Tulsi's hearing

[Horace]

First senator going hard on her pro-Snowden perspective. I never got educated enough about Snowden to have a strong opinion one way or another. I did hear him in a long-form interview and was very impressed by his eloquence.

[Horace]

It's all Snowden, because she is doing faceplants in her attempts not to repudiate her prior words and actions regarding him. The dunks are working. She should probably just repudiate her prior statements, but she refuses to. She refuses to say she he wasn't brave, she refuses to say Snowden was a traitor. This'll hurt her a lot.

[Renauda]

Have been watching it on C-Span. Sen. Kelly just finished his questioning. I thought he did a very calm and methodical job of questioning her competence for the portfolio. In my inconsequential opinion, she is doing a fine job of sinking her own ship. She’s really more of a lightweight than I had realised.

[Mik]

I cannot help but suspect that she and Kennedy were picked to glean their supporters at the ballot box, knowing they had little chance of confirmation.

[Horace]

I never read about her attitude about Snowden as a reason to oppose her, but the hearing was 90% that. Now they'll do a private hearing for issues of greater national secrecy.

[LuFins Dad]

@Mik said in Tulsi's hearing:

I cannot help but suspect that she and Kennedy were picked to glean their supporters at the ballot box, knowing they had little chance of confirmation.

I’m sure that some sort of advisory roles are in their future.

[Horace]

I would be unworried about her being confirmed, but I am not optimistic. I have some respect for her unwillingness to call him a traitor, and it was clear from her testimony that that unwillingness comes from what she considers to be important secrets about illegal activities engaged in by the US government against its citizens, which (some of) Snowden's leaks exposed. But the senators relentlessly pointed out that other secrets he exposed potentially endangered American soldiers, and were not justifiable as any moral imperative.

[Renauda]

@Horace

She demonstrated to me that she lacks capabilities in undertaking due diligence. As well, her unspoken or tacit defence of Snowden alleged motives would indicate she adheres to an “end justifies the means” attitude regarding his criminal actions. While in some instances necessary in the world of realpolitik, that attitude is wholly unacceptable in the case of Snowden’s treachery. The damage he inflicted not only on the US but its allies as well, goes beyond that which even Kim Philby and friends undertook last century.

Your first query should be where did Snowden end up and, whose citizenship was he granted as a reward for his treason and protect him from possible extradition.

[Horace]

Susan Collins says she's a yes vote.

[Horace]

This guy was apparently at Tulsi's hearing in support of her. That's pretty cool.