leave a report of what they said over there... I'm not going to say know? You know?" like some kind of mafia don.

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at December 30, 2015 06:04 PM (AkOaV)

++++

Nope. When the government has someone under surveillance, everyone who contacts that someone also gets surveilled. If I contact someone who the cops are watching (let's say with a warrant), I will get caught up in that surveillance.

I would expect the same if I contacted a foreign government. And any member of Congress who doesn't expect the same is too stupid to even listen to.

Posted by: Anon Y. Mous at December 30, 2015 06:12 PM (R+30W)

160 Negotiating the details of giving Gitmo back to Cuba?

Cuba? Shouldn't we be negotiating with the Royal Family of Spain? Thats who we took Gitmo from anyway. Then Spain can do whatever the hell they want with it.

Posted by: Puddleglum at December 30, 2015 06:13 PM (/rY/K)

161
Hey, remember on how surprised we said we were by Boehner's invitation to Bibi to address Congress?

Gotcha!

Posted by: Obama

Posted by: Laurie David's Cervix at December 30, 2015 06:13 PM (kdS6q)

162 " Obama was not caught.

Caught implies there could be consequences. "

He'll be very "disappointed" that this all "got out of hand."

Posted by: Ricardo Kill at December 30, 2015 06:13 PM (LA7Cm)

163
I'm not necessarily against our government keeping tabs on everyone.

Bugging phone calls between US congressmen and the Israeli Prime Minster?

Yikes.

Yikes is right...

Posted by: donna at December 30, 2015 06:13 PM (/dSsq)

164 3. And then siting back and expressing mock surprise when the next Holocaust plays out on your watch -- which was your true goal all along.

Bet Obama would be angry when he read about in the papers--or the NBA game was interrupted by the announcement.

Posted by: Northernlurker at December 30, 2015 06:13 PM (hJrjt)

165 Semi-OT: whatever else he does,I hope Trump grabs the open wound of Bill Clinton's psycho-misogynist infamy and pounds on it like an action movie bad guy.

Of course it's too much to hope that he'll actually pile on by starting to puncture the absurd mythology around Clinton's being a "good" president.

In the sense of not doing damage like the Obamunist has, I think Bill Clinton IS a good president. But that just shows you how far the bar has fallen.

Indeed, Clinton's personal scandals helped him. If Clinton had been a continent and unscandalized man, and so with the time and focus to be a left-wing activist president, the consequences would almost certainly have been disastrous for the American economy. As it was, with the president busy elsewhere, the nation thrived mightily, as it always does when politicians do not meddle. The stage had already been set by the Reagan years, but under Clinton all surged forward. During the last quarter of the twentieth century, more than $5 trillion in real terms was added to America's gross domestic product. This was the central paradox of the Clinton presidency, and of course the leading reason why he remained popular.

Posted by: Curmudgeon at December 30, 2015 06:14 PM (GsebS)

166 Single bullet to the back of the head, then charge the family of the dissident for the cost of the bullet.
-------
IIRC they would shoot the guy, then send the family fake postcards from the Gulag for a while, then send a letter stating that their dear departed loved one died from dysentery at the camps. KGB were some right evil bastards.
I can think of some Dems and envirowhackos (BIRM) who wish they had that kind of power and the KGB playbook.

Posted by: Old Blue at December 30, 2015 06:14 PM (9iR5/)

167 Nope. When the government has someone under surveillance, everyone who contacts that someone also gets surveilled. If I contact someone who the cops are watching (let's say with a warrant), I will get caught up in that surveillance.

I would expect the same if I contacted a foreign government. And any member of Congress who doesn't expect the same is too stupid to even listen to.

Posted by: Anon Y. Mous at December 30, 2015 06:12 PM (R+30W)

Ok -- then we live in a dictatorship.

If the co-equal branch of government, the legislature, cannot do their job without being spied on by the executive, then they have no power. The executive knows all of their dirty laundry (blackmail), knows their dealings, and knows their opinions and feelings on issues.

And the NSA, a part of the DoD is banned by legislation (posse comitatus act) from working on US soil.

And a call originating in the US is absolutely US soil.

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at December 30, 2015 06:14 PM (AkOaV)

168 >>>Maybe we could divert the spies assigned to Queen
Elizabeth over to spy on His Majesty Obama. I for one would like to know
what that skunk is up to.

Posted by: grammie winger, sign of The Time at December 30, 2015 06:09 PM (dFi94)<<<

You sure you really want to know?

Posted by: Reggie, meeting up with SCOAMF at the 19th Hole at December 30, 2015 06:15 PM (H9MG5)

169 168 >>>Maybe we could divert the spies assigned to Queen
Elizabeth over to spy on His Majesty Obama. I for one would like to know
what that skunk is up to.

But did You see that chip shot obama made?

Posted by: donna at December 30, 2015 06:16 PM (/dSsq)

170 One of my Christmas presents was an audiobook on the Book of Daniel. Just sayin'. Not that it has anything to do with this conversation. At all.

Posted by: grammie winger, sign of The Time at December 30, 2015 06:16 PM (dFi94)

171 ...So if I call my cousin in Sherbrooke, the NSA can spy on me? Am I no longer a US citizen, protected by the 4th amendment?

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at December 30, 2015 06:16 PM (AkOaV)

172 Unless it affects his March Madness bracket, Obama doesn't want to learn about any bad news for the next three months.

Posted by: wooga at December 30, 2015 06:16 PM (ZxYuM)

173 GOP will fight...

...oh, who the fuck am I trying to kid?

Posted by: JEM at December 30, 2015 06:16 PM (o+SC1)

174 If only Congress had any constitutional tools at its disposal ... the founders just never envisioned an executive branch of this magnitude. What are you going to do?

Posted by: SH at December 30, 2015 06:17 PM (gmeXX)

175 Negotiating the details of giving Gitmo back to Cuba?

Give Puerto Rico to Cuba.

Posted by: Bertram Cabot Jr. at December 30, 2015 06:17 PM (FkBIv)

176 Give Puerto Rico to Cuba.

And Chicago...

Posted by: donna at December 30, 2015 06:18 PM (/dSsq)

177 Obama's chip shot proves that, just by accident, he can do something right. Which then proves all the other things that have gone wrong, weren't accidents.

Posted by: Mateusz at December 30, 2015 06:18 PM (gKnC5)

178 92 We are now ruled by the House of Borgia.
Posted by: Keep playing with your device at December 30, 2015 05:51 PM (k8tEg)

At least the Borgias were the patrons of some great artists, as compared to Lena Dunham, Beyonce, and Shephard Fairey.

And I don't think the Borgias wanted to control everything the peasants ate and did and thought. Nor were they inviting foreign masses in to displace the natives.

They certainly had more style and better manners than Mooch.

Advantage: Borgias.

Posted by: Donna&&&&V (a white) (whitely brandishing ampersand privilege ) at December 30, 2015 06:18 PM (P8951)

179 167 Nope. When the government has someone under surveillance, everyone who contacts that someone also gets surveilled. If I contact someone who the cops are watching (let's say with a warrant), I will get caught up in that surveillance.

I would expect the same if I contacted a foreign government. And any member of Congress who doesn't expect the same is too stupid to even listen to.

Posted by: Anon Y. Mous at December 30, 2015 06:12 PM (R+30W)

Ok -- then we live in a dictatorship.

If the co-equal branch of government, the legislature, cannot do their job without being spied on by the executive, then they have no power. The executive knows all of their dirty laundry (blackmail), knows their dealings, and knows their opinions and feelings on issues.

And the NSA, a part of the DoD is banned by legislation (posse comitatus act) from working on US soil.

And a call originating in the US is absolutely US soil.

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at December 30, 2015 06:14 PM (AkOaV)

++++

Yes, if the bug is placed on the American side of the call, that's a problem. But, if the bug is placed on the Israeli side of the call, then it is kosher. And, of course, if that is the case, the entire conversation gets recorded, not just the Bibi side of it.

Posted by: Anon Y. Mous at December 30, 2015 06:18 PM (R+30W)

180 nood hillary

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at December 30, 2015 06:18 PM (AkOaV)

181 Yes, if the bug is placed on the American side of the call, that's a problem. But, if the bug is placed on the Israeli side of the call, then it is kosher. And, of course, if that is the case, the entire conversation gets recorded, not just the Bibi side of it.

Posted by: Anon Y. Mous at December 30, 2015 06:18 PM (R+30W)

No, that's not how that works. They don't have a warrant to listen to my call.

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at December 30, 2015 06:19 PM (AkOaV)

182 Give Puerto Rico to Cuba

Holy Exodus Batman.

Posted by: eleven at December 30, 2015 06:19 PM (qUNWi)

183 Not only is impeachment off the table, Beard and Turtle gave the table to Hillary so she can use it as Huma's snack bench.

Posted by: eman at December 30, 2015 06:20 PM (MQEz6)

184 Indeed, Clinton's personal scandals helped him. If Clinton had been a continent and unscandalized man, and so with the time and focus to be a left-wing activist president, the consequences would almost certainly have been disastrous for the American economy.

------

I'm not sure I agree with you that his scandals helped him in that I don't think the scandals caused him not to act more leftist.

Posted by: SH at December 30, 2015 06:20 PM (gmeXX)

185 Checking sock.

I may have slacked some.

Posted by: Golfman at December 30, 2015 06:21 PM (48QDY)

186
John Schindler*

Dear GOP: dishonestly running against [Obama] on behalf of a foreign country is not a vote-getter among normal Americans. Just FYI.

*totes conservative columnist @observer, security consultant. Formerly NSA. Not all that fond of Jews. Likes to send pecker-pics to women**

**google it

Posted by: Laurie David's Cervix at December 30, 2015 06:21 PM (kdS6q)

187 Re. the KGB I like the cleverness of picking up 'enemies of the revolution (or whatever)' in disguised trucks i.e. 'Joe's Meats' on the side and the appearance of a legitimate business. You don't want to unduly alarm the populace when you're.....ummmm.......sending off a big chunk of the populace to die. Also, doing the pick ups at 4 AM when the 'deemed guilty' would be groggy and pliable. The USSR communists were good at this thing. The US communists have surely taken notes.

Posted by: East Bay Jay at December 30, 2015 06:21 PM (PvCxa)

188 "Clinton was a comprehensive disaster"

Bill's Bimbos are coming back. Remember the Gennifer Flowers eruption right before the 1991 NH primary. Hillary went on TV to stand by her man else his campaign was over.

Hillary exacted a price from Bill that she'd wield extraordinary influence and for the first two years pushed Bill's administration far further to the left than he wanted to be. In response, the 1994 mid-terms gave control of Congress to the Republicans for the first time in forever and Newt pushed Bill to act like a moderate Republican in most of the things that really mattered.

Posted by: Ignoramus at December 30, 2015 06:22 PM (r1fLd)

189
Posted by: Anon Y. Mous at December 30, 2015 06:18 PM (R+30W)

Under that logic, all internet communications are open game. Since everything passes through servers that could conceivably be (and probably are in many cases) outside the US.

And if your phone call gets routed through the Rogers network (not unheard of in northern NH), you can be spied on without a warrant.

And again, any time you talk to a friend or family member who lives 5 minutes over the border in Canada, the DOD can spy on both you and the recipient -- no warrant needed.

Thats a great way to circumvent the 4th amendment.

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at December 30, 2015 06:22 PM (AkOaV)

190 181 Yes, if the bug is placed on the American side of the call, that's a problem. But, if the bug is placed on the Israeli side of the call, then it is kosher. And, of course, if that is the case, the entire conversation gets recorded, not just the Bibi side of it.

Posted by: Anon Y. Mous at December 30, 2015 06:18 PM (R+30W)

No, that's not how that works. They don't have a warrant to listen to my call.

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at December 30, 2015 06:19 PM (AkOaV)

++++

Yes, that is exactly how it works. If the FBI has a warrant to listen to the calls of a mafioso, and you call that mafioso, you get recorded. Nobody needs any kind of cause to suspect you, they have cause to suspect him.

When the CIA/NSA/whoever surveils people overseas, if you contact that person - even if it is from here to there - the surveillance on the other end will capture you as well. It is the only way it can work.

Posted by: Anon Y. Mous at December 30, 2015 06:24 PM (R+30W)

191 I would feel a lot better about all this spying if it were being kept on the qt like it used to be. The administration fails at least as much in just being SO bad at being sneaky as anything else. Lord.

We shouldn't know any of this!

Posted by: Lea at December 30, 2015 06:26 PM (vmMMi)

192 President Xerxes promises to make you immortal if you bow down and polish his love muscle.

And this is difficult to understand because why?

Posted by: Fritz at December 30, 2015 06:27 PM (BngQR)

193 But that said, couple this with all the about faces and open rumors about people being blackmailed we have something very worrisome. Our government spying on our citizens, using the power of the government that is supposed to protect us and turning it against people for political reasons? This is very scary stuff.

Posted by: Lea at December 30, 2015 06:28 PM (vmMMi)

194 And it struck me: imagine living in a country where the head of state actually quotes from the Gospels and doesn't trip over the words like they're seeing it for the first time, like some probable mohammedans I could mention.
Posted by: Prince Ludwig the #Problematic at December 30, 2015 06:11 PM (/FOB4)

Except that the Queen, God Save Her, is one of the few persons left in the UK who is actually capable of quoting from the Bible. The UK is far more secular and atheistic than the US is, even accounting for the "progress" we have made in that direction during the past 10 years or so.

Even at the supposedly conservative Telegraph, anybody who professes a belief in God or Christianity is thoroughly trashed in the comments sections. They've utterly disavowed their own Christian past.

Posted by: Donna&&&&V (a white) (whitely brandishing ampersand privilege ) at December 30, 2015 06:29 PM (P8951)

195 192: love muscle??

https://youtu.be/OWIzyr1zP6Y

Posted by: Puddleglum at December 30, 2015 06:29 PM (/rY/K)

196 98
If we avoid a nuclear exchange, it will be a minor miracle.
Posted by: rd at December 30, 2015 05:53 PM (Ltj2h)

It's cute of you to think Obama would retaliate if the U.S. was nuked.

Posted by: rickl at December 30, 2015 06:32 PM (sdi6R)

197 Of course he was. That's how he rolls.

Posted by: Hank at December 30, 2015 06:46 PM (AqfcR)

198 like Maxim is a credible source

I want to believe...

Posted by: t-bird at December 30, 2015 06:54 PM (ZxmMG)

199 I'm not sure I agree with you that his scandals helped him in that I don't think the scandals caused him not to act more leftist.

Posted by: SH at December 30, 2015 06:20 PM (gmeXX)

Nonsense like "midnight basketball" was dropped, as were Cisneros, Elders, and Achtenberg. Robert Rubin came in and slashed capital gains taxes in half, and welfare reform was actually passed. Which the Obamunist has since undone, but anyway....

Posted by: Curmudgeon at December 30, 2015 06:56 PM (GsebS)

200 But impeachment is off the table even for spying on Congress.

Posted by: andycanuck at December 30, 2015 07:07 PM (DLIIY)

201 Yeah, the UK Telegraph hasn't been conservative since Lord Black was ousted. (Even then because of the Leftism of wire services their filler stories were fairly lib too.)

Posted by: andycanuck at December 30, 2015 07:09 PM (DLIIY)

202 There can be no justice for Palestine so long as the Zionist entity continues to oppress innocent human beings. President Obama knows this.

Posted by: Mary Cloggenstein from Brattleboro, VT at December 30, 2015 08:27 PM (+YMDZ)

203 Don't forget the Israeli election from last March, the one that the Obama admin ran interference with. Didn't see it mentioned, and it provides a bit of context to the question why.

Posted by: Mossomo at December 30, 2015 09:17 PM (98kZ5)

204 Thats a great way to circumvent the 4th amendment.

Posted by: Harry Paratestes at December 30, 2015 06:22 PM (AkOaV)
----

and that's exactly what they've been doing for a looong time.

Posted by: ThisBeingMilt at December 30, 2015 09:36 PM (MbrzC)

205 203 - Indeed.

Posted by: ThisBeingMilt at December 30, 2015 09:37 PM (MbrzC)

206 This explains how the Hildebeast prepared for the Benghazi hearing..and why blackmailing stupid congressmen like K McCarthy? to conveniently burp out.."we (establishment R's) are using the Benghazi hearings to 'get Hillary for politics"..never the truth.

This is East German stasi/..zi tactics, people. Yet the elite media and establishment cannot field a candidate with more than 5-8% of voters? and wonder why Trump is at 40+?

How do you solve a problem like Obama?
I.M.P.E.A.C.H.M.E.N.T.

He cannot fight ISIS, create jobs for full employment, obey court/constitution if not agreed with, admit the gun problem is :criminals get guns illegally no matter because democratic welfare/food stamp safe space decimated urban/surburban cities full of hopeless people who have no incentive to improve their life..just vote democrat and we'll give you a ghetto, phone, food stamps and abortions?
But will support illegal immigration because they'll take the low-paying jobs his benefactors want for employees over Americans' jobless or veterans abandoned?

But he has enhanced Iran, Cuba and the Muslim Brotherhood and spied on congressmen who just might remember Israel is our ALLY, not Iran?

This is more than a smidgen of corruption carried out by people not bound by oath or the electorate. What has happened to our liberty? Our representation?
We need some hobbitses

Posted by: palinbeatsturdblossom at December 30, 2015 11:02 PM (/qiij)

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