Susan Rice was interviewed by Andrea Mitchell of NBC on the subject of her orders for repeated "unmasking" of Trump campaign and Trump transition team members by intelligence agencies. The former National Security Adviser chose Mitchell for the interview because she knew that it would be one softball question after another. Even so, Rice made some really crazy claims.
Rice did not directly deny unmasking the Trump people. Instead she went on and on about how she did not leak anything and never would. Let's unpack that for a moment.
1. Just days ago, Rice told a reported (on video fortunately) that she knew nothing at all about anyone unmasking Trump related personnel. Now she suddenly knows all about it but tells us she never leaked the info she got. Why would anyone believe her? Indeed, given her past lies to TV reporters, her reputation for honesty is non-existent.
2. If Rice had all these Trump people unmasked and then related the conversations to president Obama, that is not a leak. Leaks occur when the government gives information to the media. Rice was properly able to tell Obama. Of course, that implicates Obama in this scandal.
3. Without a doubt, Rice would not have been so foolish as to actually leak the information herself. She's a smart, if completely dishonest, person. Rice would never want to have a reporter hold information (like her leaking classified material) that could lead to her arrest and conviction for violation of federal law. SHE WOULD ARRANGE FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO DO THE LEAKING. In fact, she might have had one of the intelligence agencies arrange for that leaking to occur.
4. If Rice never leaked and never disseminated the information (as she also claims), let her explain how the information about General Flynn got into the media. We know Flynn was unmasked and his conversations were leaked to the NY Times and the Washington Post.
Rice's "explanation" could just as easily have been that the leaks were the result of a youtube video; after all, she used that lie to great effect in the past on Benghazi. She also could have just said, "I am not a crook," but she, no doubt, did not want to be accused of plagiarism.
Rice did not directly deny unmasking the Trump people. Instead she went on and on about how she did not leak anything and never would. Let's unpack that for a moment.
1. Just days ago, Rice told a reported (on video fortunately) that she knew nothing at all about anyone unmasking Trump related personnel. Now she suddenly knows all about it but tells us she never leaked the info she got. Why would anyone believe her? Indeed, given her past lies to TV reporters, her reputation for honesty is non-existent.
2. If Rice had all these Trump people unmasked and then related the conversations to president Obama, that is not a leak. Leaks occur when the government gives information to the media. Rice was properly able to tell Obama. Of course, that implicates Obama in this scandal.
3. Without a doubt, Rice would not have been so foolish as to actually leak the information herself. She's a smart, if completely dishonest, person. Rice would never want to have a reporter hold information (like her leaking classified material) that could lead to her arrest and conviction for violation of federal law. SHE WOULD ARRANGE FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO DO THE LEAKING. In fact, she might have had one of the intelligence agencies arrange for that leaking to occur.
4. If Rice never leaked and never disseminated the information (as she also claims), let her explain how the information about General Flynn got into the media. We know Flynn was unmasked and his conversations were leaked to the NY Times and the Washington Post.
Rice's "explanation" could just as easily have been that the leaks were the result of a youtube video; after all, she used that lie to great effect in the past on Benghazi. She also could have just said, "I am not a crook," but she, no doubt, did not want to be accused of plagiarism.
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