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General discussion

USA Today's version of "Rather Gae"

by Mac McMullen May 18, 2006 6:36AM PDT

It appears another drive-by media attempt to discredit the President and advance the claim that Republicans are trying to usher in a new era of fascism has fallen flat on its face. Claims by USA Today using sources with ?direct knowledge of the program? that the NSA has been collecting massive databases of phone calls don?t appear to match with the records of two of the three apparent participants, Verizon and Bell South.

----------------------------

Once again, we are faced with an ?objective? journalistic medium that didn?t do enough footwork to verify the claims that were made before it splashed them on the front page and riled the population. The irony is that it appears the population would support such a database if it existed.

http://jcb.pentex-net.com/archives/2006/05/yet_another_jou.html

Discussion is locked

23 Posts
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As we see often in the news
by dirtyrich May 18, 2006 7:03AM PDT

facts don't matter when the higher cause of political activism is involved.

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if it makes the president look bad
by Mark5019 May 18, 2006 7:05AM PDT

its good news come hell or high water

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(NT) (NT) And nobody calls them on it !!!!
by duckman May 18, 2006 7:05AM PDT
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Let's be honest...
by EdH May 18, 2006 7:26AM PDT

Since when has USA Today been considered a serious newspaper? It's a joke.

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(NT) (NT) It's got a lot of "purty" colors and "pitures"
by duckman May 18, 2006 7:28AM PDT
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Large type and easy words...
by EdH May 18, 2006 7:32AM PDT

for people who move their lips when they read.

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(NT) (NT) Aren't newsie papers written for 8th graders anyway?
by duckman May 18, 2006 7:39AM PDT
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But, as usual, and typically..............
by Mac McMullen May 18, 2006 9:55AM PDT

.......most of the serious media "ran" with it, embellishing as they went.

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So, NSA will now build the database?
by Kiddpeat May 18, 2006 11:44AM PDT
Devil
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Response
by JP Bill May 18, 2006 12:40PM PDT

From your link

However, it appears now that there really was no relationship at all, or for that matter, any requests by the NSA in the first place.

It APPEARS, but maybe things aren't as they appear.

IF NSA did ask, they wouldn't tell.

IF the phone companies accepted they couldn't tell, if the refused they also couldn't tell. (if the believed they are violating the law)

Since NSA refuses to comment on the existence or non-existence of anything.

How do we know there was no request?

I seem to recall a request from the US Government for information on the Google hits. Which was refused by Google.

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Why would they vehemently deny it...
by EdH May 18, 2006 12:59PM PDT

Why not just say ''no comment''? Quite a little conspiracy you've got going there. No evidence though.

I think USA Today blew it and the gullible Democrats that demogogued it now look like idiots.

How do we know there was no request? You're asking to prove a negative? How do we know you didn't murder someone last week? We don't. But that is NOT evidence of anything.

We don't know everything the NSA is doing, nor do we need to know. On the other hand if there IS something secret going on and it was leaked by, say a Congressional staffer or even a Congressman, the hanging tree awaits. Treason is not something to take lightly.

I seem to recall a request from the US Government for information on the Google hits. Which was refused by Google. Completly irrelevant to this ''case''.

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Completly irrelevant to this ''case''.
by JP Bill May 18, 2006 1:11PM PDT

Maybe? Maybe not?

One of the reasons Google wouldn't give the information was it would provide a clue on how the "search engine?" worked.

If NSA was looking for a method to "sift or sort" large amounts of information, which they aren't collecting on domestic calls, Google might help.

No request?

They'll say this

Verizon has also denied it was approached by the NSA and had a contract to provide the agency with data from its customers' telephone records.

But they won't say this

But the company has declined to comment on whether it gave the NSA access to its records.

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So what?
by EdH May 18, 2006 8:54PM PDT

Is there something illegal in any of this? Is it any of your business? It's all speculation. Even if iut's all true, SO WHAT?

What about that hanging tree? You didn't comment on that.

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Re: Is it any of your business?
by JP Bill May 18, 2006 11:10PM PDT

If you think it isn't,

or you don't want to know my opinion,

then don't ask,

and I won't carry on the discussion.

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(NT) (NT) That made so much sense.
by EdH May 18, 2006 11:16PM PDT
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(NT) (NT) It does doesn't it?
by JP Bill May 18, 2006 11:18PM PDT
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(NT) (NT) No.
by EdH May 18, 2006 11:28PM PDT
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Come on,
by JP Bill May 18, 2006 11:34PM PDT

I know you agree with me, you just don't want to admit it.

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No
by EdH May 18, 2006 11:57PM PDT

Read my post. You didn't address any of it at all; only responded in an aggressive/passive way.

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Passive/agressive
by EdH May 18, 2006 11:59PM PDT

1.) Is there something illegal in any of this?

2.) Is it any of your business?

3.) It's all speculation. Even if it's all true, SO WHAT?

4.) What about that hanging tree? You didn't comment on that.

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Thanks Mac for a wonderful laugh over Rather Gae
by Ziks511 May 18, 2006 4:23PM PDT

(Im being honest here, and not taking the p I mean mickey). We all make the odd typing miscue, but this one was worth it in spades.

Now if only I could figure out whether Dan is light in the loafers, or there's some news story out there that I don't know about which has a mildly Gay twist to it.

Grinnin' all over mah face.

Rob

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Del, do you think Bush & Co. would be defending it so hard
by Dave Konkel [Moderator] May 18, 2006 11:31PM PDT

and complaining about the patriotism of the leaker if there were really nothing to it? This is an attempt by the companies involved to "do their duty" as they see it, while also avoiding any concerns by potentially irate customers. The real question is did they stop at the phone records, as claimed, or are the rumors that have flooding the Internet for months correct, that NSA was scanning phone calls via computer for key words that might indicate terrorist connections.

-- Dave K, Speakeasy Moderator
click here to email semods4@yahoo.com

The opinions expressed above are my own,
and do not necessarily reflect those of CNET!

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But they're NOT...
by EdH May 18, 2006 11:41PM PDT

They have not commented on it at all except for analyzing the theory as put forth by USA Today, and that was only on the level of Tony Snow.

Amazing that you seem comfortable with treasonous acts by people who would leak National Security secrets to the press (except of course in the bogus case of Plame, where you're OUTRAGED!!!)

Make no mistake, they are not complaining about the patriotism of a potential leaker; such a person is a traitor; an enemy who can be executed.

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