obama has used the espionage act more than any other president.
I predicted some time ago that Snowden would eventually come back, be imprisoned, and pardoned by Obama on leaving office, possible along with Chelsea (nee Bradley) Manning. I stand by that prediction.
http://www.politifact.com/punditfact/statements/2014/jan/10/...
Particularly in a case where a source or citation is extremely easy to find, asking for one comes off as less of an honest inquiry and more of a rhetorical device designed to discredit the person making the assertion, regardless of intent.
But, they are not remotely equal, because Obama is an outgoing president with no more elections to face. There is virtually no chance that any candidate for president, or president who will be a candidate again, could pardon Snowden.
Snowden is a true American hero, but most Americans don't understand what he did. Most also believe that illegal domestic spying is acceptable if it's "to fight terrorism"[1].
Politically, it would be suicidal to pardon Snowden. Obama doesn't have to worry about that anymore, so Obama is basically Snowden's best and only hope of that happening.
(It still won't happen, though.)
[1]; http://www.people-press.org/2013/06/10/majority-views-nsa-ph...