Edward Snowden, my book with Scott Ritter, and the art of exploiting the messenger vs. the message

[Gore1FL]

104. "Snowden attacks = Obama defense"

Is where this typically breaks down.

The two are not synonymous. When attempts are made to equate the two, the debate swerves unnecessarily into divisive territory.

As you said, "I don't give much of a damn about Edward Snowden. I give a very large series of damns about the information he revealed, as should any thinking American." One can agree with that without jumping on the attack Obama bandwagon that the teabillies are riding wherein all of the problems are traceable directly to and only to Obama.

To some of us, that nuance is important. Obama certainly shoulders some blame for this. Criticizing Snowden doesn't limit that. Cheering Snowden doesn't increase it.

Conflating Obama and Snowden, and then conflating that with the NSA does nothing other than confuse three unrelated things. let's stick with "I don't give much of a damn about Edward Snowden. I give a very large series of damns about the information he revealed, as should any thinking American,"

As you rightfully stated, the NSA is the actual issue at hand--not the personalities involved. Ironically, I think that was your very point.