Confirmed: There Is No Real Oversight Of The NSA's Surveillance

Colbert On NSA Surveillance: Expect The Most Transparent Bulls**t Legally Allowed

from the there-we-go dept

Fri, Aug 16th 2013 5:36pm — Mike Masnick

As a bunch of folks have been sending in, on Thursday evening Stephen Colbert took on the NSA surveillance program in a clip that was filmed before all those additional details came out about the program. Still, it's worth watching: He starts out amusingly:

Now, it's no secret I'm in favor of government surveillance. It's certainly no secret from the government.

Then there's this:

The President has heard your calls for more oversight. In fact, he's heard all your calls...

And then, of course, he discussed the fact that President Obama has confessed Congressional liar James Clapper setting up the oversight group:

See? Outside experts. Independent groups... which will be chosen by independent outside Director of National Intelligence James Clapper. The guy who lied to Congress 5 months ago about these programs, but assured us he gave "the least untruthful" answer he could. And I am confident that the group's report will include the most transparent bullshit legally allowed.

Nicely done. And yet more evidence of how mainstream this controversy is becoming.

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Filed Under: james clapper, nsa surveillance, stephen colbert

27 Comments

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arcan, 16 Aug 2013 @ 5:47pm

i am amazed this video isn't classified.
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out_of_the_blue, 16 Aug 2013 @ 6:08pm

Well, laugh while you can.
Here's some fun:

So which internet firm is pure evil in Dave Eggers� new book The Circle?

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/online/so-which-internet-firm-is-pure-evil-in-dav e-eggers-new-book-the-circle-8771539.html

And NSA is SO affected by the revelations that they delayed (by a few months, supposedly) this new $60M research lab:

http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/08/15/3109412/nc-state-teams-up-with-nsa-on.html
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Anonymous Coward, 16 Aug 2013 @ 6:13pm

I guess pretty much everybody on this planet knows that Clapper, is a alleged felonious liar. It's really not helping this administrations credibility.

Not that Clapper is the only issue damaging this administration's credibility, but having an alleged felon as a member of the staff sure doesn't help matters.
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PopeRatzo (profile), 16 Aug 2013 @ 8:36pm

The challenge for a generation
This Surveillance state is not going to end when the presidency of Barack Obama ends. It's going to be a long battle.

I've got a book called "Subversives" that came out not long ago, about how Ronald Reagan and the FBI collaborated to suppress dissent, not just from liberals, but from conservatives too, using dirty tricks and lawbreaking. It's a chilling reminder that this fight doesn't end. And only part of the solution is political.

But the window to stop ubiquitous surveillance is closing fast. People should expect this to get uglier, because the petulant political and corporate elite who want this stuff believe they are above the law and beyond the reach of the people. We have to prove them wrong.
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Anonymous Coward, 16 Aug 2013 @ 8:41pm

ROFL Colbert is too funny.
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Anonymous Coward, 16 Aug 2013 @ 11:23pm

I hate US only videos.
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Anonymous Cow (profile), 17 Aug 2013 @ 1:37am

Re: US only
you should be able to watch it outside the US at this link

Not sure to what extent Stephen Colbert is "mainstream", though.
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Anonymous Coward, 17 Aug 2013 @ 1:43am

Re: Re: US only
Nope. Can someone identify the episode number so I can track it down on an oh-so-illegal torrent site? Then I might be able to watch it at all.
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Anonymous Coward, 17 Aug 2013 @ 2:26am

Thats why I dont use hulu.
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silverscarcat (profile), 17 Aug 2013 @ 6:21am

Re: Re: Re: US only
Episode 1233

Production code 9141

August 15th, 2013
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Steve Buchok, 17 Aug 2013 @ 6:45am

If you are in Canada you can go here:

http://www.thecomedynetwork.ca/shows/TheColbertReport?videoPackage=137556

might work outside Canada, not sure.
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Shon Gale, 17 Aug 2013 @ 7:11am

Please Mr Obama, STOP LYING. I can't call you president, you didn't earn it. You are Mr Obama.
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rt3, 17 Aug 2013 @ 7:15am

When i try to watch the video i get:

"We're sorry, currently our video library can only be stramed within the US..."

Well, F*** you Hulu, this is the best advertising for pirating.
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Anonymous Coward, 17 Aug 2013 @ 9:31am

Re:
I don't understand why Obama hasn't been impeached for lying.
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Tricks and Tails, 17 Aug 2013 @ 9:44am

Secret
My Google GLASS has recorded several high level GOOGLE employees doing drugs openly, and YOUTUBE has banned me after uploading 3 videos. Where can I post these? I've got the boss smoking crack too....
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harbingerofdoom (profile), 17 Aug 2013 @ 1:58pm

Re: Re:
because over the years we have come to the point where lying while in office either under oath or not is no big deal for the office of the presidency.
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Anonymous Coward, 17 Aug 2013 @ 2:07pm

The.Colbert.Report.2013.08.15.Richard.Brodhead
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Anonymous Coward, 17 Aug 2013 @ 2:14pm

Because the republicans have cried wolf so many times now over bullshit. Even if they tried, which they are not doing (they love spying) no one would listen.

Impeach him for Benghazi non scandal
Impeach him for IRS non scandal
Impeach him for Birth certificate non scandal
Impeach him for Obama care non scandal
Impeach him for ........bla bla.........

Any leverage the republicans had, they have completely lost.
But they love the spying program anyway. They won't impeach Obama over this. Their donors want this issue swept under the rug.
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Anonymous Coward, 17 Aug 2013 @ 2:16pm

Re:
Google...

The.Colbert.Report.2013.08.15.Richard.Brodhead

or

http://bit.ly/14SixEl
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Guardian, 17 Aug 2013 @ 3:40pm

POSTING LINKS THAT ARE CENSORED TO OTHERS
IS
a) SHOWS AMERICAN FUCKING STUPIDITY
b) IS JUST FUCKING RETARDED
c) SHOWS THAT HOLLYWOOD IS TRYING T OCASH IN AND YOUR BUYING INTO IT
d) ALL OF THE ABOVE
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Anonymous Coward, 17 Aug 2013 @ 4:11pm

Re:
Politicians and regulators are statistically way more likely to have a criminal background than the rest of us. The government is nothing but a criminal organization.
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Lurker Keith, 17 Aug 2013 @ 4:28pm

Re: The challenge for a generation
I think I heard a radio interview about your book last night on St. Louis Public Radio (90.7 FM).

At least, it was talking about the cozy relationship between Reagan & the FBI, & the 4 lawsuits it took to get the data.
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Aug 2013 @ 6:55am

Re: Re:
Apparently lying to the American people is not illegal, certainly the Obama administration is not the first to have done so and is not the only source of least untruthful statements.
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Anonymous Coward, 18 Aug 2013 @ 6:58am

Re: POSTING LINKS THAT ARE CENSORED TO OTHERS
Posting comments in all caps littered with misspelled words simply demonstrates ignorance and self indulgence. It does nothing to further any solution to your problem.
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Pragmatic, 19 Aug 2013 @ 6:05am

Re: Re:
Because if he goes down, he'll take the Republicans with him, and everybody knows it. Heck, even Bush might have to take the stand to explain all his malfeasance.
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Jasmine Charter, 19 Aug 2013 @ 6:19am

What an idiot...
"Impeach him for Benghazi non scandal"

No scandal? I'm sure you would say the same if it were your dad or brother who died there. There are still many unanswered questions - such as EXACTLY who gave the order for the military to STAND DOWN - and were they authorized to do so? Remember... the military was literally IN THE HELICOPTER READY TO GO... when they go the order to stand down.

If you have no brain whatsoever and are a mindless sheople who blindly swallows the kool-aid the media spoon feeds you.

Besides... who called for an impeachment? No one I remember. There's no evidence the President did anything wrong yet.

"Impeach him for IRS non scandal"

It's obvious you are both ignornant and have never been audited by the IRS. I have been audited and I consider the IRS the largest, most well funded terrorist organization in the world. They literally made my life a living hell for 10 years because of something MY WIFE did.

And if anyone in the government ORDERED the IRS to go after people - then they should be arrested as terrorists - including the President.

I don't remember anyone calling for impeachment - unless there's a smoking gun showing the President ordered a government agency to go after political advesaries, in which case he should not only be impeached by thrown into Guantanamo Bay. Inflicting the IRS on ANYONE should be a life sentence.

"Impeach him for Birth certificate non scandal"

Agreed. Total red-herring which Obama allowed to happen by not producing a birth certificate earlier to quash the controversy earlier. It's all theater... bait the opposition, then produce the document - seemingly out of nowhere - to make them look like fools. It was a well played ploy.

"Impeach him for Obama care non scandal"

Not sure what you are talking about. There really is no "scandal" around Obama care and certainly no one that I have heard has suggested it's an impeachable offensive, so this is just some delusion of yours I take it.

Yes... ObamaCare sucks. I pay about 40% more for my policy now and my mom actually got DROPPED from her policy a few months ago with all of 15 days notice and the insurance company specifically said it was because of the "Health Affordability...." act.

Anyone who thinks it's a good think is a clueless sheople who hasn't read the bill, doesn't understand how healthcare works and just wants something for nothing.

"Impeach him for ........bla bla........."

I certainly don't agree with the political theater the Republicans are doing, but I certainly understand their anger and frustration.

Those of us who actually pay attention to politics know that this is the most corrupt administration since Nixon and may be even more so.

The ONLY reason it's a non-issue because the media is in the administration's back pocket for whatever reason. None of them run with stories that paint them poorly - unless it's SO blatant that they have to.

Who broke the story about the NSA? A US newspaper? Nope. Snowden didn't trust the US Newspapers... and for good reason.

I know this won't convince you sheople's... your just too fat and happy watching your reality tv and nodding in mind-nubmed stupor, but I didn't expect to. Sheoples are as sheoples do.
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John Fenderson (profile), 19 Aug 2013 @ 9:47am

Re: Re:
If we're going to impeach presidents for lying, why would we single Obama out? We should have impeached damn near every president in this nation's history.
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