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WASHINGTON — Two contract employees for the State Department have been fired and a third disciplined for inappropriately looking at Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's passport file, a spokesman said Thursday.
Spokesman Sean McCormack said the department itself detected the instances of "imprudent curiosity," which occurred separately on Jan. 9, Feb. 21 and March 14. He would not release the names of the employees.
"We believe this was out of imprudent curiosity, so we are taking steps to reassure ourselves that that is, in fact, the case," McCormack said.
Bill Burton, a spokesman for Obama's presidential campaign, called for a complete investigation.
"This is an outrageous breach of security and privacy, even from an administration that has shown little regard for either over the last eight years," Burton said. "Our government's duty is to protect the private information of the American people, not use it for political purposes."
"This is a serious matter that merits a complete investigation, and we demand to know who looked at Senator Obama's passport file, for what purpose, and why it took so long for them to reveal this security breach," he said.
McCormack said it was not immediately clear what the contract employees may have seen in the records or what they were looking for. He said he did not know the names of the companies they worked for.
Obama, who represents Illinois in the Senate, was born in Hawaii and lived in Indonesia for several years as a child before returning to the states. As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he has traveled to the Middle East, the former Soviet states with Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., and Africa, where in 2006 he and his wife, Michelle, publicly took HIV tests in Kenya to encourage people there to do the same.
Obama's father was born in Kenya, and the senator still has relatives there.
The department has informed Obama's Senate office of the breach, and a personal briefing for the Illinois senator's staff was scheduled for Friday, McCormack said.
Similar breaches involving public officials have happened in the past.
During the 1992 presidential campaign, officials in the administration of President George H.W. Bush searched the State Department files of then-Democratic nominee Bill Clinton. An inspector general's report called the search improper and said it was aimed at finding material that would be damaging to Clinton's campaign.
After a three-year investigation costing $2.2 million, independent counsel Joseph diGenova concluded in a separate report in 1995 that some of the actions investigated had been "stupid, dumb and partisan" but not criminal.
At the time of the searches, which took place Sept. 30 and Oct. 1, 1992, Republicans were criticizing Clinton for anti-Vietnam War activities when he was a student at Oxford University in England in 1969-70. Officials looked into the passport files after rumors sparked freedom of information requests from the news media and a Republican congressman, but later discovered that privacy laws would bar their disclosure, the diGenova report said.
A spokeswoman for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, the former first lady who is challenging Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination, said of the breach: "It's outrageous and the Bush administration has to get to the bottom of it."
© 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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 | Clinton, McCain passport files also breached, State Dept. says | | The Detroit Free Press | Fri Mar 21 | 2 |
| Clinton Says Her Passport File Breached | Associated Press - Google | Fri Mar 21 | 3 |
| State Department: Someone snooped in Obama's passport file | CNN | Thu Mar 20 | 13 |
 | Today on the Presidential Campaign Trail | Associated Press | Thu Mar 20 | 0 |
| 3 Candidates' Passport Files Breached | Associated Press | Fri Mar 21 | 53 |
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8.8
{"commentId":1602975,"authorDomain":"njb"}
Just what did they hope to learn?
{"commentId":1602975,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"njb"}
- 2 votes
#1 - Thu Mar 20, 2008 9:01 PM EDT{"commentId":1603099,"authorDomain":"greenpagan"}
Just what did they hope to learn?
What were the Plumbers looking for...?
("Unknown unknowns...")
====
{"commentId":1603099,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"greenpagan"}
- 5 votes
{"commentId":1602984,"authorDomain":"tigerblade"}
for inappropriately looking at the passport file of Democratic Sen. Barack Obama's passport file.
Was this written by the Department of Redundancy Department?
{"commentId":1602984,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"tigerblade"}
- 4 votes
#2 - Thu Mar 20, 2008 9:03 PM EDT{"commentId":1602992,"authorDomain":"Zoilus"}
GOP looking for dirt? Or just stupid? An investigation is warranted.
{"commentId":1602992,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"Zoilus"}
- 10 votes
#3 - Thu Mar 20, 2008 9:06 PM EDT{"commentId":1603015,"authorDomain":"leftist"}
amen
{"commentId":1603015,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"leftist"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":1603093,"authorDomain":"greenpagan"}
GOP looking for dirt? Or just stupid?
Both.
An investigation is warranted.
Heckuva job...
====
{"commentId":1603093,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"greenpagan"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":1603020,"authorDomain":"kamaya2"}
Is Rev. Wright still crazy?
This is reprehensible! Exactly what anti-american rant speaks about.
How did these low level employees even have access or the wherewithal to gain access to a person of Barack Obama's stature?
I don't buy what the news is talking about that there was no political motivation or higher up involvement.
{"commentId":1603020,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"kamaya2"}
- 2 votes
#4 - Thu Mar 20, 2008 9:15 PM EDT{"commentId":1603079,"authorDomain":"dugan49"}
Congratulations, you are the Obamaite Of The Day! I think you win a 6 months supply of crying towels.
Seriously, why not wait for the details before you pile out with the conspiracy theories. As for this proving Wright was right? As if.
{"commentId":1603079,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"dugan49"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":1603104,"authorDomain":"greenpagan"}
They were "private contractors".
This whole dirty-op smells of Karl Rove's crap-filled underwear...Pee-yew...It stinks in there…Phew!
====
{"commentId":1603104,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"greenpagan"}
- 5 votes
{"commentId":1603142,"authorDomain":"wharrison55"}
I'm thinking that the Vine may require a theorem similar to Godwins' Law. We can call it Obamaite Obloquy Obsession or OOO for short, i.e., as a discussion of Barack Obama's attributes or deficiencies to hold the office of POTUS continues the likelihood that it will result in one or more Obamaites attributing any criticism or event to racism or dirty politics increases to a 100% likelihood thus ending the debate in favor of the Obama critics.
{"commentId":1603142,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"wharrison55"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":1603230,"authorDomain":"prezo"}
OOO sounds kind lame. Like AAA or BBB or something....
How about ODOR Obama Dirt-digging Obsession Reflex ?
The reaction you get from rightwinger the moment someone says anything good about Obama. It's like a reflex reaction, inbuilt into the rightwing mentality.
Sounds better? I think so.
ODOR
{"commentId":1603230,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"prezo"}
- 8 votes
{"commentId":1603467,"authorDomain":"isaacs"}
Bill:
I'm thinking that the Vine may require a theorem similar to Godwins' Law. We can call it Obamaite Obloquy Obsession or OOO for short, i.e., as a discussion of Barack Obama's attributes or deficiencies to hold the office of POTUS continues the likelihood that it will result in one or more Obamaites attributing any criticism or event to racism or dirty politics increases to a 100% likelihood thus ending the debate in favor of the Obama critics.
I would have thought this would be obvious to you but, clearly, an O with a superscript 3 is your best bet. ;-)
{"commentId":1603467,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"isaacs"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":1603474,"authorDomain":"TeddRi"}
Obamaite
That's not as deadly to Superman as Kryptonite is right ? :-)
{"commentId":1603474,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"TeddRi"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":1603836,"authorDomain":"Lulu124"}
It was a warrantless search.
{"commentId":1603836,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"Lulu124"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":1608702,"authorDomain":"thedagda"}
How did these low level employees even have access or the wherewithal to gain access to a person of Barack Obama's stature?
Caramlesugarberry38, while I share your chagrin at the fact that Barack and the others were snooped on, I think you're missing the point slightly.
Barack Obama is an American, and Americans enjoy the constitutionally protected "right to privacy." When the government, or government-hired "low-level contractors" (as if they would send Dick Cheney over to do it himself! /sarcasm) get caught snooping on anyone without proper authority or a warrant, they are violating that person's constitutional rights and they deserve to be punished. Severely.
No one deserves to have someone snooping in their personal information, possibly to "dig up dirt" or sell that information to someone else to plant "dirt" on them without their knowledge or cooperation. No one. Not Barack. Not Hillary. Not McCain. Not even you or me.
This is how they do things in the countries we allegedly say we're against. This is Tunisia on steroids. This is the Iraq of the Mukhabarat. This is the Stasi's East Germany. This is "1984." This is the police state perverting democracy and attempting to derail a candidate before the election. This must be punished in the strongest possible way. Heads must roll. Big heads. Famous heads. Heads that appear on Fox News.
{"commentId":1608702,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"thedagda"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":1603060,"authorDomain":"prezo"}
Rightwingnuts! Can't stop at anything.
{"commentId":1603060,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"prezo"}
- 5 votes
#5 - Thu Mar 20, 2008 9:31 PM EDT{"commentId":1603422,"authorDomain":"tombombadil"}
See #10 and #10.1 and also #11 before you convict the right wing just yet ...
I'm agreeing with you and others who want to see a thorough investigation.
{"commentId":1603422,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"tombombadil"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":1603472,"authorDomain":"isaacs"}
Tom:
It is my suspicion that these workers know that there is a thriving black market for negative information on Barack Obama and the price is being driven up by the fact that both the Hillary Clinton and John McCain campaigns want it. I think that these two people attempted to steal the information because they know they would have a buyer whether it was Clinton or McCain. Well, when I say McCain I mean the RNC assisting his campaign. I don't think McCain buys into those kinds of politics like Obama doesn't. I think Clinton is the only candidate left that will do anything to win.
{"commentId":1603472,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"isaacs"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":1603558,"authorDomain":"tombombadil"}
It's definitely getting ugly out there. Speaking of dirty tricks, check out this brand new doozie, cooked up by the Obama campaign and delivered to the NY Times...
Obama Camp Sends Photo of Bill Clinton With Rev. Wright to the NY Times
{"commentId":1603558,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"tombombadil"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":1603584,"authorDomain":"isaacs"}
Tom:
Looks as though that picture is the Obama camp's version of putting a horse head in Hillary's bed. LOL A warning for her to realize that it's over and get out now or prepare to see dirty politics up close and personal.
{"commentId":1603584,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"isaacs"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":1603600,"authorDomain":"tombombadil"}
You may be right ... er ... Wright ... hehehe. Anyway, when Hillary plays hardball, you expect it from her. When Obama does it, well, it's sort of like finding out that your favorite saintly Uncle is a mafia hit man or something. I just don't think this suits him, his campaign, or his constituents.
Plus, I just can't see how this will really harm the Clintons, unless, as I said over in that thread, Obama is trying to remind everyone of the Lewinsky scandal or something. It's just not a good play.
Especially on a day when this passport scandal could have really helped Obama and made him look good. Now, we've got to wonder, were those guys somehow Obama operatives?
Politics is not for the clean-handed or the faint of heart.
{"commentId":1603600,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"tombombadil"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":1603611,"authorDomain":"isaacs"}
I wouldn't think it was a good play if it was aimed at the public but I think they are using it as a public warning to the Clinton camp. I think the meaning of them sending the picture to the NYT will become clearer as we see whether they put on a full court press to connect the Clintons to Wright or they make a different move.
Politics is not for the clean-handed or the faint of heart.
Being a campaign manager, I can assure you of that. LOL However, I think that people see candidates in different degrees of having dirty hands, if you will. I think we're approaching a point where Hillary Clinton's collaboration with Republicans that want to do Obama in is going to cause a backlash against her and sympathy for Obama being attacked from all sides.
{"commentId":1603611,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"isaacs"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":1603641,"authorDomain":"tombombadil"}
I agree with you that Hillary should not be perceived as collaborating with Republicans ... that would be the kiss of death for her in the Dem primaries. On the other hand, she has a tough road ahead, because she's got to find a way to attack Barack who is so much more likeable than she is.
That is, again, why I find the Obama move tonight so puzzling ... and unnecessary. Of course, Barack and Hillary may be moving towards some kind of thermonuclear confrontation here, because you know, when you step into the Arena of Dirt, Hillary is the Mistress of Doom.
Perhaps you are right ... this is Barack's shot across the bow. However, instead of shooting across the bow, he needs to aim right at the head ... because, people who try to eliminate the Clintons don't usually get a second chance.
Now, I'm scaring myself. I will have to sleep with my head under the covers tonight and not let my feet hang out because the Hillary monster might get me! Heehehe, I am a junkie, and politics is my drug.
{"commentId":1603641,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"tombombadil"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":1603725,"authorDomain":"isaacs"}
Tom:
I reason that it's a shot across the bow primarily because that is how I would respond if Barack was my candidate. A not-so-subtle warning that, yes, we've taken this for so long but we're not going to take it much longer. If she wants to take the ship down, I'll make sure she goes down with Barack. As it is, she's been playing a zero sum game of character assassination with Obama, trying to destroy his image to leave herself as the only viable option when the party leaders inevitably decide who the nominee will be. Obama is likely putting her on notice now that if she has decided to play that way all the way to the convention then he will proceed to find ways to allude to Clinton scandals. He hasn't touched those scandals yet but if he chooses to he is good enough at backhanded compliments and he has been so ravaged by attacks by Hillary and the media that I don't think him driving Hilary's negatives further up would hurt him much as there isn't much sympathy for her and he is currently being viewed as a victim, particularly when this passport story gets wider play.
{"commentId":1603725,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"isaacs"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":1603738,"authorDomain":"tombombadil"}
If the passport story does indeed have traction ... and we'll know more over the next 2-3 days ... then this photo story will fade quickly. Obama probably hopes that is the scenario. And, we'll see if Evita Milhous Rodham got Obama's message and if she is cowed by it. She may be putting on her Catwoman costume and taking out the whip at this very moment, however. Aaaargh, sorry for that image. I need a mental floss now.
{"commentId":1603738,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"tombombadil"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":1603768,"authorDomain":"isaacs"}
Tom:
I also think the subtler point Obama's camp may have been making with that picture is that he can cripple Hillary's candidacy by destroying her image with black voters just like she is doing to him with white voters.
{"commentId":1603768,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"isaacs"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":1606928,"authorDomain":"wharrison55"}
Heh. This is the "fun" part for Bill and Hill. I'm sure Terry Lenzner's busy looking, in the immortal words of former Lousiana Gov. Edwin Edwards, for a "dead boy or live girl in bed" in Barack Obama's past.
{"commentId":1606928,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"wharrison55"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":1608636,"authorDomain":"isaacs"}
Bill:
I'm sure they've been looking since mid-2007. LOL
{"commentId":1608636,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"isaacs"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":1603074,"authorDomain":"greenpagan"}
Face facts. "This could be the start of something big…"
It'll knock the Wright story out of the box everywhere but FOX News and with the usual hate-radio rightwingnutjabberers.
====
{"commentId":1603074,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"greenpagan"}
- 6 votes
#6 - Thu Mar 20, 2008 9:36 PM EDT{"commentId":1603086,"authorDomain":"dugan49"}
Face facts. "This could be the start of something big…"
It'll knock the Wright story out of the box everywhere but FOX News and the usual hate-radio rightwingnutjabberers.
And you are the Obamaite Of The Century. You win a DVD Box Set Of Jeremiah Wright's Greatest Hits.
{"commentId":1603086,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"dugan49"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":1603123,"authorDomain":"greenpagan"}
I wouldn't be surprised if Wright was on the GOP payroll...
====
{"commentId":1603123,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"greenpagan"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":1603139,"authorDomain":"kidkilowatt"}
dugan49, do you need help scraping the Bush/Cheney sticker off your bumper?
{"commentId":1603139,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"kidkilowatt"}
- 4 votes
{"commentId":1603244,"authorDomain":"dugan49"}
dugan49, do you need help scraping the Bush/Cheney sticker off your bumper?
LOL I can't stand either of those guys. I am a Democrat.
The Obamaites with their mental illness called Hillaryphobia have wrecked this election with their endless hate filled rage against Clinton. Soon we will hear that Clinton planted these two in the state department. There is no end to this stuff and it is pathetically childish.
{"commentId":1603244,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"dugan49"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":1603400,"authorDomain":"celestina"}
The Obamaites with their mental illness called Hillaryphobia have wrecked this election
Umm...weren't you the one who came in and started making snarky comments about folks who support Obama? Pot, meet Kettle.
{"commentId":1603400,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"celestina"}
- 6 votes
{"commentId":1603435,"authorDomain":"tombombadil"}
It'll knock the Wright story out of the box everywhere but FOX News and with the usual hate-radio rightwingnutjabberers.
Greenpagan, just out of curiousity, what do you actually know about Fox News or conservative talk radio?
At any rate, this story will indeed knock the Wright story off the front page, at least for the sort term. Before we convict anybody, let's find out who these contractors are, where they come from, who sent them, and why. You may want to see #10 and #10.1 and #11 before you make too many other comments.
{"commentId":1603435,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"tombombadil"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":1603114,"authorDomain":"greenpagan"}
dugan49 @ #4.1 - Thu Mar 20, 2008 9:38 PM EDT
why not wait for the details before you pile out with the conspiracy theories.
Yeah right...
As for this proving Wright was right?
Where was Wright wrong?
====
{"commentId":1603114,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"greenpagan"}
- 2 votes
#7 - Thu Mar 20, 2008 9:54 PM EDT{"commentId":1603267,"authorDomain":"dugan49"}
"Where was Wright wrong?"
As I thought.
{"commentId":1603267,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"dugan49"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":1603116,"authorDomain":"Rixar13"}
Absolute incompetence as usual by this administration. interesting the dates were democratic election days in primary.....
{"commentId":1603116,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"Rixar13"}
- 2 votes
#8 - Thu Mar 20, 2008 9:54 PM EDT{"commentId":1603131,"authorDomain":"greenpagan"}
The GOP Cabal exhibit an interesting mix of incompetence and malevolence. They should all be...
CENSORED
====
{"commentId":1603131,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"greenpagan"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":1603214,"authorDomain":"luckydog"}
I always find it interesting that the GOP wants to know everything about what everybody else is doing bu they don't want anybody to know what they are doing. They needed to know the details of Clinton's sex life but no one is entitled to know what the Cheney energy policy meeting was about or even who attended. Incredible.
{"commentId":1603214,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"luckydog"}
- 5 votes
{"commentId":1603301,"authorDomain":"JoulesBeef"}
i' surprised obama had a passport
where was he planning to go?
does he not like it here?
and why is his passport secret? and who knew.
maybe obama was going to be elected president and then sneak off in the middle of the night with the country. It sure wouldn't be fun wakign up in the middle of the pacantic.
I'm just glad someone found out obamas evil plans.
Snicker.
{"commentId":1603301,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"JoulesBeef"}
- 2 votes
#9 - Thu Mar 20, 2008 11:08 PM EDT{"commentId":1603425,"authorDomain":"miasma"}
Obviously headed back to the base. /smirk
Also breaking news, Rush Limbaugh is big and fat.
I got nothin'
{"commentId":1603425,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"miasma"}
{"commentId":1603303,"authorDomain":"arcanebliss"}
Hillary has been attacking Obama quite a bit lately for not holding hearings of the SFRC's subcomm. on European Affairs. So there were people asking him to show his passport files as proof hat he has been in Europe. Could this be in any way connected? Hm...
I bolded what's important.
"Obama's European problem"
Both Obama and his campaign spokespersons have taken pains to deny the suggestion that he has spent no time in Europe. As he said at the first Democratic debate last April, Obama regards the European Union and NATO as the most important allies of the United States, which would make ignorance of Europe a huge void for an aspiring chief executive. "I've traveled extensively in Europe ... I love Europe," Obama told the Iowa Independent Web site a couple of days ago. But as Clemons noted on the Washington Note, the Obama campaign has not provided much detail on his European experiences and itineraries so far. Those details are readily available, as indicated in a Chicago Tribune profile of Obama, which covered his 2005 senatorial trip to examine nuclear sites in Russia with Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., then the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. That story, whose deeper theme was Obama's tutelage in foreign affairs, mentioned that he had traded his blue tourist passport -- "which he had taken across Asia, Australia and Africa as well as most of Europe" -- for a burgundy-colored passport that identifies him as an official of the U.S. government. If Obama wants to show where he has been, he merely has to release his passport records. Then everyone would know that his boast about traveling extensively in Europe is true - even if this year he didn't have time to convene a hearing on the momentous issues affecting our relations with that continent and the world.
{"commentId":1603303,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"arcanebliss"}
- 4 votes
#10 - Thu Mar 20, 2008 11:08 PM EDT{"commentId":1603307,"authorDomain":"arcanebliss"}
Also, Anyone watch Keith Olbermann?
Apparently the person watching over the contractors is connected to the Clinton administration. Maura Hardy, Clinton appointee that suddenly retired last month.
{"commentId":1603307,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"arcanebliss"}
- 4 votes
{"commentId":1603417,"authorDomain":"tombombadil"}
Yes, that is true, arcanebliss, and it is very intriguing info, isn't it ...
{"commentId":1603417,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"tombombadil"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":1603428,"authorDomain":"paul94611"}
Adds more credibility to the "He has not been vetted" argument.
If the Clinton machine cannot dig it up, it isn't there to be found.
I am waiting for the former FOB's to shadow release a greatest hits collection.
{"commentId":1603428,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"paul94611"}
{"commentId":1603414,"authorDomain":"tombombadil"}
I echo the calls for an immediate and thorough investigation ...
{"commentId":1603414,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"tombombadil"}
- 3 votes
#11 - Thu Mar 20, 2008 11:51 PM EDT{"commentId":1603461,"authorDomain":"thevineofhob"}
This smells like the job of Sandy "Pants" Berger!
However, I don't think you can rule out the Obama campaign just yet. The timing of this could not be better, to end a story critical of him and start one where he's the sympathetic victim...
At the very least, Obama is pretty damn lucky.
{"commentId":1603461,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"thevineofhob"}
- 4 votes
#12 - Fri Mar 21, 2008 12:08 AM EDT{"commentId":1603464,"authorDomain":"spiffie"}
The first incident on Jan. 9, I think, rules out the "Obama campaign trying to distract from Wright" argument.
{"commentId":1603464,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"spiffie"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":1603486,"authorDomain":"isaacs"}
Adam:
While the Obama campaign may have had some knowledge that this happened and in some way set in motion it to be found out today, the fact that it happened in January pretty much destroys any notion that the Obama campaign is the one these two people were taking marching orders from.
{"commentId":1603486,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"isaacs"}
- 5 votes
{"commentId":1603562,"authorDomain":"tombombadil"}
See #5.3 ...
The Obama camp just launched a heavy-handed dirty trick of its own tonight, confirmed by the NY Times.
{"commentId":1603562,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"tombombadil"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":1603590,"authorDomain":"isaacs"}
Tom:
I won't deny it's dirty, but it is defensive. If Hillary is going to celebrate that she hung Rev. Wright around Obama's neck then Obama's camp is going to make it a Pyrrhic victory by connecting him to the Clintons.
{"commentId":1603590,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"isaacs"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":1603610,"authorDomain":"tombombadil"}
That may well be Obama's strategy, but I think it will backfire on him. And, to do it today, of all days, when this passport scandal was looking like it could really help Obama and divert attention away from Rev. Wright! Why would the Obama camp look to revive the Wright controversy?
{"commentId":1603610,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"tombombadil"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":1603622,"authorDomain":"isaacs"}
Tom:
Likely because they didn't know the passport scandal was going to be outed today. It would take some time to find the picture of Bill with Wright and they would have had to send it in 24-36 hours ago and that, likely, was before they had an inkling about the passport issue. Otherwise I'm sure they would have let the passport story ride and put them back on the offensive against Clinton since there are demonstrable connections between those that looked at the passport illegally and her political machine. However, I have a feeling since looking at his passport was illegal this story has the legs to continue running and overshadow what is left of the Wright controversy.
{"commentId":1603622,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"isaacs"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":1603643,"authorDomain":"tombombadil"}
Yeah, it will be interesting to see how it all plays out, especially to find out who these guys are and who they really work for. Where's G. Gordon Liddy when ya need him?
{"commentId":1603643,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"tombombadil"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":1603737,"authorDomain":"isaacs"}
I'm curious what Liddy will have to say on his radio show tomorrow. LOL
{"commentId":1603737,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"isaacs"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":1603740,"authorDomain":"tombombadil"}
He may be busy answering some questions down at the State Dept. hehehe.
{"commentId":1603740,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"tombombadil"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":1603769,"authorDomain":"isaacs"}
hahaha!
{"commentId":1603769,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"isaacs"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":1603616,"authorDomain":"bongocongo"}
This story just made me sick to my stomach when it broke earlier this evening, not because I found these sorts of actions shocking I mean it is Wasington D.C. after all, and it is an election year, but the way the "powers that be" in the State Dept. were responding to the situation was sad and very inept. They were climbing all over themselves trying to dismiss it as "nothing to worry about" when the only information they had was from low level managment trying to cover their own rearends. Stop and think about the myriad of possibilities of a sitting U.S. Senator who is running for the highest office in government and has a Secret Service detail attached to him, and his personal information was accessed on a computer(not a manilla folder in a file cabinet) and could have been sent to god knows where? If nothing else it would seem that this stategy of shrinking the government by sub-contracting everything is a poor idea. Of course what followed this newsbreak was the usual "Media Frenzy" of pundits from all sides talking about how they thought Mr. Obama would feel about this invasion of privacy,etc,blah,blah,blah and then dove right in to how this is either "A huge boost to his election hopes"(from the right) to " there is too much coincidence here for it not to be an election conspiracy" (from the left) The part of this story that made me sick was that here is this guy who has been dragged through the mud day after day( yes I know he should expect it) but he is the first person to come along in decades that seems to actually understand what a struggle life can be and wants to try to restore some real dignity to the way our government is run and wants the working class to actually reap some rewards for working hard and paying our taxes and trying to do the right thing. And because Mr. Obama believes in us, he gets rewarded by having a whole bunch of very wealthy, very white political and corporate big-wigs running around trying to scare us into thinking that black person simply cannot run this country of ours! For what its' worth, I am the demographic that Obama supposedly does not "connect" with. A 50ish, White male, blue-collar worker, barely getting by, married 23 years with a daughter in our states College which I will be paying off until I die. Ain't life grand???
{"commentId":1603616,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"bongocongo"}
- 2 votes
#13 - Fri Mar 21, 2008 1:02 AM EDT{"commentId":1603638,"authorDomain":"isaacs"}
shufflemore:
Things like this are precisely why I oppose outsourcing government work, but particularly military and national security work, to firms. You're relying on them to scour a worker's background to determine if they have the proper qualifications for a high security clearance and those are the types of cracks that foreign intelligence agents can slip through.
{"commentId":1603638,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"isaacs"}
- 4 votes
{"commentId":1603646,"authorDomain":"tombombadil"}
Well said, Scott. That is a big danger.
{"commentId":1603646,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"tombombadil"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":1606942,"authorDomain":"wharrison55"}
You're relying on them to scour a worker's background to determine if they have the proper qualifications for a high security clearance. . .
That must explain why it was common knowledge at the CIA that Aldrich Ames was a chronic alcoholic who kept several bottles of vodka in his desk, lived well beyond his means on his GS salary, yet. . .
{"commentId":1606942,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"wharrison55"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":1608910,"authorDomain":"isaacs"}
Bill:
That must explain why it was common knowledge at the CIA that Aldrich Ames was a chronic alcoholic who kept several bottles of vodka in his desk, lived well beyond his means on his GS salary, yet. . .
There's a far cry from an FBI background check and the FBI scouring other agencies through their counter intelligence work and private contractors policing themselves. You know that Bill and one high profile example of a mole in the intelligence community doesn't change that. Robert Hanssen is another one that fell through the cracks.
{"commentId":1608910,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"isaacs"}
- 4 votes
{"commentId":1610060,"authorDomain":"wharrison55"}
Scott, clearances for private contractors are conducted in precisely the same way as are clearances for someone seeking an official clearance. If your job for SAIC or CAIC or any number of other private contractors demands a top secret clearance the FBI or DIS is going to conduct it just as they do for positions at CIA, et al. That's why there's been such a huge backlog of clearances since 9/11. Friend of mine employed by a private contractor waited a year and a half for his and that was simply for "secret" level clearance.
{"commentId":1610060,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"wharrison55"}
- 4 votes
{"commentId":1610152,"authorDomain":"TeddRi"}
Life has changed after 9/11. My first "Top Secret" took 6 weeks and I thought that was excessive.....I have heard those are running upwards of 3 years at the moment. I would think that puts a crimp in places like Blackwater USA in new hires.
{"commentId":1610152,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"TeddRi"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":1611384,"authorDomain":"isaacs"}
Bill:
Scott, clearances for private contractors are conducted in precisely the same way as are clearances for someone seeking an official clearance. If your job for SAIC or CAIC or any number of other private contractors demands a top secret clearance the FBI or DIS is going to conduct it just as they do for positions at CIA, et al. That's why there's been such a huge backlog of clearances since 9/11. Friend of mine employed by a private contractor waited a year and a half for his and that was simply for "secret" level clearance.
Dad's was similar for G.E. back when he went in given that they worked on the engines for the stealth bomber, etc. There has been a certain fusing of certain defense contractors (like G.E., Northrop-Grumman, Boeing, etc.) that have been taken in like a wing of the government. I'm curious if people dealing with passport files are given the same scrutiny as old government employees that used to deal with this stuff got during the Cold War.
{"commentId":1611384,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"isaacs"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":1603909,"authorDomain":"tokyoboe-online"}
I smell a rat! I'd bet my next paycheck that some Republican agent of personal destruction was digging for anything that could be used to smear Obama. It'll be interesting to see who gets caught up in this tangled web.
{"commentId":1603909,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"tokyoboe-online"}
- 1 vote
#14 - Fri Mar 21, 2008 4:37 AM EDT{"commentId":1607297,"authorDomain":"tombombadil"}
Patriot, with whom did you make that bet, and have they come to collect your paycheck yet?
{"commentId":1607297,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"tombombadil"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":1615185,"authorDomain":"ryandsmith"}
Someone was behind this and it was most likely people mush more powerful a bunch of puppet politicians who play the role of grand leaders.
{"commentId":1615185,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"ryandsmith"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":1604929,"authorDomain":"blahmni"}
MSNBC is now reporting that the passport records for both Hillary Clinton and John McCain were also breached on March 14th, by the same individual(s) that looked at Obama's records. How far does this go? What is going on at DoS?
{"commentId":1604929,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"blahmni"}
- 4 votes
#15 - Fri Mar 21, 2008 12:11 PM EDT{"commentId":1605370,"authorDomain":"Zoilus"}
Almost, They said Clintons was last year and was a training accident by a new employee. McCains was March 15. I think McCains was looked at to establish reasonable doubt and a coverup for the dirty work of the GOP.
{"commentId":1605370,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"Zoilus"}
- 4 votes
{"commentId":1605409,"authorDomain":"blahmni"}
Thanks Dan. I haven't been able to keep up with all the updates on this story.
{"commentId":1605409,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"blahmni"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":1605430,"authorDomain":"isaacs"}
Dan:
There are reports that someone supervising the contractor is a close friend of the Clintons. I smell something rotten in Denmark.
{"commentId":1605430,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"isaacs"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":1608851,"authorDomain":"Zoilus"}
Perhaps Scott, but it could also be like a Republican Governor of Florida changing the Primary date knowing full well that the DNC would penalize them for it. How to create more Democrat infighting?
{"commentId":1608851,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"Zoilus"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":1605875,"authorDomain":"ryandsmith"}
OK so people get fired up and government gets out raged when a high ranking political figure personal information is viewed without a warrant and without that persons permission. Although, when they do the same thing to us it is called looking out for the best interest of us all and protecting us from those evil terrorist.
Well, what I smell is a double standard. The opinion I see showing itself here is that it is not ok to spy on politicians but it is fine and well to spy on private citizens.
{"commentId":1605875,"threadId":"237821","contentId":"1380443","authorDomain":"ryandsmith"}
- 1 vote
#16 - Fri Mar 21, 2008 4:48 PM EDT{"canLink":false,"threadId":"237821","isPrivate":false}
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