Wednesday, October 30, 2013

But You Said...

The news cycle has moved on, but I have an observation about the story where Senator Dick Durbin alleged that an unnamed Republican House leader told the president, “I cannot even stand to look at you,” during the government shutdown negotiations back on October 10th.

Senator Harry Reid, apparently informed by a couple of other people, said it was Representative Pete Session (R-TX). Rep. Sessions issued a puzzling statement.

“I will not admit to saying anything because it would not be true. If they taped our conversations in there, and private conversations were taped, they should have advised us of that, and I’m disappointed that the White House would try and mislead people otherwise."

Here is what the White House said.

“While the quote attributed to a Republican lawmaker in the House GOP meeting with the president is not accurate, there was a miscommunication when the White House read out that meeting to Senate Democrats, and we regret the misunderstanding."

I don't understand how people are being misled. Also, everyone at the meeting is denying it happened.

What I find interesting is that Sessions mentions the possible recording of private conversations. Why would you mention the recording of private conversations unless you were concerned that what you said in private may become public?

Must be time to move along to more serious issues for Congress not to deal with.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I can't stand to look at Obama, Sessions, or Reid. And I'll say it on tape!

I'll bat my eyelashes at Durbin for his support of the anti-Patriot Act.

Skeeter said...

The significant fact in this exchange is that Obama backed down after Sessions reported that the President has hidden microphones (in the White House, and/or on Democratic personnel).

The key seemingly unrelated developments previously:

-Feinstein reversed herself on NSA.

-Obama warned Israel not to use NSA surveillance of Congressional leaders.

Obama was/is tapping Congress, just as Snowden hinted in June. Apparently Congress knows/understands now.


"Why would you mention the recording of private conversations unless you were concerned that what you said in private may become public?"

So, it's ok if the NSA secretly records your private conversations? If you got nothing to hide you have nothing to fear? It's ok if the NSA misuses the recordings to smear you in public?

Secret one-sided recording of private converrsations is illegal in many jurisdictions and requires a warrant when done by government. Did Obama have a warrant? From what court?

In addition, there are severe separation of powers violations when the President spies on congress.

Sessions may have said what he is accused of saying, but he neatly quashed the talk by referring to Obama's vulnerability on surveillance.

Obama is a creep, and he knows it.

Stop and Tsk-tsk said...

Now might be a good time for Democrats to reflect on just how racist their surveillance state is in practice. The "outrage" about Obama as a victim of coded racial slights might better be directed at Obama for his surveillance programs that disproportionately victimize people of color. The DEA/FBI's illegal use of NSA data alone...

http://truth-out.org/news/item/19695-activists-of-color-at-forefront-of-anti-nsa-movement


Mother Focker said...

Guess who Merkel had on speed dial?

Senator Feinstein is slowly realizing she was never in Clapper's circle of trust.

But, does she understand the extent to which Clapper controlled her committee?

Achtung, Baby. Süßes oder Saures.

Anonymous said...

Looks like Mother Focker gave Clapper candy and Americans razor blades. She does seem genuinely peeved at spying on elites. Obama has repeated Nixon's mistake.

The elites have also brought back stop and frisk for the rest of us, particularly Muslims, poor, and "of color" among us.

Happy All Saints from a functioning democracy, btw.