Robert Gibbs: I was told ‘not even to acknowledge the drone program’

[ivwshane]

I guess the president should have kept it a better secret like the previous presidents did otherwise you guys wouldn't have anything to complain about

I wonder if the president plans to nominate anyone for the head of the CIA that thinks the drone program belongs under the military and not the state department?
I doubt it because then that would lead to transparency and you guys said he's not transparent.

And if Obama nominated such a candidate with such views I'm sure the republicans wouldn't be holding up that nomination...


Oh wait, that's exactly what's happening.

You guys are pathetic.


Oh and monovillage I thought the media was biased? Why was the drone program leaked by a "left" leaning site? I guess you were wrong again.

 

[monovillage]

Oh and monovillage I thought the media was biased? Why was the drone program leaked by a "left" leaning site? I guess you were wrong again.

It is, do you want to give them a cookie because they actually did their job? Whooopee do.
One of the reasons he talked about it, from the link.

.... Describing one such notable exchange in 2009 with Major Garrett, then of Fox News..........

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

A drone program is reasonable in today's world but it's silly to force a press secretary to deny what is already known. Some of the particulars are troubling, but we need something.

 

[ivwshane]

It is, do you want to give them a cookie because they actually did their job? Whooopee do.
One of the reasons he talked about it, from the link.

Which link? The left leaning msnbc one or the left leaning politico one?

You think this all came about because fox news reporters were asking about drones? Sorry, the left leaning nbc news had them beat by at least a year:
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/22463596/#.US1FIWfeEtQ


But let me give you a cookie because I wouldn't want you to cry becaue you feel like you are being attacked again.

 

[dmcowen674]

Obama will get a pass on this, just like everything else.

He is the President, get over it.

 

[ivwshane]

He is the President, get over it.

The funny thing is that he isn't getting a pass, that's why the information was published, that's why the topic was brought up with Gibbs and that's why Rachael Maddow interviewed Gibbs again to press him further on the subject.

 

[cubby1223]

The funny thing is that he isn't getting a pass, that's why the information was published, that's why the topic was brought up with Gibbs and that's why Rachael Maddow interviewed Gibbs again to press him further on the subject.

Except that the only people who pay attention to Maddow are those who devote their political interests to hating Republicans, people who those in "the middle" try to avoid. She doesn't have much real-world influence.

You need the rest of the media world hounding Obama on the subject.

Personally, Obama may not be "getting a pass", but whatever the truth I do not believe he cares one way or another. He'll go about his business the same next week as he did last week.

 

[ivwshane]

Except that the only people who pay attention to Maddow are those who devote their political interests to hating Republicans, people who those in "the middle" try to avoid. She doesn't have much real-world influence.

You need the rest of the media world hounding Obama on the subject.

Personally, Obama may not be "getting a pass", but whatever the truth I do not believe he cares one way or another. He'll go about his business the same next week as he did last week.

Well you certainly are entitled to your opinion.

Which one of her shows did you find the republican hating to be the most over the top?

 

[Moonbeam]

What the hell clip did you watch? And you call us brain dead.

I know you have trouble with comprehension so I know also that the real words will do no good:

“I think you’ve seen recently the president discuss the need and desire to be more forthcoming,” Gibbs said. “I have not talked to him about this, so I want to be careful, this is my opinion, but I think what the president has seen is, our denial of the existence of the program when it’s obviously happening undermines people’s confidence overall in the decisions that their government makes.”

The Obama administration has continued to withhold information about the program, including the secret memo prepared by the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel to justify the program’s legality. But in April 2012, Obama counter-terrorism adviser John Brennan formally acknowledged the program’s existence for the first time, in a speech at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington.

That decision, Gibbs said, may have helped boost public confidence in the drone program.

“In order to bolster that confidence and bolster the belief that we’re making those correct decisions on this policy, you do have to lift the veil some,” Gibbs said, “to both acknowledge that it exists, as he’s done, but also to do it in a way that provides better understanding.”

 

[Agent11]

To be honest the drone program is probably highly illegal.

 

[ivwshane]

To be honest the drone program is probably highly illegal.

In what way? Or are you saying it should be illegal?

 

[Agent11]

Know many completely legal things that require a secret legal argument?

If for no other reason the use in other countries without declaration of war or those countries consent is pretty shady... Then there is the killing of a US citizen as Terry references below.

 

[TerryMathews]

In what way? Or are you saying it should be illegal?

Don't American citizens have a constitutional right to a fair trial before a jury of their peers, the right to confront their accuser and review the evidence against them?

 

[ivwshane]

Know many completely legal things that require a secret legal argument?

If for no other reason the use in other countries without declaration of war or those countries consent is pretty shady.

By the very nature of it being secret I'm not aware of any but that doesn't mean there isn't any or hasn't been any.

For your second point, you may be right or wrong, I don't have the knowledge to answer that.

 

[Agent11]

I see no reason to conceal the legal argument, have a secret program keep the details secret fine. At least be up front as to how it is you feel it is legal... Because at this point the secret program isn't very secret is it?

 

[ivwshane]

I see no reason to conceal the legal argument, have a secret program keep the details secret fine. At least be up front as to how it is you feel it is legal... Because at this point the secret program isn't very secret is it?

I think that was the point Gibbs was making...

 

[boomerang]

How many other things was Gibbs told to deny or feign ignorance about that we don't know about at this point? He was quite obviously a willing accomplice with the administration. Money will do that as will total and blind devotion. I'd guess he was swayed by both or maybe he's just built a career on lying.

If he was willing to lie to the press and the nation, why is anything he says to be believed? MSNBC has got him now and I think he's found a perfect home. Birds of a feather...

 

[ivwshane]

How many other things was Gibbs told to deny or feign ignorance about that we don't know about at this point? He was quite obviously a willing accomplice with the administration. Money will do that as will total and blind devotion. I'd guess he was swayed by both or maybe he's just built a career on lying.

If he was willing to lie to the press and the nation, why is anything he says to be believed? MSNBC has got him now and I think he's found a perfect home. Birds of a feather...

Do you have any clue what his job was and the history of his position?

This isn't new.

 

[BoberFett]

Not to the Republicans on this forum.

Who gives a damn what blind partisans think?

 

[disappoint]

You'd be wrong. You probably haven't even heard about the head of the EPA and her illegal use of fake e-mail accounts to conduct official business while attempting to shield it from FOIA inquiries. You probably haven't heard how common this is in the Obama administration and how they're still stonewalling the investigations.

It's a dirty administration and a willing mainstream press that barely covers it.

http://articles.latimes.com/2012/nov/20/nation/la-na-epa-emails-20121121

Wait what? Politics is dirty? Let me guess, your team's shit doesn't stink right?

Is it wrong if I picture you as a cheerleader waving pom poms shouting GIVE ME AN R! GIVE ME AN E!.....

 

[Harabec]

I don't get it, why is this "top secret" blahblahblah?

You have drones, you use them for stuff...what am I missing here?

 

[momeNt]

I don't get it, why is this "top secret" blahblahblah?

You have drones, you use them for stuff...what am I missing here?

We don't have drones. We have a drone program, I'm not sure if it has even produced a working drone, much less one that would enable the USA to "use them for stuff".

Not sure where you get your information, but it certainly isn't from the source aka. the Administration.

 

[monovillage]

Wait what? Politics is dirty? Let me guess, your team's shit doesn't stink right?

You're an idiot, it's not only dirty, it's illegal. Why do you think Jackson resigned? or did an ignorant little pissant like you even know about it?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ackson-resign-secret-emails-public-month.html

I bet you had no idea about her illegal use of a secret e-mail account to conduct official business. Tell me do you support political administrators breaking the law?

 

[momeNt]

You're an idiot, it's not only dirty, it's illegal. Why do you think Jackson resigned? or did an ignorant little pissant like you even know about it?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ackson-resign-secret-emails-public-month.html

I bet you had no idea about her illegal use of a secret e-mail account to conduct official business. Tell me do you support political administrators breaking the law?

They do it for our own good. Coal is warming the Earth, if there isn't a legal route to the goal, then the only route is illegal.

It may not be what we want democratically speaking, but it is what we need humanly speaking.

We may not want Obama and all of his tactics, but we need him, the Earth needs him.

 

[dmcowen674]

Don't American citizens have a constitutional right to a fair trial before a jury of their peers, the right to confront their accuser and review the evidence against them?

No, not since 911 and the Patriot Act