Obama denies NSA spying on Merkel's cellphone

[Cali_Democrat]

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is denying reports that the National Security Agency tapped the mobile phone of German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Obama "assured" Merkel during a Wednesday phone conversation that the U.S. is not monitoring the chancellor's communications, said White House spokesman Jay Carney.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2013/10/23/obama-merkel-national-security-agency/3171477/

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

1. How about Calderon?

http://www.latimes.com/world/la-fg-mexico-spying-20131021,0,3047873.story#axzz2iZfmZQnP

[cali]

2. and Merkel is unsatisfied with his assurances

I posted a thread about this.

[Cali_Democrat]

8. I'll believe Obama over a conservative like Merkel. n/t

[cali]

44. bwahahaha. you'd believe Obama if he told you that

North Korea was a land of milk and honey.

You'd believe Obama if he told you the sky was green.

You'd believe Obama no matter what he said.

Blind allegiance is not a positive quality in a person.

[LondonReign2]

53. Once again, ^THIS^

[Cali_Democrat]

54. You can go ahead and trust conservatives like Merkel

I won't.

[Shampoyeto]

56. Merkel didn't say. She asked.

She asked Obama if the NSA had tapped her phone. What is it that you don't trust from her in regard to this news article?

[cali]

60. yeah, because there's no other evidence that the NSA has been doing things like this

bwahahahahah.

http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-09-24/world/42340299_1_nsa-surveillance-u-n-general-assembly-national-security-agency

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/22/world/europe/new-report-of-nsa-spying-angers-france.html?_r=0

there is an abundance of evidence.

gad.

[Rex]

3. And in other news, water is wet.

I would fall out of my chair, if the POTUS or any world leader for that matter, got up in front of their nation and declared to be actively spying on X Y and Z nations. Everyone spies on everyone else and nobody admits to it. That is how the spy game works.




Not saying it is right or wrong, but every industrial nation spies on every other industrialized nation and then some.

[HappyMe]

15. I agree.

It's kind of weird that people are acting all shocked about this.

[RobertEarl]

36. People are shocked by the Truth

The Truth being that our government spies on everyone they want.

Imagine if the president came on TV and told the world that Truth.
That would be kinda cool, would it not?

[Shampoyeto]

41. Germany spies on Obama?

Tell us more.

[OmahaBlueDog]

80. Jonathan Pollard's only mistake was getting caught

..and assuming that an ally would be more forgiving of an enemy about spying.

I work under the assumption that if it is transmitted over the air in some way, someone is monitoring it.

[BluegrassStateBlues]

4. It's a travesty that this President has to stay on the defensive because of a traitor

and his media enablers.

Paging B613.

[cali]

5. Snowden did us a huge favor and the President is on the defensive

because of what the NSA has been doing.

duh.

[Purveyor]

7. +1000 eom

[cali]

11. gad but du gets more reactionary, blindly partisan and

depressing by the day.

[BluegrassStateBlues]

13. How does accusations of the NSA spying on a German chancellor benefit me? nt

[cali]

21. oh for the love of a glimmer of reason. I didn't say that it did.

what I am saying is that what he revealed about the NSA is important information that has spurred greater oversight and legislation introduced to curb the abuses of the agency.

Ron Wyden and Pat Leahy certainly believe the NSA is abusing its authority- so do many other stellar dems.

[BluegrassStateBlues]

26. Then don't say he did "US" a huge favor. He didn't do anything for me. nt

[cali]

28. really? that's your response?

lame.

[BluegrassStateBlues]

32. Please choose better words.

It is offensive to people with physical disabilities.

[cali]

34. bullfuckingshit. I have a physical disability

I walk- and every fucking step is painful- with a limp and the use of a cane on good days and crutches on bad days.

How dare you?

[Nuclear Unicorn]

45. In post #23 BSB says I've been eating paint chips

So, BSB's complaints about terms offensive to the handicapped are cynically self-serving and opportunistic at best.

[cali]

46. disgusting as are all the posts I've seen from that person.

[BluegrassStateBlues]

68. Most of my posts are in defense of the President and ACA.

Weird that you're disgusted by the President and the health care law that is insuring millions of previously uninsured Americans.

At least we know what your priorities are now.

[cali]

69. and thanks for proving my case. I have NEVER said I was disgusted by the President

as YOU falsely claim. I sure as shit haven't said I'm disgusted by the ACA- not even close. I've supported it. It's not what I would have ideally wanted, but it's not the best of all possible worlds (that's a Voltaire Candide reference that I know you don't recognize).

I find liars contemptible.

[cali]

50. what? No response after telling me, someone who is physically disabled

not to use the word "lame"?

You have a lot of nerve.

[Cali_Democrat]

76. Oh please

You being physically disabled has nothing to do with this.

Just stop it.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

22. Things are only legitimate if they benefit you?

[BluegrassStateBlues]

31. The NSA is viewed more favorably than the IRS...

Do you suggest we rein in the IRS too?



Who needs all that tax revenue, anyway?

just in case.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

39. That makes no sense.

Popularity polls don't govern the constitutionality of a policy or practice.

[LondonReign2]

55. Is this satire?

Is your entire series of posts satire?

[cali]

57. sadly, not satire or perfomance art.

[BluegrassStateBlues]

67. Thanks for answering my questions for me.

[cali]

71. you going to tell me I'm wrong?

hey, you've already made up outrageous shit claim that I've said I'm disgusted by the President and the ACA as well as telling me, a physically disabled person that I shouldn't use the word "lame" in reference to your posts.

You're batting 1000 when it comes to false claims.

[EOTE]

88. Hemmorhoids consistently poll better than the IRS.

And are you suggesting that an agency's secretive/unconstitutional activities should only be reigned in according to how popular that agency is? That's one of the stupidest things I've ever read.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

19. When I got caught with my hand in the cookie jar

I blamed the light switch.

[BluegrassStateBlues]

23. I blame the paint chips. nt

[EOTE]

89. And you have the nerve to go after someone for using the word "lame"?

That's truly fucking lame.

[Cali_Democrat]

6. The goal for the enablers is to make the rest of Obama's term as difficult as possible

And bog him down so he gets nothing done....and then they will hope and pray Rand Paul becomes Prez.

Notice how we aren't talking about infrastructure spending, jobs or Republican obstruction?

Distraction is one of the main objectives of the enablers.

[BluegrassStateBlues]

10. You are correct.

Why can't the useful idiots see that they're being so... useful.

[cali]

48. why can't the adoring sychophants see that they're damaging

the party and the country with their idiotic blind allegiance?

[Mojorabbit]

52. + a gazillion. nt

[ecstatic]

78. Are you referring to Snowden's fans?

Yeah, the blind adoration & allegiance to a repubtarian (and a guy who recently defended a KKK wizard) is pretty stunning.

[Tarheel_Dem]

16. YOU! NAILED! IT!

The hope is that we can keep this president so occupied with b.s. rumors, and sideshows, that we focus on nothing else.

[cali]

17. what a load. The point is to rein in the NSA

and yes, we sure as shit are talking about things like infrastructure spending and repub obstructionism. And I don't notice YOU posting much on those issues- whilst you complain about others.

The blindly partisan, defensive adoration crowd does our country no favors.

it's disgusting to see.

[Cali_Democrat]

59. You're disgusted by my post?

Awesome.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

27. Really? Because I saw a consolidated rally behind the President during the shutdown.

If people wanted to use the NSA to hobble him the budget crisis would have been a good opportunity to geld the NSA and hobble the President in the process.

[NealK]

81. You have a vivid imagination.

So anyone who is appalled by the NSA's wrongdoings are in love with Rand Paul and are Obama haters? Your post is irrational and borderline paranoid.

[Cali_Democrat]

83. Personal attacks have no effect on me. n/t

[dipsydoodle]

9. Its the NSA

Not the person who got the news out.

[Mojorabbit]

51. Welcome to DU

Your posts are so familiar. I hope you enjoy it here.

[rhett o rick]

74. So you are saying that the NSA spying on everyone is ok if we dont know about it?

And if someone dares tell us, then we blame them. Sounds like someone prefers to live in the denial bubble. Ten years ago I would have been shocked at a Democrat having that attitude but now that we let the conservatives into our tent, I am sadly not surprised.

[Tarheel_Dem]

12. It's the new craze that's sweeping the globe. NSA! NSA! NSA!

I heard on Diahn Rehm's show that the outrage is for public consumption, because they ALL do it! Some are just better than others. The problem for the US is that other countries don't have Edward Snowdens' & GG's. It'll be interesting to see if these two fuck-ups start a global trend of ratting out one's country to foreigners.

[BluegrassStateBlues]

18. Anything short of President Obama announcing the end of the intelligence agencies...

and declaring that the world's leading superpower be in the dark on everything at all times won't please some people.

[Tarheel_Dem]

24. They don't care about this shit. It's like the President said.."they're just interested in....

messing with me.

[cali]

29. bullshit. the vast majority just want oversight, the NSA to remain within its dictate

and reforms.

Now shouldn't it be time for you to berate Wyden, Leahy and Udall?

[BluegrassStateBlues]

33. 54% of Americans recently polled view the NSA favorably.

http://www.people-press.org/2013/10/18/trust-in-government-nears-record-low-but-most-federal-agencies-are-viewed-favorably/

[cali]

40. I'm clearly referring to your claim that those who find NSA abuses

of great concern, won't be satisfied with anything short of the dismantling of the intelligence agencies.

And when something is wrong, it's wrong, no matter what polling says. duh.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

43. So?

[Shampoyeto]

37. that's an exaggeration

Who is asking for that?

[winter is coming]

14. There's a statement likely to backfire. n/t

[Shampoyeto]

20. The WH had not comment on whether it HAS monitored Merkel's phone

"http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2013/10/23/obama-assures-merkel-u-s-is-not-eavesdropping-on-her-calls/

"White House Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters that Obama told Merkel during a Tuesday phone call – initiated by the German chancellor – that the United States "is not monitoring and will not monitor" her phone conversations. Asked whether the statement left open the possibility that the NSA has swept up Merkel's calls in the past, Carney said he did not have an answer to that question."

[Luminous Animal]

25. +1

[cali]

30. +1000 and watch the deniers ignore this post.

[leftstreet]

47. +1

oh my

[woo me with science]

70. +100000

Slick as a snake.

[BelgianMadCow]

94. +1

Coupled with the explicit denial of spying on Cameron in the past, present of future, all you need to know.

[Dreamer Tatum]

35. If President Obama says her phone is not being monitored

then I take him at his word, and that is that.

[cali]

42. is not now. they refused to answer about whether it was in the past.

[Laelth]

38. k&r for exposure. n/t

-Laelth

[leftstreet]

49. So what? Obama denied spying on Americans

Obama To Leno: 'There Is No Spying On Americans'

by Greg Henderson
August 07, 201312:44 AM


President Obama defended the US government's surveillance program, telling NBC's Jay Leno on Tuesday that: "There is no spying on Americans."

"We don't have a domestic spying program," Obama said on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. "What we do have is some mechanisms that can track a phone number or an email address that is connected to a terrorist attack. ... That information is useful."

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/08/06/209692380/obama-to-leno-there-is-no-spying-on-americans

[woo me with science]

72. +100000 Credibility on NSA already gone.

We've heard lying already, both from Clapper and Obama.

[NealK]

82. Yeah, but, but this time it's true!

Merkel is the only head of state not being spied on.

[Progressive dog]

58. As an American and Democrat, I know who I believe

and it isn't a 4 month employee of an NSA contractor who fled his own country.

[Shampoyeto]

65. What did Snowden say that you don't believe?

Was he quoted in this article?

[Progressive dog]

73. The Merkel stuff came from Eddy

I believe nothing he said except maybe his name.

[Shampoyeto]

75. That is false. Snowden and the documents he leaked are not the same thing

Did Snowden make any comments to Der Spiegel about the "Merkel stuff"? Or did the magazine read about it in the documents he leaked?

[Progressive dog]

79. That is true. Snowden is the only document source.

The magazine read about it in documents supplied by Snowden, documents under Snowden's control, computer generated documents on Snowden's computer.

[Shampoyeto]

84. you mean snowden inserted false information in these documents?

Or Snowden himself typed up the document with the Merkel thing?

[Progressive dog]

87. He could have done either, he had

opportunity and supposed ability. Why would anyone believe that he is more truthful than President Obama?

[Shampoyeto]

90. Your theory that Snowden altered the content of the documents is unprecedented

No one to my knowledge has ever concocted such a theory. At least you are original.

Did he make up the information about the Mexican and Brazilian Presidents too?

[Progressive dog]

91. So a computer hacker doesn't know how to alter computer documents,

and thinking he could is "unprecedented". I get it.
If Eddy didn't make it up then our President is a liar. I would think it would be "unprecedented" for the word of a defector and accused felon to trump the claims of the President

[JVS]

92. I've never heard of someone needing to flee to Russia because they made shit up.

[Progressive dog]

93. I have heard of perjury, libel, and slander.

But Eddie probably violated the espionage act, he could have altered some real documents. I'll bet he's not the first to flee to avoid prosecution.

[pa28]

61. Denies monitoring now but not in the past.

Got it.

[JDPriestly]

62. I have been wondering whether he has been kept in the loop on what is being spied on.

I seriously doubt it.

[madville]

77. What have they ever been "in the loop" on?

No administration ever admits to having any knowledge of anything.

[roamer65]

66. Of course we are listening to her conversations.

I have no doubt it's not just her cellphone, either.

Ms Merkel, make sure you are nice and say hi to Agent Mike often.



...and if by some extremely rare chance we are not, I guarantee that Britain's GCHQ is listening to her.

[gulliver]

85. The first and second line of this post are examples of distortion...

...of news accounts. Your first sentence is directly quoted from the source. Your second sentence changes the wording of the source to add negativity and mistrust to it where there was none in the original. I invite the reader to follow the link and see for themselves what you have done here and ask themselves if it is ethical and appropriate. Please don't edit or delete the thread.

[Cali_Democrat]

86. Actually USA today edited the article after I posted

See the time stamp.

I posted at 3:14 EDT.

USA recent timestamp is 3:53 EDT.

The article was updated by them.