Summary
Tulsi Gabbard’s nomination for director of national intelligence faces growing concern after a contentious hearing in Washington. Senators questioned her suitability for the role.
Gabbard’s reluctance to directly label Edward Snowden as a traitor raised doubts. Critics highlighted her unpreparedness and evasive responses regarding past praise for Snowden.
Republican senators expressed skepticism while Democratic senators vowed to oppose her nomination on the floor. Ultimately, the committee vote remains uncertain.
The White House stands firmly behind Gabbard.
I disagree with Gabbard on just about everything, but Snowden is a fucking patriot and American hero.
As someone at the opposite end of the table from Snowden managing how the sausage is made, I can tell you it is odd they’d try to keep it all hidden. The current administration’s “freelance field agents” (being very generous here) are threatening to make it all blow up. Deletion is not always the answer. You know what I want, and how to connect. Let me take my broken and dirty toys from your sandbox, and I will remove myself forever.
She’s a terrible person, and involved in a far right Hindu cult. Talk about that, not the normal stance most people not in government have that Snowden did the right thing.
One of her arguments against the allegation of her spewing Russian talking points was that she doesn’t follow Russian Propaganda.
Truthfulness aside, that argument is not the elegant dodge that she probably thinks it is. Because that speaks against her informedness. As someone applying for this job she should be interested or better yet well versed in what current Russian propaganda is, how it is disseminated, who the target audience is, how well it is working, and how it relates to the wider goals of the Russian regime.
Strangely enough Robert Kenney also made use of a similar defensive veil a couple of times. Well I’m not a medical expert, so I really couldn’t tell you. 🙄 Bro, why are you applying for this position then?
Growing concern, wow sounds pretty bad.
I’m sure Senator Susan Collins has furrowed her brow for a few moments.
Tell me if the GOP doesn’t eventually decide to fall in line… and I don’t care if one or two reps have a backbone - if the candidate is confirmed it’s all just performative bullshit.
All the GOP reps in purple seats need to hem and haw to make it seem like they’re reasonable people… but the shit happens anyways.
BJP-adjacent cult members shouldn’t be allowed in office. Neither should Russian assets (or Chinese, or Saudi, or Israeli).
Classic lib news, the only thing that’s actually a decent opinion she’s got (among many terrible ones) is held up as being disqualifying.
I’m frankly surprised how ravenous and aggressive the democrats have been about Snowden. I know he’s a controversial figure, he broke the law and he may have done some limited harm, but I think he did way more good on balance by exposing some truly terrible secret shit our government did and continues to do. Mass surveillance used to be treated as a joke before Snowden. I hate that he’d never get a fair trial in the States (the reasons for which are truly Orwellian and dystopian). I think he deserves that at least, and maybe not to be shouted down as a traitor in Congress.
But also, fuck Gabbard. I wouldn’t trust her to feed my cat.
It only took 12 years for the surveillance state to be handed to fascism. All of Snowdens concerns have just been entirely validated, and the corporate whore Dems are still acting as though he’s a traitor…
They’re the traitors for building big brother FOR fascism.
War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.
