I thought Gregory actually got Greenwald

[gulliver]

Gregory: "To the extent that you have aided and abetted Snowden — even in his current movements — why shouldn’t you, Mr. Greenwald, be charged with a crime?"

Greenwald: "...The assumption in your question, David, is completely without evidence — the idea I’ve aided and abetted him in any way..."

Greenwald didn't say he hadn't "aided and abetted" Snowden. He said that such an assumption was "without evidence." Why the evasion? Why not just say "I didn't aide and abet Snowden?" He could have added whatever indignation he wanted to after that.

Simply put, Gregory asked a question a lot of people wanted answered, and Greenwald decided to pound the table and evade rather than answer it. He wanted Gregory shouted down. But folks, Greenwald made himself news and put himself in whatever legal jeopardy he may be in. If he did more for Snowden than use him has a source, Greenwald may be looking at some unpleasantness in his future.

Gregory asked a "newsmaker" a very, very relevant question. It cut to the chase and it scored. Greenwald's thespian skills aside, he didn't answer the question. That's a win for Gregory, well in bounds.

[baldguy]

1. Greenwald could have given a short, simple answer. He chose to insult Gregory instead.

Stay classy, Glenn.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

3. Why does he need to act classy toward that douche?

You're sticking up for one of the biggest GOP asslickers in DC.

[baldguy]

6. David Gregory seems to have always treated his guests with respect, no matter how loony they may be.

Just because Glenn Greenwald is a self-promoting douchebag doesn't mean he shouldn't be treated the same.

[MNBrewer]

24. Insulting David Gregory is natural for any DUer.

or should be.

[truebrit71]

2. David Gregory is a sad sack excuse for a journalist"

..and is even more of a right-wing enabling toadie than Timmah...

[gulliver]

4. I'm not a big fan, but he got Greenwald.

Gregory occasionally has his moments.

[sabrina 1]

9. Yes, but it's astounding to see the love for the Corporate Toadies suddenly, on the left after the

years of their railing against them. But it's fun to watch, I must admit. A lot of former opinions are being verified.

[truebrit71]

23. Indeed...

...far too much of the "if it's our guy it's okay" going on...

[msanthrope]

5. The fact that Greenwald has expanded on this today--by claiming he didn't

know Snowden's name, etc....it indicates to me that Glenn isn't going to be flying over American airspace anytime soon.

[sabrina 1]

10. Why wouldn't he fly over US Air Space? Has there been a charge against him, could you link to

something other than the right wing toady, Gregory's, inane attempt to trap him into something, which he not only failed to do but got slapped down to the delight of every Democrat who has wanted to see someone expose these stenographers for the Corporate Media for more than a decade now.

Gregory is what he always was, a fool. And Greenwald simply highlighted it for the world to see. What a tool. But then we knew that already, didn't we, when he so subtly attacked Democrats like Obama, not openly of course, he's too much of a right wing coward to do that.

for Greenwald, he always did drive the far right wingers crazy.

[msanthrope]

12. I don't answer your questions Sabrina. nt

[sabrina 1]

17. I know! Are they too difficult for you? Here's the thing, we don't prosecute Journalists in the US.

I know they do it in other places, mostly dictatorships. But the fourth estate is very protected here even by right wing SC justices. I don't believe there has ever been a case before the SC that involved a journalist in the process of informing the people, where the SC has ruled against the journalist, even in sometimes 'iffy' cases.

Surely we on the Left of all people, have not sunk to the level of smearing journalists and like Sarah Palin, (who called for the execution for of all things, 'treason' of Assange, an award winning international editor and publisher of a news organization, but we're talking about Palin) are calling for their prosecution??

I never thought to see that on a Democratic forum. I hope we never do.

[Th1onein]

44. Why not?

[msanthrope]

74. What's it to you? nt

[Th1onein]

75. I'm curious.

[joshcryer]

55. Well, if it's easily disproven, by NSA wiretaps, etc...

...then I think that would be a very wise decision.

[sabrina 1]

7. Omg, Greenwald slaughtered him. He had no obligation to do anything other than expose the sheer

stupidity of what Gregory thought passed for a journalistic question. He pointed out how absurd it is to frame a question as an 'accusation' and expect people not to notice. As an attorney, he understands, and by now Gregory the moron, must understand that to even consider answering such an obvious 'did you beat your wife today' would be falling for the stupid trap Gregory thought he was setting.

He DENIED him the response he expected and took the weapon out of his hands and slammed him with it. It was brilliantly done.

The question was NOT relevant, you apparently did not understand that Gregory had zero basis to even entertain that thought, yet alone make a fool of himself by voicing the Fox News idiocy and he was rightly slapped down and taught a lesson in journalism, which will most likely go right over his head.

In fact, Gregory opened himself up to a lawsuit, and Greenwald by pointing out the sheer stupidity of the question, only helped him dig in deeper.

I have a feeling Greenwald was trying to lead him to make even more false allegations.

That was the best slapdown of a Corporate Media moron I've seen in a long time.

Btw, since when did we on the Left learn to love the Corporate Puppets?

[Fawke Em]

28. Thank you.

As a former investigative journalist, myself (who has met both Greenwald and David Corn, professionally), the very idea that a real journalist would accuse another journalist of, well, doing their job, is absurd.

I think many Americans are so afraid of the creeping fascism that they simply cannot abide by the truth. They'd rather have a pretty corporate toady pose as a journalist and ask the real journalist misleading questions than to face up to the fact that their government has run as amok as the corporations they worship.

[usGovOwesUs3Trillion]

8. Yeah, in bizarro totalitarian land, maybe, but not in the U.S. (n/t)

[ljm2002]

11. Gregory's question was a sad reflection...

...of what journalism has devolved into today.

First of all, including phrases like "aiding and abetting" is one of those sneaky l'il ways of planting the seed in listeners' minds that Greenwald is a lawbreaker; and "To the extent that" is weasel wording designed to make it seem less outrageous.

Greenwald did a fine job in his response. He was under no obligation to deny the insinuation contained in Gregory's question. Furthermore, has Gregory ever asked any reporter from the New York Times about their involvement in lies leading up to the Iraq War? Has he ever asked any other journalist a similar question? Has he ever asked any White House representative -- from this or the previous White House -- whether they should be prosecuted for their leaks to movie makers or the press, when those leaks resulted in casting a favorable light on the administration? Has he ever asked Dick Cheney about his involvement in the Plame affair, or Colin Powell about his lies to the UN?

Of course the answer to all the above questions, is of course a resounding NO. Of course he hasn't. Because his purpose is not to find the truth in these matters; his purpose is to parrot the Beltway party line -- a bipartisan party line that favors power and money and the status quo over all else, and that wants to stomp on truth tellers because they are a danger to the established order.

[TheKentuckian]

50. That is tent revival fire right there!

[ljm2002]

68. Why thank you! :-) n/t

[WilliamPitt]

13. . . . . . . . .

[Major Hogwash]

14. And not 30 minutes after that interview, Greenwald went on Twitter and tweeted all kinds of garbage.

Which suggests that he is getting a little nervous about his own predicament.

[sabrina 1]

18. And in less than that, Gregory was on Twitter tweeting all kinds of garbage. Which suggests

that he knew he had been made a fool of in front of the whole world. Not that the world wasn't aware of that anyhow.

[Major Hogwash]

21. No.

[Fawke Em]

36. Yes.

When I think of journalism, I'd rather picture Glenn Greenwald than David Gregory. Gregory is a mouthpiece in a nice suit. Greenwald actually, you know, investigates shit.

[Major Hogwash]

64. It was weird.

Greenwald was bitching his ass off on Twitter.
And I thought to myself, Jaysus, you were just on the damned teevee, why didn't you say all that vitriolic crap then.

I guess he had to save it up until it just comes out like a volcano.

[sabrina 1]

72. Yes, Gregory made a total ass of himself, again.

[H2O Man]

15. And Paterson beat Liston.

[dkf]

16. Gregory just admitted he had talked to people who told him about these "secrets". Such a hypocrite.

I had to laugh at that. He doesn't even realize he too has spoken about top secret info.

[octoberlib]

19. The issue is Freedom of the Press

In using the term “aided and abetted,” Mr. Gregory adopted the nomenclature of Representative Peter T. King, a Republican of New York who has argued that Mr. Greenwald should be arrested, lately on Fox News.

There will be, as Ben Smith pointed out on BuzzFeed, an attempt to depict the sources of information as rogues and traitors, a process that will accelerate now that WikiLeaks has begun assisting Mr. Snowden. “Snowden is what used to be known as a source,” Mr. Smith wrote. “And reporters don’t, and shouldn’t, spend too much time thinking about the moral status of their sources.”

Politicians would like to conflate the actions of reporters and their sources, but the law draws a very clear and bright line between the two in an effort to protect speech and enable transparency. Mr. Greenwald may have a point of view and his approach to journalism is through the prism of activism, but he functioned as a journalist and deserves the protections that go with the job.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/25/business/media/the-other-snowden-drama-impugning-the-messenger.html?_r=0

[Fawke Em]

20. Oh. My. God.

DU has sunk to new levels.

When someone on this board defends that corporate shill, power-ass-kisser David Gregory over a real investigative journalist like Glenn Greenwald, it's no wonder the Democratic Party has turned into Republican-lite.

[bigwillq]

22. Tremendous post.

[burnodo]

26. Lite?

[Fawke Em]

37. Apologies.

A. If you meant I was using the corporate spelling of "lite," as in even-worse-for you "lite" foods and beverages, instead of the correct spelling of, "light," it was meant as hyperbole. The media is corporate now days.
B. If you meant that the the Democratic Party is pretty much the same as the Republican Party on issues such as these and they are not actually, simply "lite," then you are probably correct.

[truebrit71]

27. No shit...this has to be close to the bottom...

...surely...

[Fawke Em]

40. I've been expecting critical mass for years.

I've been severely disappointed.

Every "real people" movement either gets infiltrated by corporate interests (the Tea Party) or stamped out like roaches (Occupy). While both those groups appeared to have polar-opposite interests, I could actually see a fair amount of similarities in their early movements, even if the means to correct those interests were contradictory.

And then we're left with the corporate toady-view and nothing else.

[Marr]

29. No kidding.

It's amazing the 180 degree Bushie spin that some have done in recent years. No compass at all.

[idwiyo]

31. +1

[sabrina 1]

33. It's like watching the Titanic lately, isn't it? Gregory V Greenwald? Unless you like Faux there

should be no contest. But with the Third Party/Way that has its tentacles all over the Dem Party, should we be surprised? The question now is, how do we detach the Third Party/Way from our Party and begin the process of trying to restore some sanity to this lost country?

[Fawke Em]

41. I'm beginning to think there was more hope for the victims of the Titanic.

After all, there wasn't 12 years of propaganda and mush-mouthed jingoism to prepare the mass for their slaughter. I believe they only had about three hours on the Titanic.

[H2O Man]

34. Right.

[joshcryer]

53. The OP did not "defend" him.

He was posting his opinion about the question.

Yes GG should've categorically denied any sort of collusion.

[frylock]

56. karl rove's hypeman is now to be admired

[Harmony Blue]

65. Good post

it is descending into madness.

[Major Hogwash]

66. Hahahaha!!! New lows reached here on a daily basis!!!

We're nearer our goal now than we ever have been!!!

As soon as we rename this site "RPU" for "Rand Paul Underground", we're going to put up banners on all of the corners of the posts . . . that flash!!

[Enthusiast]

78. PLUS A BRAZILLION! nt

[Marr]

25. Why? Because Greenwald was highlighting Gregory's shill status, not

just reflexively denying the smear Gregory was advancing, as Gregory no doubt wanted him to do.

[burnodo]

30. So Gregory makes a specious claim, and that's what "got" Greenwald?

hooboy

[PoliticAverse]

32. When someone says that your assumption is "completely without evidence" that isn't a win for you

unless you refute the claim.

[MattFromKY]

35. It was a fair question to ask of a potential criminal. nt

[Th1onein]

47. Welcome to DU, MattFromKY

Psssst......Greenwald is journalist. Gregory? Meh.....not so much.

[frylock]

57. first day on the job?

[MattFromKY]

60. Yep.

How's my shilling?

555-7838

[frylock]

61. not worth a ha' penny

[ljm2002]

71. Well played! n/t

[HangOnKids]

76. Wanna make book? I give it 3-2 that tomorrow is the gong show.

I might be setting the odds too high.

[progressoid]

67. According to the government we're ALL potential criminals.

[Life Long Dem]

38. Agree

How dare another fellow journalist ask a journalist about a crime committed. Now take that as my response to your question. Lie after lie after hype from Greenwald.

[Thinkingabout]

39. I also thought it was a very reasonale quedtion and took note of Greenwald's evasion.

Of course those trying to prop up Snowden was going to attack Gregory. BTW, next Sunday I will be watching MTP again just because Gregory is a great journalist. Greenwald is probably very jealous of Gregory. Keep up the good work David.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

45. Give me the Ida Tarbells of the world, not corporate hacks like David Gregory.

[Thinkingabout]

51. Or you could choose scumbag journalist like Greenwald. You may not have liked the question ask of

Greenwald but turned the other way Greenwald would have ask the same question of Gregory. Greenwald still has not answered and he can't claim he is protecting his sources this time. Very time Greenwald puts himself up to make appearances this question needs to be ask.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

63. I support it...

because it further exposes Gregory as the Corporate Media lightweight that he is. I don't watch FUX, but I imagine all the newsbunnies are asking the same thing. Amiright?

[adric mutelovic]

42. is it because you support the NSA surveillance?

Does that make you think the guy who disagreed with you looked bad?

[Thinkingabout]

54. It does not bother me the NSA is collecting phone call records, I have nothing to fear and I am not

Paranoid. If some have participated in actions to make themselves look bad then they made their bed and now have to lie in it.

[frylock]

58. let freedom ring

[Douglas Carpenter]

43. at least Gregory respects authority and knows the meaning the word - obedience - Greenwald is mouthy

and is always sassing back those in authority above us. It is more than past due time for government to crackdown on insolent journalist who always make trouble and smart mouth our leaders.

[Th1onein]

48. OH YES! We must ALWAYS respect authority!

[Douglas Carpenter]

49. yes, thank you. This insolent and disobedient attitude here on DU is disgusting.

some people here seem to have nature turned upside down. They think government is suppose to submit to them rather than they are so supposed to submit to government. What kind of parents raised them to think like that? It's terrible I tell you, terrible.

[Th1onein]

52. I completely agree.

We must respect authority. And elect another Bush. Immediately.

[Logical]

46. Well of course you did! n-t

[frylock]

59. cool story, bro

[LittleBlue]

62. He "got Greenwald" by suggesting journalists be imprisoned?

Cool story!

[Cha]

69. Good OP, gulliver.. Greenwald's a hypocrite..he has said that he approaches everything as a

Last edited Tue Jun 25, 2013, 02:26 AM - Edit history (1)

ligagator.. “People say things, you assume they are lying, and dig for documents to prove it.”

From smartypants' blog..

"Finally, I can't help but wonder how Greenwald would approach this if the shoe were on the other foot.

“I approach my journalism as a litigator,” he said. “People say things, you assume they are lying, and dig for documents to prove it.”

And yet questioning him is reckless innuendo.

“Anybody who wants to accuse me or anyone at the Guardian of aiding and abetting Snowden has the obligation to point to any specific evidence to support that accusation,” Greenwald told me. “Otherwise they’re just spouting reckless innuendo.”

Why not just demonstrate some transparency and publish the communication he had with Snowden? You KNOW that's what he would be demanding if the roles were reversed"

Mustn't question the great GG.

Charles Johnson @Green_Footballs

Greenwald: "Whether he ends up in the hands of Castro or whatever, it doesn't really make a difference." Done, done, on to the next one.2:10 PM - 24 Jun 2013

Not to his ugly ass.

thanks gulliver.. I actually think Gregory(who gets things right rarely.. but, he has in the past) ask GG a good question, too.

[HangOnKids]

77. You actually thing?

Who knew!

[steve2470]

70. Yes, TV journalists are obligated to ask every right wing question there is

TV journalists should NEVER EVER ask a question that is left of center.

Greenwald should be ashamed of himself and should come to DC to be arrested.

Journalists should never ever challenge the established order in any way.

If anyone ever contacts a journalist with any information about national security, no matter how true it is or alarming, the journalist should always contact the authorities and have this person arrested.

Ellsberg should be rotting in Leavenworth right now.


in case I need to.

[Daemonaquila]

73. That's a delusional interpretation.

Gregory asked an assinine question, and deservedly had his lunch eaten by Greenwald. Greenwald's comments on his journalistic cred was dead on. When you spin, do try to be a little more convincing than Orly Taitz.

[AngryOldDem]

79. Defending Gregory isn't a way to make friends here.

I'm going to download MTP later and watch for myself and make up my own mind.