Whoa, And... Oopsie... 'The Danger of NSA Spying on Members of Congress' - TheAtlantic

[struggle4progress]

37. I spent much of the Bush era pissed at Harmon -- but that's a separate issue.

In fact, I dislike and distrust most of the names and institutions appearing in this supposed "NSA wiretap caught Harmon promising to intervene on behalf of AIPAC but Gonzales intervened to prevent her prosecution" story that Stein resurrected in 2009 and that Friedersdorf is trying to resurrect again here

As I've already said upthread, I think Jeff Stein and his pals helped justify Bush's Iraq adventure. I regard Conor Friedersdorf as a rightwinger. I think there's good reason to distrust the NSA. I despise Gonzales. The 2006 story on Harmon smells to me like one of the Bush administration's efforts to intimidate people. AIPAC, and the particular lobbyists prosecuted here, rate rather low in my book. And I'm pleased Harmon's not in Congress now

That being said, I need to be able to think as clearly as possible about politics in order to make any difference, which requires me to try to ascertain facts as accurately as I can and to recognize when I don't actually know the facts. Knee-jerking on the story because I distrust the NSA or because I happen to dislike Harmon might be emotionally satisfying, but it doesn't qualify as reality-based thinking. I'd like to win some of these fights, and in my experience simply following my emotional predilections doesn't help me win