Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Ichingcarpenter

(36,988 posts)
Mon Apr 28, 2014, 12:14 PM Apr 2014

The Toughest Interview Keith Alexander Has Is From A Comedian? John Oliver.

What Does It Say About The US Press That The Toughest Interview Keith Alexander Has Is From A Comedian?



from the too-much-and-none-of-it-good dept
Last night was the debut of comedian John Oliver's new show on HBO called Last Week Tonight. Oliver, of course, is well known from his years on The Daily Show (though, if you're not familiar with it, you should also listen to his podcast, The Bugle). On his first show, Oliver was able to get former NSA boss Keith Alexander, who retired about a month ago. The resulting ten minute interview is well worth watching, not just because it's pretty damn funny, but because it's one of the few times a journalist has actually asked Alexander direct tough questions about the NSA -- and it's not even from a journalist:

Seriously, compare that interview to the one Alexander gave to 60 Minutes, a show that used to be associated with asking the tough questions of people in power.

Alexander kicks off this new interview claiming that Americans don't understand that they're not the target of the NSA, and Oliver immediately shoots back:
Oliver: No, the target is not the American people, but it seems that too often you miss the target and hit the person next to them going 'Whoa, him!'

Alexander: You see, we're not just out there gathering information, listening to their phone calls, or collecting their emails. But, that's the first thing that people jump to.

Oliver: But you are out there doing that. You're just saying that you're not then reading them. You are gathering that data.
Alexander responds with the usual NSA talking points about "we just collect metadata" and again, Oliver immediately hits back:
Oliver: That's not nothing. That's significant information. Otherwise, you wouldn't want it.










http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20140428/02534427047/what-does-it-say-about-us-press-that-toughest-interview-keith-alexander-has-is-comedian.shtml
18 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
The Toughest Interview Keith Alexander Has Is From A Comedian? John Oliver. (Original Post) Ichingcarpenter Apr 2014 OP
9.5 mins don't miss it Ichingcarpenter Apr 2014 #1
I was unfamiliar with him dickthegrouch Apr 2014 #2
I know I had to shift my Cosmos recording to Mondays on NatGeo hootinholler Apr 2014 #4
I guess Alexander doesn't get to wear his Starfleet Command uniform any more. nt Buns_of_Fire Apr 2014 #3
John Oliver is the best. NuclearDem Apr 2014 #5
"NSA: the only agency in government that really listens." That's when I LOL'd... Hekate Apr 2014 #6
I would like to see the unedited video grasswire Apr 2014 #7
He was chosen to play the role of a "nice guy". Enthusiast Apr 2014 #10
It reveals the corrupt nature of Corporate McPravda. Octafish Apr 2014 #8
This is what passes as a tough interview? Enthusiast Apr 2014 #9
did you notice toward the first, where he.. grasswire Apr 2014 #12
that word change is about .56 grasswire Apr 2014 #13
Since Tickle Me Elmo asks tougher questions than MSM "journalists" ... hvn_nbr_2 Apr 2014 #11
That is one scary, SCARY man. bvar22 Apr 2014 #14
Am I too early for the NSA apologists? You go John Oliver. rhett o rick Apr 2014 #15
He lied in this instance Ichingcarpenter Apr 2014 #16
I applaud what you just said dixiegrrrrl Apr 2014 #17
Time Magazine also said he was better than 60mins Ichingcarpenter Apr 2014 #18

dickthegrouch

(3,174 posts)
2. I was unfamiliar with him
Mon Apr 28, 2014, 12:28 PM
Apr 2014

and watched by accident. It is in my to-be-recorded list now. There's too many good shows on Sunday night

Hekate

(90,692 posts)
6. "NSA: the only agency in government that really listens." That's when I LOL'd...
Mon Apr 28, 2014, 12:57 PM
Apr 2014

However this is a great, serious interview on its own merits.

Well done, John Oliver, well done!

Octafish

(55,745 posts)
8. It reveals the corrupt nature of Corporate McPravda.
Mon Apr 28, 2014, 01:43 PM
Apr 2014

Thank you, Ichingcarpenter, for doing what the one BUSINESS mentioned by name in the entire Constitution is supposed to do: Tell the Truth.

Enthusiast

(50,983 posts)
9. This is what passes as a tough interview?
Mon Apr 28, 2014, 01:51 PM
Apr 2014

This might be how the NSA would define a tough interview with the goal of misleading us. Jesus Christ. Does everyone work for the fucking CIA/NSA?

grasswire

(50,130 posts)
12. did you notice toward the first, where he..
Mon Apr 28, 2014, 02:24 PM
Apr 2014

....starts to say "truth" and changes the word to "reality"?

There are many bits cut out of this interview. It's impossible to carefully parse it.

hvn_nbr_2

(6,486 posts)
11. Since Tickle Me Elmo asks tougher questions than MSM "journalists" ...
Mon Apr 28, 2014, 02:03 PM
Apr 2014

ask of the rich and powerful, it's not surprising that a comedian asks tougher questions than they do.

bvar22

(39,909 posts)
14. That is one scary, SCARY man.
Mon Apr 28, 2014, 03:45 PM
Apr 2014

The question I would like to ask him:

How do you decide who is an enemy of the US?


I stand with Joe Biden (ver.2006) on the NSA "collecting" and storing our Meta-Data:

 

rhett o rick

(55,981 posts)
15. Am I too early for the NSA apologists? You go John Oliver.
Mon Apr 28, 2014, 08:51 PM
Apr 2014

The movement has started. Either get on board or get the fok out of the way.

Ichingcarpenter

(36,988 posts)
16. He lied in this instance
Tue Apr 29, 2014, 07:03 AM
Apr 2014

When asked if he knew of any instance where the NSA had acted illegally, Alexander answered:

“In my time, no. Not that I know of. You know, one of the most impressive things that I’ve seen in my career was people who made a mistake, that could be a huge mistake, stepping up to say ‘I made a mistake.’ And in every case, to my knowledge, everyone but 12 individuals stepped forward at the time they made those mistakes.”



Oliver called out Alexander, firing back “Right, but you can’t say ‘everyone… except for 12.’ That’s like saying ‘I’ve never killed anyone… apart from those three people I have buried under my patio at home.’”
“The key issue I was trying to make was, in every case, we reported. In some cases, those who made a mistake, but were still caught.” Alexander clarified.
This statement is an outright lie, and not only in relation to blatant violation of the Constitution. Indeed, the NSA’s own internal documents have noted that over several years the agency has abused its power thousands and thousands of times in order to spy on innocent Americans.




The Washington Post reported last year that “The National Security Agency has broken privacy rules or overstepped its legal authority thousands of times each year since Congress granted the agency broad new powers in 2008, according to an internal audit and other top-secret documents.”



“Most of the infractions involve unauthorized surveillance of Americans or foreign intelligence targets in the United States, both of which are restricted by law and executive order. They range from significant violations of law to typographical errors that resulted in unintended interception of U.S. e-mails and telephone calls.” the Post report noted.



Despite these facts, Alexander, other NSA insiders, and President Obama have continually claimed that no abuses occurred, save for the afore mentioned twelve documented instances where jealous or paranoid NSA employees took it upon themselves to spy on their significant others.



Even in these cases, the majority culprits were only outed because they took it upon themselves to own up to their abuses some time later, as detailed by a report issued by the NSA Inspector General. They were not “caught” as Alexander claims. This means that many more undiscovered abuses have almost certainly taken place.


Elsewhere in the interview, in addition to making several jokes and farcical suggestions, John Oliver called out Alexander when he attempted to once again claim that Americans are not being targeted by the NSA.



“No, the target is not the American people, but it seems that too often you miss the target and hit the American person next to them going ‘Whoa, him!’” Oliver said.



He added that Americans are concerned that the NSA is not just collecting the haystack to get the needle, but is also “collecting “the whole farm, and the county and the state, and now you’ve got photos of the farmer’s wife in the shower as well.”



“We’re not just out there gathering information, listening to their phone calls, or collecting their emails. But, that’s the first thing that people jump to.” Alexander claimed,



Oliver refused to relent, noting “But you are out there doing that. You’re just saying that you’re not then reading them. You are gathering that data.”
When Alexander attempted to make the argument that the agency only collects so called “metadata”, the comedian insisted ” That’s not nothing. That’s significant information. Otherwise, you wouldn't want it.”



Compare Oliver’s interview to the walk in the park that was Alexander’s appearance on CBS’ 60 Minutes, where reporter John Miller didn’t once follow up on a single statement Alexander made. In this context Oliver, a British comedian, comes across as a hard hitting political interviewer.



The sad truth is that government corruption and abuse of power is only being commented on, questioned and investigated in a ‘jokey kinda way’ on entertainment shows and talks shows. Hence why the alternative media is exploding and establishment institutions such as CBS are now universally recognised as full on propaganda arms.



dixiegrrrrl

(60,010 posts)
17. I applaud what you just said
Tue Apr 29, 2014, 08:53 AM
Apr 2014
clap: :

I watched it yesterday, stunned that Oliver essentially demonstrated why MSM is not even worth watching.

This is gonna be a good show to watch.

Ichingcarpenter

(36,988 posts)
18. Time Magazine also said he was better than 60mins
Tue Apr 29, 2014, 09:04 AM
Apr 2014

Two interviews with the National Security Administration. One by a news program, one by a comedian. Only one of them came through a winner. Here's a "completely unscientific, utterly subjective" play-by-play. Let the scoring begin


http://time.com/79861/nsa-throwdown-john-oliver-v-60-minutes/

winner was Oliver by far according to Time

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»The Toughest Interview Ke...