Senator McCain Says Snowden Is Working For Putin Based On 'Timing' Of News Reports Snowden Has Nothing To Do With

Say That Again

from the our-elected-officials dept

Thu, Mar 27th 2014 2:04pm — Mike Masnick

It appears that Senator John McCain is the latest to insist that Ed Snowden is working for the Russians. And while Mike Rogers has been pushing that line for quite some time (despite no evidence to support it, and the fact that the DOJ, the FBI and even Senator Dianne Feinstein have said there is no evidence of it being true), McCain has an even more ridiculous reason for claiming it's true: the "timing" of the news reports based on the documents Snowden gave to reporters:

McCain said he believed Snowden was working with Russia, “because of the timing of his releases of this information. If you look at the timing it’s when certain issues have been before us.”

There's just one huge glaring problem with that. Snowden has absolutely nothing to do with the timing. Snowden gave a large pile of documents to Glenn Greenwald, Laura Poitras and Barton Gellman. Some of those documents have been shared with certain publications, including reporters at The Guardian, the NY Times and Der Spiegel. But as everyone who's been reporting on these issues has noted, Snowden has had zero input in what was being reported on and when. The "timing" has always been up to the various publications. So, based on McCain's claims, he is actually suggesting that the NY Times and The Guardian, among others, are actually "working for Russia" and taking orders from Putin on when to publish certain news. I would think that even among the wacky conspiracy theorists out there, such a contention is plainly idiotic.

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Filed Under: ed snowden, john mccain, journalism, reporting, russians

37 Comments

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That One Guy (profile), 27 Mar 2014 @ 2:14pm

No counter-motivation
The blatant lies such as this will continue until reporters/publications start consistently calling them on their bogus claims, until then, expect the accusations to continue to grow and get all the crazier.
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Anonymous Coward, 27 Mar 2014 @ 2:18pm

This isn't surprising
Everyone knows McCain is senile, and has been for a long time. It was obvious during the 2008 campaign that dementia was making substantial progress and that his mind -- never all that sharp to begin with -- was deteriorating badly.

However, since this is America, where we have no problem electing senile people (and re-electing them), he will no doubt continue to prattle on like the worthless douchebag that he is until he finally kicks off.

(And this is why I favor mandatory intelligence, domain knowledge, and mental agility testing for all public servants. There's plenty of stupid in this country already, we don't need it running the country.)
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- Rikuo (profile), 27 Mar 2014 @ 2:27pm
  
  Re: This isn't surprising
  Only one problem with what you favour. The ones who are running the country and who would no doubt fail such a test would also demand to be the ones who set up and plan the tests in the first place.
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  - Anonymous Coward, 27 Mar 2014 @ 2:49pm
    
    Re: Re: This isn't surprising
    And being senile would promptly forget what they were going to do, until someone else brought the idea up again, whereon their sense of self importance would cause the cycle to be repeated.
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  - Anonymous Coward, 28 Mar 2014 @ 2:31am
    
    Re: Re: This isn't surprising
    Good point. But one possible way around that is to demand that those people also meet the standard(s), whatever those happen to be. This still leaves open cronyism, insider favors, corruption, etc., but if I'm going to be lied to, cheated, ripped off and generally screwed over by government, I'd like it to at least be done by smart government rather than a stupid one. (Today's example of a stupid one: bloated pusbag Chris Christie, an ugly corrupt pimple on the face of humanity.)
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    - Pragmatic, 28 Mar 2014 @ 5:34am
      
      Re: Re: Re: This isn't surprising
      Christie is committed to "a free market society." That says it all - there's no such thing as a free market. When they talk about supply-side economics, they mean "Supplier first."
      
      Now imagine living in a country where corporations control the news, run prisons and medical services for profit, and constantly lobby for increased security and military contracts, and issue merit badges for excellence in corporate propaganda.
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      - That One Guy (profile), 29 Mar 2014 @ 1:38pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: This isn't surprising
        Yeah, you don't have to 'imagine' that situation, given that's pretty much how things are currently.
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Lazere, 27 Mar 2014 @ 2:22pm

Now there's a man who should've been president!
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Anonymous Coward, 27 Mar 2014 @ 2:26pm

This Anti-Snowden propaganda is just getting silly now.
This just in: Snowden has been seen with Putin spit-roasting a toddler and eating babies. We have no evidence to this accusation, but trust us.
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- That One Guy (profile), 27 Mar 2014 @ 2:31pm
  
  Re: This Anti-Snowden propaganda is just getting silly now.
  Spitroasting over a forest fire filled with endangered species at that, because obviously global warming is also his fault.
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  - PRMan, 27 Mar 2014 @ 4:02pm
    
    Re: Re: This Anti-Snowden propaganda is just getting silly now.
    In Crimea, no less.
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    - Pragmatic, 28 Mar 2014 @ 5:36am
      
      Re: Re: Re: This Anti-Snowden propaganda is just getting silly now.
      I wouldn't say they were aliens... but they're aliens. /tinfoil hattery
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- Baldaur Regis (profile), 27 Mar 2014 @ 2:46pm
  
  Re: This Anti-Snowden propaganda is just getting silly now.
  The timing of this is right...for lunch. So it MUST be true.
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jo (profile), 27 Mar 2014 @ 2:40pm

Yep, Snowden did it.

http://vineyardsaker.blogspot.com/2014/03/evil-putin-protects-princess-diana.html
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- Pragmatic, 28 Mar 2014 @ 5:38am
  
  Re:
  Is that where the Valerie Plame-outing McCain gets his news from?
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overthrow-r1b, 27 Mar 2014 @ 2:42pm

THE U.S. TRAPPED HIM THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE!
THEY INVALIDATED HIS PASSPORT AND TRAPPED HIM IN RUSSIA!
If anything it's a setup and attack on Russia.
Trap him there then say it's suspicious he's there it's their fault!
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- Ricky, 27 Mar 2014 @ 3:01pm
  
  Re: THE U.S. TRAPPED HIM THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE!
  Like a FBI sting operation trying to catch terrorists of their own making?
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Anonymous Coward, 27 Mar 2014 @ 2:50pm

More attempts at character assassination. All of them can be plainly seen for what they are.

Sen. McCain already has enough problems at home, with his GOP issuing a Resolution of Rebuke of United States Senator John McCain for his voting record and positions.

http://www.bizpacreview.com/2013/09/12/arizona-gop-group-tells-mccain-knock-it-off-act-lik e-a-republican-83223

Now I would not have a huge problem with McCain going against the average part of the GOP for the betterment of the country, that's not exactly what is happening. McCain has already shown serious problems with judgement just in selecting Palin as his running mate during his presidential bid.

Like much of the rest of congress it just keeps going down hill.
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- Pragmatic, 28 Mar 2014 @ 5:40am
  
  Re:
  Now, now, AC, I have it on good authority that Sarah Palin is a strong Conservative woman.
  
  *Looks up Conserva-nary*
  
  Ah, they mean, "ideologically pure."
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Tom (profile), 27 Mar 2014 @ 2:52pm

Hey senator?
You don't have to be working for the Russians just because you're working against America. Working against America has recently become a fun and ethical hobby for pretty much the whole planet. This is because you're the bad guys.
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- JMT (profile), 27 Mar 2014 @ 4:47pm
  
  Re: Hey senator?
  Snowden is not working against America, he's working for the American people and in fact most of the world's population.
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  - Ed Meyer, 27 Mar 2014 @ 8:22pm
    
    Re: Re: Hey senator?
    I agree. EJM
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Beech, 27 Mar 2014 @ 2:59pm

The Course is Clear
Well, let's assume for the moment that Snowden is working with Russia and doing all this damage to US interests. I guess we should do whatever it takes to stop the damage right? Maybe grant him full immunity for all past crimes, a reinstated passport, and a free trip home. Then just have the NSA make sure he doesn't give Putin any phonecalls.

So whats more important? Pigheadedly demanding the prosecution of Snowden, or stopping all the alleged damage he's doing by working with Russia?
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Anonymous Coward, 27 Mar 2014 @ 3:10pm

This is obvious pol-speak. If anyone does, says or writes something you disagree with, the response should always be vilify the messenger in the worst possible way you can imagine, but never ever refute the allegation or address the issue you disagree with.
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NANCY, 27 Mar 2014 @ 4:18pm

Hello from Israel.
Hello from Israel.
I always enjoy reading the articles on your site.
Thanks a lot.
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- Anonymous Coward, 28 Mar 2014 @ 5:12am
  
  Re: Hello from Israel.
  Thank you for your comment. You added so much to this story about John McCain.
  
  Like the link to your website in your name.
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Anonymous Coward, 27 Mar 2014 @ 4:25pm

McCain is getting old and senile. He bought Ginkgo supplements to help improve his memory but he keeps forgetting to take them. You'll have to excuse him.
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David, 27 Mar 2014 @ 4:46pm

The strategy is working.
Everybody is focusing on whether or not Edward Snowden is a traitor and/or a criminal and should be brought to justice accordingly.

As long as that is the topic of the day, nobody is focusing on whether Clapper and Alexander are traitors and criminals and should be brought to justice accordingly, and how the crimes against the constitution, congress and the American people can be brought to a stop and punished.

Snowden has made his move and is off the board. Time to focus on the pieces still in the game. It's not like there is a shortage of treason.
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john senchak, 27 Mar 2014 @ 8:06pm

Senator McCain is a political clown
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Jerrymiah, 28 Mar 2014 @ 8:31am

McCain, Rogers, King and Snowden
It seems like John McCain is now aligning himself with the likes of Mike Rogers (The NSA super Bullie) and Peter King. It's about time for him to retire. May be his brain has been so affected during his stay at the Hanoi Hilton that he is forgetting what the US constitutionh is supposed to be about.
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limbodog (profile), 28 Mar 2014 @ 9:53am

Here's Senator John McCain's contact info:

http://www.mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact-form

Why not complain directly to him?
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NOWAY, 28 Mar 2014 @ 10:13am

Proof Ed Snowden is a traiter and working for PUTE In
Obviously the fact my washing machine has stopped working is directly caused by the documents that the traitor Ed Snowden released to the media, you would have to be an idiot not to realise that
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Anonymous Coward, 28 Mar 2014 @ 11:21am

Eckhard! Eckhard! Die Russen sind daaaa!
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John Fenderson (profile), 28 Mar 2014 @ 11:39am

Let's never forget
McCain is the guy who is in favor of the US torturing people because he got tortured by the Japanese and that makes it OK, or something.
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- c.f.frost, 28 Mar 2014 @ 4:48pm
  
  Re: Let's never forget
  McCain is the guy who is in favor of the US torturing people because he got tortured by the [North Vietnamese] and that makes it OK, or something.
  
  When McCain was tortured, either he gave up the goods and sold out his military comrades � thus he knows torture "works" � or, he kept his mouth shut, knows torture is a worse-than-useless war crime, and he's just a bloodthirsty, warmongering sick fuck.
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GEMont (profile), 28 Mar 2014 @ 1:17pm

Rewriting History 101
As I've said before, NSA and its cheerleaders will never stop calling Snowden a traitor and never admit to their own crimes.

It is these comments by the NSA and its paid and unpaid cheerleaders that historians will record for posterity and that will create - from whole cloth - the history that will become the truth for future generations.

This process; because of its blatant and obvious dishonesty, appears silly and childish at first glance, but it is a tried and true method of rewriting history to protect the guilty and vilify the heroes of the public, creating "examples" to prevent similar future exposes of government and corporate crime, from ever occurring.
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Robert Booth, 2 Sep 2018 @ 4:39pm

McCain
And now McTraitorCain is dead. Good riddance! Talk about the pot calling a kettle black. McTraitor betrayed his oath his country and his party because of his spiteful small character. And the man was honored by no less that GW. Well, that’s not surprising, given President Trump saw them both for what they were/are: losers and liars. Good riddance to both, and toast in hell McTraitorCain.
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