Obama's latest lie

[Robert]

I can't pardon Snowden

 

[JoBBo]

It has been well established and widely covered (by the mainstream media!) that the Obama administration has waged an outright war on whistleblowers. Under Obama's watch, there have been more prosecutions under the 1917 Espionage Act than there had been in the roughly 90 years before his first inauguration.

Obama is absolutely no fan of government leakers, and it is quite unlikely he would ever pardon Snowden (or - say -Mannings, who has been sentenced and - if the public reports are accurate - might belong in a mental health hospital rather than a military prison).

That said, I think the word "lie" is really pushing it in this context. The author of the linked article even writes that he assumes Obama, a former law professor, meant it in the sense of "won't". ( I am sure we have all heard someone make a statement along the lines of "I cannot go to the store right now because my favourite show is on", etc.)

Also, just as a reminder, during a CNN interview, Trump guarantueed that if he was elected Putin would sent Snowden over: “If I’m president, Putin says ‘hey, boom — you’re gone’ — I guarantee you that.” He added "And if I were president, Putin would give him over. I would get along with Putin. I’ve dealt with Russia". He also called Snowden a "total traitor" and claimed he would “would deal with him harshly." Al Jazeera played an audio tape of Trump for Snowden and asked him about it last year.

 

[Robert]

That said, I think the word "lie" is really pushing it in this context. The author of the linked article even writes that he assumes Obama, a former law professor, meant it in the sense of "won't". ( I am sure we have all heard someone make a statement along the lines of "I cannot go to the store right now because my favourite show is on", etc.)

And I think claiming he meant "won't" rather than "can't" is pushing it as least as far. Obama is intelligent enough to know how that word would be interpreted and usually chooses his words carefully.

Also, just as a reminder, during a CNN interview, Trump guarantueed that if he was elected Putin would sent Snowden over: “If I’m president, Putin says ‘hey, boom — you’re gone’ — I guarantee you that.” He added "And if I were president, Putin would give him over. I would get along with Putin. I’ve dealt with Russia". He also called Snowden a "total traitor" and claimed he would “would deal with him harshly." Al Jazeera played an audio tape of Trump for Snowden and asked him about it last year.

Yeah, I know all of that but it doesn't have any bearing on my original point.

 

[JoBBo]

And I think claiming he meant "won't" rather than "can't" is pushing it as least as far. Obama is intelligent enough to know how that word would be interpreted and usually chooses his words carefully

Even educated people misspeak sometimes. It would not be his first time either.

Yeah, I know all of that but it doesn't have any bearing on my original point.

It does not but it just reminded me how different the outgoing and the incoming president are being perceived and judged. You are calling Obama a manipulative liar for potentially misusing / ambigiously using the word "cannot" but I am quite confident that absolutely no member of this forum will bat an eye if four years from now Snowden posts selfies from the Red Square in Moscow despite Trump having called for him to be executed and personally "guaranteeing" his expulsion from Russia.

 

[Robert]

It does not but it just reminded me how different the outgoing and the incoming president are being perceived and judged. You are calling Obama a manipulative liar for potentially misusing / ambigiously using the word "cannot"

Yes, but it's not the first thing he's lied about.
Furthermore, I don't think I've judged Trump any less harshly than Obama.

but I am quite confident that absolutely no member of this forum will bat an eye if four years from now Snowden posts selfies from the Red Square in Moscow despite Trump having called for him to be executed and personally "guaranteeing" his expulsion from Russia.

Of course, you are absolutely correct because no member of this forum actually believes* the stream of bullshit that comes from Trump's overly-flappy gub.

*At least I hope not.