Hacker News Reader

Comment by spin | Hacker News Reader

> ...even as he acknowledged that the documents leaked by Edward J. Snowden, the former intelligence contractor, "showed there was a difference in view between what we were doing and what people perceived us as doing."

That one boggles my mind. On 2013, Mar 12, Clapper lied to congress about NSA spying. The purpose of a lie is so that people perceive something different from reality. So they achieved their goal, they're just sorry they got caught.

View on HN

Baby it was just the most truthful answer I could tell you. I mean, I'm sorry, I should have been more careful in my statement. I acknowledge that. But I must stress, that I did not wittingly make out and fondle. What I did was not, in any way, targeted at our relationship. My eyes were closed, and I was merely doing my duty to feel up our enemies. There is just no other technical way to go about it. And I resent the implication of wrongdoing in the unfair way you questioned me about the situation.

Now, you know I love you. I would never do anything behind your back. That's why all of your friends were fully briefed on this encounter. And they all agreed that it was necessary and appropriate. Well, almost everyone. I vow to bring the perpetrator who leaked the photo to justice! And so in light of this, we can have an important debate about who else I deny I have slept with, who else you have proof I sleep with and what other sexual acts I must do with them in order to safeguard our relationship.

But let's not forget what's important. We need to work together to build a framework for a process where I continue to see others I'm attracted to, particularly the Russian and Chinese ones, in a way that respects privacy, by preventing you from finding out, but with proper oversight that is transparent, accountable, and consistent with my unwavering support for monogamy. After all, the security of our relationship depends on it.

I am a bit creeped out at how well you are at spin..

Most people are forgetting the rest of the story: On 2013, March 13th, Clapper sent a private letter to congress, getting their agreement that what he said was the "least untruthful" thing he could have said.

and got away with lying to congress.

Everyone should learn from Clapper's example, when they're in front of a judge, court, or other tribunal.

But as classified information he's legally not allowed to share it publicly as part of testimony or otherwise. We don't actually know what he said in private to correct to those congressmen and women who are authorized to know this information. (i.e. The intelligence oversight committee.)

If the problem was the classified nature of the answer, the proper answer would have been something like "The law prvents me from addressing classified topics in public", not "No... not wittingly". Given that it was congress doing the asking, they would have had any number of ways they could have addressed that concern including giving him immunity or cleared the chamber so he was only addressing congress. Also, as Clapper was given the questions beforehand, he had ample opportunity to bring this up beforehand.

But that's not how this works. By saying that he can't disclose, he's disclosing the existence of the program. It's entirely possible that the program's existence was classified. The NSA's existence was classified for many years and I believe the "Groom Lake Facility" (aka Area 51) might still be. Everyone knows it exists, but the government won't admit it.

He can't address it beforehand if the admission of its existence is classified. By addressing it beforehand and saying "you can't ask me this question" he indicates its existence.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com