Nope. Not "outraged" over anyone investigating the AP because of "security leaks."

[IdaBriggs]

a) If "warrant less wiretaps" are good enough for the American People, then they are good enough for the AP.

b) Turns out there *were* warrants, because folks were involved in ILLEGAL ACTIVITY (because they were leaking government secrets). I don't like that when it involves "editing" data to create a public falsehood. (See "Benghazi memo edited to make Obama look bad" or "Anything Bush does is GOOD&quot

c) The AP is a corporation designed to generate profits; the deal was that the "4th Estate" would look out for the interest of the American Public. They didn't/don't and the reporting is so BLATANTLY slanted on a regular basis that I have to "vet" for reality. Screw 'em.

*IF* the AP was doing their job, there wouldn't be a Republican in office, and a whole bunch of people would be behind bars. The fact they've "wasted ink" on "birther crap" tells me they are useless.

Oh, and the "Tea Party IRS scandal"? Screw them, too. They've been playing fast and loose with the tax codes, and the Koch brothers got caught. Yeah!!!

My outrage meter got broken during the last illegal war that Junior started, and after pictures of children being hit by drones authorized by Obama were shown. There are no "clean hands" in Washington, and I can only hope that the whole lot of them break into a virus where their skin turns purple with green polka dots every time they start lying/misleading people - preferably whenever they are televised pretending to be "fake outraged" over something they keep making up/twisting.

In the meantime, NYAH! NYAH! NYAH! And also, HA! HA! HA! Apologize? Give 'em a quick kick in the teeth, please. And serve them up another dose of "and this is why the Constitution applies to EVERYONE, you morons!"

Now send a few of those Tea Party scum to Gitmo, please. Torture them long enough, and hopefully we'll get the confessions.

Eh, let's be honest - I am not interested in their "confessions" - I just want the Republican Ringleaders (Cheney, Junior & Crew) in jail, along with a few enabling Congressmen.

I can only dream.... Sigh.

[The Magistrate]

1. I Am Inclined To Agree, Ma'am

[cali]

2. let me suggest that you read Emily Bazelon's piece

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2013/05/obama_s_justice_department_holder_s_leak_investigations_are_outrageous_and.html

[Cooley Hurd]

4. +1

[IdaBriggs]

7. Yes, Holder is a twit. But I just can't get "outraged" over this latest fake scandal.

Holder as an incompetent who keeps doing the exact opposite of what he is instructed? Who goes after medical marijuana dispensaries in states where it is legal? Who doesn't investigate 'too big to fail' institutions?

Blessed be the guy who finally stumbles over someone ELSE'S big toe for once. In fact, I hope he STOMPS on it, and maybe catches the Koch brothers or one of their ilk in his cross hairs. (Although my personal opinion is that such a thing would be an accident. Yes, I am that cynical.)

[IdaBriggs]

10. Ooh! Cali! I just had a thought! You are usually more tuned into this stuff than I am, so...

please share your opinion on this:

Do you think there is any chance that Obama is looking for an excuse to get rid of Holder, and let this stuff "come out" so he can appease the Republicans (who so far just seem to love Holder) by getting rid of him?

Yes, its a twisted way of getting something done, but *if* Obama just has "no choice" due to the "outrage" and plus being MADE to do it....?

Kind of a dirty political move, but maybe a good way of "cleaning house" and getting someone in there who would do what they OUGHT to be doing / not protecting the Bad Guys?

(Am I being too optimistic/naive? Or amazingly insightful into dirty political fighting?)

[Dawson Leery]

3. The media outrage was/is non-existant when it comes to

the government spying on the communications of the citizens.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022846782

[IdaBriggs]

6. I am going to quote that link, because it is BRILLIANT.

SKIDMORE Says:

"The media allowed itself to be led around by the nose by the Bush administration and Rove machine
for nearly a decade. They were "embedded" and had minders and were trained to drool when their minders whistled. We learned back then that they were easily bought--all it took was good food on a campaign bus or plane. The whole notion that these idiots who allowed themselves to be take notes for a truly corrupt administration suddenly are paragons of independent journalism just makes me livid. I would wager that the dynamics for a truly free press has actually existed since the Bushies left town but the fools were so used to their gilded cages. I'm having a real hard time with the notion that the freedom of the press has been chilled all of a sudden. What did they think was going on 10-12 years ago?"

I could NOT have said it better myself!!!

[Cha]

22. I just gave that its 5th Rec.. thanks Dawson Leary!

[leftyohiolib]

5. righteous rant, idabriggs

[Warren Stupidity]

8. I use a very simple test:

The "if Bush did it test".

This test returns one of two values: sucks, meh.

The AP blanket wiretap returns "sucks".

[Hekate]

9. Righteous rant +1

Outrage meter completely broken

[LittleBlue]

11. You may not be outraged, but the media is

This is a media who at least felt they were "onside" for the president during the election. From the reaction I'm reading, they feel betrayed and are turning on him.

I have a feeling he will get nothing accomplished as the media turn their guns on him. This has hurt his ability to implement his policies. Between the IRS thing and this, he may already be a lame duck. Worse, these scandals could actually hurt our mid-term election chances.

[IdaBriggs]

12. The job of the Republicans is to CREATE things to hurt our mid-term chances.

The job of the media is to sell advertising, which means "if it bleeds, it leads" and since there is no blood, they have to chum the water.

Plus, there has to be an "underdog" story, or a reason that can be used to justify/hide stolen elections.

This is one of the cleanest administrations we've had in A LONG TIME. The "dog is being wagged."

Outrage meter broken.

The Democrats better start working on their strategy - oh, wait a minute! They already have!

"We are poor Democrats who can get nothing done unless you give us a lot of money so we can TAKE CONTROL of the House, and elect MORE Democrats, because the EFFICIENT, COMPETENT REPUBLICANS are stopping us from DOING OUR JOBS (and unless you give us more money, it is all YOUR FAULT, voters)."

I don't think it is coming out the way they mean for it too, but I am getting the message Loud and Clear.

[LittleBlue]

14. I have a hard time seeing the AP as Republicans

Take all the bullshit away, and we have a winning message. It's only when the environment gets poisoned that we lose.

The IRS and AP scandals have poisoned the atmosphere considerably, and they aren't baseless accusations like Benghazi.

[IdaBriggs]

17. Did you notice how seniors lost meals on wheels?

Did you notice how the big wigs don't have to wait in airports, but cancer victims can't get their chemo?

Did you notice how Obama can't get judges appointed? Or how meaningful legislation has been STOPPED in it its tracks for YEARS (but the House is going to try to repeal Obamacare for the 40th-something time)?

Message, smessage. Bah. Humbug. It is "create a scandal/fling enough mud until something sticks."

Don't care. Not interested. Flipping the channel.

And still not opening my wallet for the mid-terms until these IDIOTS start showing me some COMPETENCY in getting things done in Washington.

If they can't stick it to the Republicans, screw them. I don't want compromise - I Want Liberal Progressive Policies and I want them NOW WITHOUT APOLOGIES.

Oh, and that includes Finding the Folks Who Are Leaking National Security Secrets (in edited versions) to the Press.

[LittleBlue]

19. I think the only way to get back meals on wheels

is to elect an overwhelming majority of Democrats or politically checkmate Republicans. These scandals give them a lifeline.

I guess we'll see what happens. These two incidents were stupid and unnecessary, there is nothing to be gained politically by prosecuting leakers or targeting marginalized fundie outfits. He has massively overplayed his hand here.

[onpatrol98]

13. Okay...let's just throw out the concept of freedom of the press for a moment.

Let's forget about the whole concept of freedom of the press for a minute.

Let's be painfully practical. If you're a fan of the President, do you really want a truck load of pissed off reporters writing every day about the White House for the next three years?

Professionalism or not, tap the wrong home phones, and a more than friendly press corp can turn rabid quickly. Any past secrets, you'd prefer not to share...any benefits of the doubt, you "would" like to see offered as a reasonable explanation in an article?

Now, I don't offer this as a reason NOT to pursue the AP. I offer this as a reason to be interested in not only the outcome, but coverage over the next 3 years. I realize most of us have not found the press to be "friendly" to the President. If this is the case, are we anticipating a better attitude after having their records seized.

If this goes down badly, forget about Republicans bringing down the President. If any group can find out where the bodies are buried, metaphorically speaking of course, it's the press.

[IdaBriggs]

15. I watched President Clinton get IMPEACHED over a NONSENSE scandal.

I expect them to do it to Obama, too. I've expected it for YEARS.

If there isn't a body, they will create one.

And if you thought they weren't going after Obama before, you haven't been watching/listening to the same airwaves I've been seeing for the last five years.

These folks were actually SURPRISED when he won. I expect NOTHING good from them. If they want to start doing their jobs, I'll support them.

Until then, welcome to America, where the rest of us have been dealing with this type of crap for YEARS.

[JaneyVee]

16. Or he can just side step the press and do what he's been doing, focusing on jobs, economy, education

healthcare & climate change.

[onpatrol98]

21. Slightly different focus...

Personally, I think he's been focusing on immigration and gun control. I don't mind. But, I haven't seen a focus on jobs.

As for side stepping the press, when a scandal hits, you spend your time scandal fighting. You don't have time to focus on anything else except combating lies and deception. Your top officials spend their time in random hearings and not on the job.

Democrats would distance themselves from him and republicans (no surprise) would find no reason to work with him. Now, we could easily say he hasn't had republicans working with him currently. However, republicans in a limited sense had been working with him on immigration.

When your personal popularity is 50+, you can side step the press and appeal to the people. When it drops below 50, you're left speaking to the choir. And, the press interprets your agenda on behalf of the rest of the country. A healthy relationship with the press is a good thing. And, I think our President knows it.

[Cha]

23. The "press" is already pissed off at the President. When do they

get their facts right or report good factual stuff on this Admin?

UPDATED: Report: White House Asks Schumer To Revive ‘Media Shield’ Bill
Source: TPM

IGOR BOBIC 12:53 PM EDT, WEDNESDAY MAY 15, 2013

The White House on Wednsday asked Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to reintroduce legislation that would grant journalists added protection from federal seizure requests, the New York Times reports:

The official said that President Obama’s Senate liaison, Ed Pagano, called Senator Charles E. Schumer, Democrat of New York, who is a chief proponent of a so-called media shield law, on Wednesday morning and asked him to reintroduce a bill that he had pushed in 2009. The measure was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee but never received a floor vote.

The new push comes as the Obama administration has come under fire from both parties amid the disclosure this week that the Justice Department, as part of a leak investigation, secretly used a subpoena earlier this year to obtain a broad swath of calling records involving Associated Press reporters and editors.

A spokesman for Schumer told the Times that he would reintroduce a compromise version of the bill that passed in the Judiciary Committee.

Read more: http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/report-white-house-asks-schumer-to-revive-media

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014484030

[denverbill]

18. I'm not outraged either.

The press is free to keep their sources confidential when they are reporting on an abuse of power by our government, but they should not be free to leak information that jeopardized an ongoing terrorism plot/cell. It is not the AP's fault that someone leaked to them, but whoever leaked this information has done a LOT more damage to the US than anything I've seen coming from Bradley Manning.

This leak is probably even worse than Cheney leaking about Valerie Plame, and that was bad enough.

[Marr]

20. I can't honestly say that I'm "outraged" either.

To be outraged, you have to be shocked on some level. This is the kind of thing I expected from Obama. He went out of his way to endorse domestic spying, after all-- and his record on punishing whistleblowers is way off the authoritarian chart. So this isn't surprising, and very much seems a continuation of the same flavor of abuses that happened during the Bush Administration.

And yes, it is almost funny to watch the same groups who rabidly cheered for extra-legal tactics in suppressing groups like Occupy, or using DHS to track Democratic Senators, or using the IRS to harass peace groups and the NAACP, now lose their minds over receiving a small taste of their own medicine. It's amusing to see a press establishment that was completely unconcerned about domestic spying (when they weren't actually wagging their fingers at the plebes for objecting to it) now find themselves on the receiving end.

Schadenfreude.

But that does not mean I support these kinds of abuses, or find them the least bit acceptable. I do not.