Was the review of Obama's passport file - cougarguard.com — unofficial BYU Cougars / LDS sports, football, basketball forum and message board

Sleeping in EQ · 03-21-2008, 04:01 PM

politically motivated?

Just go with your best guess.

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/...a-Passport.php

Tex · 03-21-2008, 04:05 PM

It doesn't sound like it, at this point. The men were contractors, not actual employees, and so far there's no apparent ties to any competing campaigns, whether McCain or Hillary.

Knowing bureaucracies as I do, I can see how this was a pair of really stupid people getting into stuff they shouldn't for the fun of it. But I'm not surprised to see Obama's staff making political hay out of it either.

myboynoah · 03-21-2008, 04:19 PM

I think Tex is correct about bureaucracies and access to private information. The perpetrators sound like such low level folks that I don't see a conspiracy to seek information on Obama.

Where is the political tie? Earlier this morning MSNBC noted that the overall head of the operation had ties to the Clinton Admin, having been appointed Ambassador to Paraguay. That is a major stretch since that individual is probably a career foreign service officer with no political ties to any campaign. Granted he/she was appointed Ambassador by Clinton, but via an internal application and appointment process managed by the State Department bureaucracy; bureacrats choosing bureacrats to be approved by the President.

Also, political appointees just don't go that far down into the organization. Besides, passport information is pretty mundane stuff. People in the know would realize this and have no motivation to seek it out.

exUte · 03-21-2008, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by myboynoah

I think Tex is correct about bureaucracies and access to private information. The perpetrators sound like such low level folks that I don't see a conspiracy to seek information on Obama.

Where is the political tie? Earlier this morning MSNBC noted that the overall head of the operation had ties to the Clinton Admin, having been appointed Ambassador to Paraguay. That is a major stretch since that individual is probably a career foreign service officer with no political ties to any campaign. Granted he/she was appointed Ambassador by Clinton, but via an internal application and appointment process managed by the State Department bureaucracy; bureacrats choosing bureacrats to be approved by the President.

Also, political appointees just don't go that far down into the organization. Besides, passport information is pretty mundane stuff. People in the know would realize this and have no motivation to seek it out.

employees with no ties to a particular party or person. But if you listen to Olberman (Cali Coug included), this is Watergate and it's Bush's fault.

JohnnyLingo · 03-21-2008, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by exUte

employees with no ties to a particular party or person. But if you listen to Olberman, this is Watergate and it's Bush's fault.

No, no. Olberman is fair and balanced. He never engages in partisan politics.

Tex · 03-21-2008, 04:31 PM

Heh. According to ABC News, now State is admitting all 3 candidates' files were accessed.

This will be such a disappointment to the Obamoonies.

http://www.abcnews.go.com/Politics/V...4492773&page=1

exUte · 03-21-2008, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnnyLingo

No, no. Olberman is fair and balanced. He never engages in partisan politics.

never argues or disagrees with his guests as some of the knuckleheads on this board would point out.

YOhio · 03-21-2008, 04:57 PM

Absolutely. 100%. There is no question this is politcally motivated. It may not have been orchestrated by a campaign, but it was politically motivated. These things don't just happen.

Tex · 03-21-2008, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YOhio

Absolutely. 100%. There is no question this is politcally motivated. It may not have been orchestrated by a campaign, but it was politically motivated. These things don't just happen.

For all 3 candidates? By the same guys? What, you think they work for Ralph Nader or something?

YOhio · 03-21-2008, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tex

For all 3 candidates? By the same guys? What, you think they work for Ralph Nader or something?

Yes, that makes it a little more tricky. Regardless, in my gut I'm still suspicious that it was politically motivated. Accessing all three candidate files could be just a way of covering tracks. These things don't just happen.

View Poll Results: Was the review of Obama's passport file politically motivated?
Yes	6	46.15%
No	7	53.85%
Voters: 13. You may not vote on this poll

03-21-2008, 04:01 PM	#1
Sleeping in EQ Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: The People's Republic of Monsanto Posts: 3,085	Was the review of Obama's passport file politically motivated? Just go with your best guess. http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/...a-Passport.php __________________ "Do not despise the words of prophets, but test everything; hold fast to what is good; " 1 Thess. 5:21 (NRSV) We all trust our own unorthodoxies.

03-21-2008, 04:05 PM	#2
Tex Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 8,596	It doesn't sound like it, at this point. The men were contractors, not actual employees, and so far there's no apparent ties to any competing campaigns, whether McCain or Hillary. Knowing bureaucracies as I do, I can see how this was a pair of really stupid people getting into stuff they shouldn't for the fun of it. But I'm not surprised to see Obama's staff making political hay out of it either. __________________ "Have we been commanded not to call a prophet an insular racist? Link?" "And yes, [2010] is a very good year to be a Democrat. Perhaps the best year in decades ..." - Cali Coug "Oh dear, granny, what a long tail our puss has got." - Brigham Young

03-21-2008, 04:19 PM	#3
myboynoah Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Memphis freakin' Tennessee!!!!! Posts: 4,530	I think Tex is correct about bureaucracies and access to private information. The perpetrators sound like such low level folks that I don't see a conspiracy to seek information on Obama. Where is the political tie? Earlier this morning MSNBC noted that the overall head of the operation had ties to the Clinton Admin, having been appointed Ambassador to Paraguay. That is a major stretch since that individual is probably a career foreign service officer with no political ties to any campaign. Granted he/she was appointed Ambassador by Clinton, but via an internal application and appointment process managed by the State Department bureaucracy; bureacrats choosing bureacrats to be approved by the President. Also, political appointees just don't go that far down into the organization. Besides, passport information is pretty mundane stuff. People in the know would realize this and have no motivation to seek it out. __________________ Give 'em Hell, Cougars!!! Religion rises inevitably from our apprehension of our own death. To give meaning to meaninglessness is the endless quest of all religion. When death becomes the center of our consciousness, then religion authentically begins. Of all religions that I know, the one that most vehemently and persuasively defies and denies the reality of death is the original Mormonism of the Prophet, Seer and Revelator, Joseph Smith.

03-21-2008, 04:31 PM	#6
Tex Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 8,596	Heh. According to ABC News, now State is admitting all 3 candidates' files were accessed. This will be such a disappointment to the Obamoonies. http://www.abcnews.go.com/Politics/V...4492773&page=1 __________________ "Have we been commanded not to call a prophet an insular racist? Link?" "And yes, [2010] is a very good year to be a Democrat. Perhaps the best year in decades ..." - Cali Coug "Oh dear, granny, what a long tail our puss has got." - Brigham Young

03-21-2008, 04:57 PM	#8
YOhio AKA SeattleNewt Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 7,055	Absolutely. 100%. There is no question this is politcally motivated. It may not have been orchestrated by a campaign, but it was politically motivated. These things don't just happen.