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Was Obama bugged? Ex-NSA chief talks on a train, fellow rider tweets, tweets go viral
Why was Hayden talking about Obama's Blackberry in the context of spying on foreign leaders? Was Obama spied on too?
"He talked about Obama's BlackBerry a bunch when he was talking about foreign leaders," Matzzie recalled.
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VIDEO: Former top spy busted on train, loud-talking
Rachel Maddow tells the tale of Tom Matzzie who live-tweeted details of former NSA director Michael Hayden giving too-loud, anonymous interviews on the train.
http://video.msnbc.msn.com/rachel-maddow/53369335/#53369335
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http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-nsa-hayden-train-twitter-20131025,0,635832.story
WASHINGTON — There was no need for high-tech listening devices to find out what the former head of the National Security Agency had to say about the Obama administration.
His cellphone conversations were overheard by a fellow train passenger, who let the world know via Twitter.
"On Acela: former NSA spy boss Michael Hayden just ended last of handful of interviews bashing administration," Tom Matzzie tweeted Thursday.
Matzzie, former Washington director of MoveOn.org., tweeted that Hayden was sitting behind him "blabbing on background as a former senior admin official."
"I feel like I'm in the NSA. Except I'm in public," Matzzie tweeted.
He feared that he might get caught.
"On Acela: phone ringing. I think the jig is up. Maybe somebody is telling him I'm here. Do I hide?"
"Just passed Philly. No rendition yet," he tweeted. ............
His cellphone conversations were overheard by a fellow train passenger, who let the world know via Twitter.
"On Acela: former NSA spy boss Michael Hayden just ended last of handful of interviews bashing administration," Tom Matzzie tweeted Thursday.
Matzzie, former Washington director of MoveOn.org., tweeted that Hayden was sitting behind him "blabbing on background as a former senior admin official."
"I feel like I'm in the NSA. Except I'm in public," Matzzie tweeted.
He feared that he might get caught.
"On Acela: phone ringing. I think the jig is up. Maybe somebody is telling him I'm here. Do I hide?"
"Just passed Philly. No rendition yet," he tweeted. ............
========================
See also Matzzie interview on HuffPost:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/24/nsa-director-tweets_n_4159565.html
Former NSA Director Isn't Too Thrilled About Having His Private Conversations Tweeted
NEW YORK -- Former NSA Director Michael Hayden doesn't seem too thrilled about having his anonymous conversations with reporters tweeted out for the world.
Progressive activist Tom Matzzie found himself on a train sitting near Hayden on Thursday, and quickly sent out tweets describing the former director's conversation. Matzzie wrote on Twitter that Hayden was "blabbing 'on background as a former senior admin official.'"
When HuffPost asked Hayden over email whether Matzzie's version of his phone conversation was faithful, Hayden replied that the depiction was "not especially accurate." Hayden didn't respond to another email asking for specifics.
Matzzie told HuffPost that during the fateful Acela ride, he couldn't believe what he was hearing, but Hayden "just kept on saying stuff."
"He talked about Obama's BlackBerry a bunch when he was talking about foreign leaders," Matzzie recalled. ......
When HuffPost asked Hayden over email whether Matzzie's version of his phone conversation was faithful, Hayden replied that the depiction was "not especially accurate." Hayden didn't respond to another email asking for specifics.
Matzzie told HuffPost that during the fateful Acela ride, he couldn't believe what he was hearing, but Hayden "just kept on saying stuff."
"He talked about Obama's BlackBerry a bunch when he was talking about foreign leaders," Matzzie recalled. ......
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https://twitter.com/tommatzzie
Tom Matzzie ?@tommatzzie 25 Oct Tweets:
One more thing on Hayden, people don't go "on background" as a source for reporters in order to compliment somebody. #logicbeatsspin
So now that a bunch of people are following my tweets I want to talk about something really important: climate change
I just had a very nice conversation with Michael Hayden. He was a gentleman and we disagree.
On Acela: Hayden's comments to press were clearly about NSA spying on foreign allies. #haydenacela
There is a faint smell of sulfur on the train. #Haydenacela
I think I'm safe. Just passed Philly. No rendition yet. Do I have the balls to ask him for a photo? #haydenacela
New call. I am totally busted I think.
On Acela: phone ringing. I think the jig is up. Maybe somebody is telling him I'm here. Do I hide?
On Acela listening to former NSA spy boss Michael Hayden give "off record" interviews. I feel like I'm in the NSA. Except I'm in public.
On Acela: former NSA spy boss Michael Hayden just ended last of handful of interviews bashing admin.
On Acela: Michael Hayden was talking to Massimo Calabresi at TIME I am pretty sure. Does he tweet?
Michael Hayden on Acela giving reporters disparaging quotes about admin. "Remember, just refer as former senior admin"
Hayden was bragging about rendition and black sites a minute ago.
Hayden talking about a famous blackberry now.
Former NSA spy boss Michael Hayden on Acela behind me blabbing "on background as a former senior admin official" Sounds defensive.
9 replies
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= new reply since forum marked as read
The NSA needs to spy on people like this 
Double irony
Conversations on background = triple irony
