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cthulu2016

(10,960 posts)
Sun Jun 23, 2013, 02:38 PM Jun 2013

David the Spy (A vital point in Greenwald vs. Gregory)

Last edited Sun Jun 23, 2013, 03:50 PM - Edit history (2)

David Gregory, the most insidious RW mouthpiece with a "legitimate non-partisan journalist" label, asked Greenwald (on Meet the Press today) why Greenwald should not be charged with a crime, having "aided and abetted" Snowden.

Watch the show on replay or youtube and you'll note something amusing.

Only a minute or two before asking Greenwald the question, David Gregory committed espionage! (As currently defined.) He made classified information public to everyone in the world, including Russia and China and Kim Kardashian, on Meet the Press... as a variety of journalists do many times a year.

Greenwald characterized the secret FISA court ruling on the legality of the NSA programs. Gregory responded by disagreeing, saying that "the people (he) talk(s) to" tell him that the ruling said x, y and z.

The two men debated the point... Greenwald relying on a classified document he has read and Gregory relying on leaks of classified information made to him, by people in the government telling him what the document said.

Why doesn't Gregory turn himself the fuck in? Why is he sitting on TV announcing what a classified document says? But it was classified information that was leaked to him in order to make the NSA programs seem uncontroversial, so at least we have identified the key legal distinction in play... whether or not something is embarrassing.

One first step to taking classified information seriously would be the prosecution of everyone who discloses it. Every administration discloses beaucoup classified information (usually without even declassifying it) to reporters in background briefings for propaganda purposes... to present a shaped view of reality from selective leaking.

As long as that goes on it is hard to feel the outrage when someone leaks what the government "sources" who leak everyday (without their name attached) don't want leaked.

14 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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dkf

(37,305 posts)
1. The press is only allowed to print what is in the interest of the government.
Sun Jun 23, 2013, 02:40 PM
Jun 2013

What has happened to this country?

bvar22

(39,909 posts)
2. Interesting point,
Sun Jun 23, 2013, 03:14 PM
Jun 2013

...and very worthy of a DURec.

Beefed up with a few direct quotes from Gregory, this would make a nice LTTE.

Major Hogwash

(17,656 posts)
4. How did Greenwald get his classified document?
Sun Jun 23, 2013, 03:39 PM
Jun 2013
" . . . Greenwald relying on a classified document he has read . . ."


That's what lead to the question that Gregory asked him about.

cthulu2016

(10,960 posts)
5. The same place Gregory got his...
Sun Jun 23, 2013, 03:46 PM
Jun 2013

From someone employed directly or indirectly by the US government who had an interest in shaping national and global opinion of NSA activities that he/she believed would be advanced by giving classified information to a prominent reporter..

Major Hogwash

(17,656 posts)
6. Gregory was reading from newspaper accounts of what was published from the documents.
Sun Jun 23, 2013, 04:12 PM
Jun 2013

He didn't have his hot little hands on any of those secret NSA documents themselves.

Whereas, Greenwald did.

Major Hogwash

(17,656 posts)
8. Gregory didn't have no secret NSA documents. Greenwald did.
Sun Jun 23, 2013, 04:21 PM
Jun 2013

You can't get past that fact.

You just can't figure out how Greenwald got his hot little hands on some secret NSA documents, and then not assume that he didn't somehow have them handed to him by the guy who stole them -- Snowden.

That seems pretty straightforward to me.

 

HardTimes99

(2,049 posts)
13. Are you daft or dense? Gregory was relying on leaks of classified information
Sun Jun 23, 2013, 05:01 PM
Jun 2013

transmitted orally to him by government insiders and Greenwald was relying on leaks of printed information delivered to him by Snowden.

Both were disclosiing classified information, but Greenwald should be charged while Gregory (who is doing exactly the same thing) rakes in the big bucks for pimping the security state?

Give me a fucking break.

 

Monkie

(1,301 posts)
12. once a journalist has the documents they are no longer secrets, FACT
Sun Jun 23, 2013, 04:56 PM
Jun 2013

get your head round that one major.

DevonRex

(22,541 posts)
9. Nothing David Gregory was told was classified. Nothing he repeated was classified.
Sun Jun 23, 2013, 04:26 PM
Jun 2013

That was a seriously ridiculous and ill-informed stretch. That's the problem. Now somebody'll go repeat your OP as if it's fact. Just like everybody here did with Snowden's stupid claims.

cthulu2016

(10,960 posts)
10. which parts of the ruling are unclassified?
Sun Jun 23, 2013, 04:27 PM
Jun 2013

Do you think it is the information that is classified, or the xerox paper? (Hint: it's the information)

Follow up question... do you actually believe that classified information is not given "on background" to reporters every week?


Really?


Wow!

DevonRex

(22,541 posts)
11. David Gregory gave the unclassified briefing version. Big fucking deal.
Sun Jun 23, 2013, 04:34 PM
Jun 2013

Keep on making shit up though.

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