Quinnipiac Poll Shows that Majority of Americans Think NSA Leaker Snowden is a Whistle-Blower Rather than Traitor

As reported at The Hill, a recent Quinnipiac University poll finds that a majority of Americna now side with NSA whistle-blower Edward Snowden. The Quinnipiac poll finds that 55% identify Snowden as a whistle-blower and only 34% consider him a traitor. This is a dramatic shift in opinion. The public opinion appears to be changing as “We the People” hear more and more as to how the NSA was spying on all Americans and much more than we were ever lead to believe.

The Quinnipiac University poll found 55 percent identifying Snowden, who disclosed classified information detailing the NSA’s secret surveillance of phone and Internet traffic, a whistle-blower. Thirty-four percent said he was a traitor.

By 45 percent to 40 percent, respondents also said the government’s counterterrorism efforts went too far on limiting civil liberties. That marks a turnaround from a January 2010 Quinnipiac poll which found the public saying the government’s national security policies didn’t do enough by a 63 percent to 25 percent split.

“The massive swing in public opinion about civil liberties and governmental anti- terrorism efforts, and the public view that Edward Snowden is more whistle-blower than traitor are the public reaction and apparent shock at the extent to which the government has gone in trying to prevent future terrorist incidents,” said Quinnipiac University Polling Institute director Peter Brown in a statement.

The Guardian reports, that Snowden never gave any information to Chinese or Russian governments.

Daily Commentary – Tuesday, July 9, 2013 – No Surprise that Venezuela and Nicaragua Offer Snowden Asylum

• The presidents of Venezuela and Nicaragua offered Friday to grant asylum to NSA leaker Edward Snowden

Venezuela offers Asylum to NSA Leaker Edward Snowden … Nicaragua as Well

Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro offered asylum to former U.S. intelligence contractor and NSA leaker Edward Snowden asylum.Now the question is whether Snowden will accept and how he will get there from Russia? Nicaragua has also offered Snowden asylum as well. The Hill reports, Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega said during a speech in Managua that he could accept the bid “if circumstances permit.”

Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro offered asylum to former U.S. intelligence contractor Edward Snowden in defiance of Washington, which is demanding his arrest for divulging details of secret U.S. spy programs.

Snowden, 30, is believed to be holed up in the transit area of Moscow’s Sheremetyevo international airport and has been trying to find a country that would take him since he landed from Hong Kong on June 23.

“In the name of America’s dignity … I have decided to offer humanitarian asylum to Edward Snowden,” Maduro told a military parade marking Venezuela’s independence day.

“He is a young man who has told the truth, in the spirit of rebellion, about the United States spying on the whole world.”

Bystander in Chief Obama Not Making Phone Calls, But Joe Biden Is … VP Biden Asks Ecuador to Turn Down Asylum for NSA Leaker Snowden

Looks like Vice President Biden was not too good to make a phone call regarding NSA leaker Edward Snowden.

Earlier this week President Barack Obama, the “Bystander” in Chief, made it known in a smug and arrogant manner that he was too good to make any calls to Russia, China or Ecuador regarding Edward Snowden. Obama stated that there was a process and he would not be making any calls because he didn’t have to and he “wouldn’t be scrambling jets” to get Snowden. So glad that he is taking the situation do seriously and making flip responses to reporters questions. Obama lowered the bar on Snowden’s espionage calling him a “hacker” after others in his administration have referred to Snowden’s actions as the greatest security intelligence breach in US history. So which is it? How bad is it when Biden becomes the adult in the White House? Thus, Biden got on the phone and called Rafael Correa to turn down Snowden’s asylum request

Correa said he had a “friendly and very cordial” conversation with Biden, and told the vice president that Ecuador hadn’t sought to be put in the situation of deciding whether to harbor an American justice-dodger. He said Ecuador can’t consider the asylum request until Snowden is on Ecuadorean soil.

“The moment that he arrives, if he arrives, the first thing is we’ll ask the opinion of the United States, as we did in the Assange case with England,” Correa said. “But the decision is ours to make.”

The question that needs to be asked Biden by Wh reporters is whether Snowden is a big “F’n” deal?

Biden – Am I the 100th caller? Oh President Rafael Correa, how are you?

Vice President Joe Biden has asked Ecuador to turn down an asylum request from National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden, the country’s president said Saturday.

Rafael Correa, in a weekly television address, offered little sympathy for the Obama administration’s view that Snowden is a criminal who should be swiftly returned to the U.S. At the same time, he vowed to seek American input on any asylum request and suggested Snowden will have to answer for his actions.

The Friday phone call between Correa and Biden – it’s the highest-level conversation between the U.S. and Ecuador to be disclosed since Snowden began seeking asylum – added to the confusion about Snowden’s status. Facing espionage charges in the U.S., Snowden is believed to be holed up in a Moscow airport’s transit zone and seeking safe passage to Ecuador, the country seen as likeliest to shelter America’s most wanted fugitive.

Basically, Obama knows that Ecuador is going to tell the United States to pound sand when it comes the the extradition of Edward Snowden, so Obama would rather throw Biden under the bus than provide any form of leadership himself. I guess Obama will learn what happens when the media reports it.

The Bystander in Chief President Obama Hasn’t Called Russians, Chinese About Snowden … “I’m Not Going to Be Scrambling Jets to Get a 29 Year-Old Hacker” Edward Snowden

The Bystander in Chief Barack Obama … Talk About leading from Behind.

And now we have more proof that President Obama just does not get engaged in issues unless it has to do with “green energy”, a war on oil or coal, or attacking conservatives and the Tea Party. As reported at The Weekly Standard, President Obama hasn’t called the Chinese and Russians about NSA leaker Edward Snowden, the man wanted by the U.S. government for espionage. HUH? Obama said smugly, “I’m Not Going to Be Scrambling Jets to Get a 29-Year-Old Hacker.” REALLY? Just a hacker? Hasn’t it been reported that Snowden had taken US intelligence? Hasn’t Snowden’s actions of disclosing NSA surveillance secrets been touted as damaging and one of the worst cases ever? Now we hear from Obama, Snowden is just a hacker. Obama really has no credibility any more. Just curious, how damaging or severe was what Snowden did if it does not prompt a call from Obama?

How does some one go from super spy potentially telling China and Russia some of our greatest secrets saved on a thumb drive and public enemy number # charged with espionage, to just a common hacker? Maybe if it was a campaign stop or fund raiser Obama would have made a call.

“No, I’m Not Going to Be Scrambling Jets to Get a 29-Year-Old Hacker”

Isn’t this the same president that did not meet with his jobs council for 6 months during a recession? And the same president that no one knows where he was the night that the Benghazi consulate was attacked by terrorist and four Americans were murdered?

UPDATE I: But then Obama says according to CBS News, he is “concerned” Edward Snowden could leak more. How concerned could he really be, if he refuses to engage. Talk about a weak, weak president.

“I continue to be concerned about the other documents he may have,” Mr. Obama said at the joint news conference in Dakar with Senegalese President Macky Sall. “He has those documents. He’s released some of them but not all of them have been released.”