Political Punch

Obama who? Before this campagn I never heard of him what did he do when he was in the senate, I guess not much since we never heard of him, so what does he know about running this country. Someone made a comment about Hillary running with the big boys, well in my opinion she can and does run with the big boys and she will be the one to do a great job in running this country.

To all of you,that act like Obama was the only one's passport was breached,quit acting so darn silly,obama is a man,quit treating him like a darn child,if he needed your help,he would ask for it.You're not that in love with obama.Let him be a man and handle his own business.I hate when people puts up a darn front like they really care.A darn bunch of fakes that's all you are,wanting to stay in other folks business.Handle your own business and allow Obama too breathe..

Dang,"Get a life"
Makes me mad as hell.

''If I open your mail in the morning post and then give it to you with an open envelope'',would you be happy? I just cant believe that some people think Obama souldnt be upset by this incident unless he got something to hide!There is nothing to hide my friend, as its a general things to understand that personel details should keep personel,and its a right to everyone to raise the question if it doesnt.

Quote: "U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says she has apologized to Senator Barack Obama after government contract workers accessed his passport file without authorization." That bucket won't hold water. If they were able to access it, they had the proper authorization.

Has anybody noticed that Clinton's passport info was accessed improperly way back in 2007, according to the State Department?? Where are the allegations that Obama had something to do with that?? Seems even more likely, since the Obama campaign has a great interest in discrediting Clinton's experience with foreign leaders, and Obama has no experience to discredit. Both ideas seem foolish, and reflect the paranoia of most conspiracy theories, and the gullibility of those who buy into such improbabilities.

That three employees of the State Department queried Senator Obama's records means very little in the absense of what else they queried on those days. Were they just curious, or were they focussing on a particular individual? Federal employees are not selected based on their curiosity factor. They may be fired because of it, but it's not a criteria for hireing. I'm not saying the particular individuals shouldn't be fired. I don't have enough information to weigh in either way. However, to fire them because they queried a candidate may be premature. Any of us who use the internet know we often end up on sites we had no intention of visiting. One should at least ask whether their query was an aberation, or part of a pattern.

300 FBI files of Repulicans stolen by the White House during Clinton I. Info from Henry Hyde's file leaked before a vote. Where were the privacy experts then?

A legal misdemeanor elevated by the media as major incident for what purpose we wonder?
What is the big deal, it's only a passport,additionally every one is probing in our own records without our knowledge... Credit, insurance, health etc etc.

Why the sensitivity by the Obama camp? Are there embarrassing revelations buried in those passport applications and travel itineraries that it does not want reveal to the general public?

Buncha amateurs.

It sounds like this is part of the kitchen sink arrangement, shame on you Hillary, politice is not do-or-die.

Why don't we just wait and see.. I am sure there will be all kinds of speculating..um I mean reporting done on this over the next few days... either way it will sure be interesting- American politics at its finest!

So We the People Do Need Freedom ff the Press after all. If it wasn't for a reporter...

Question: What Other wrong doings are company contractors doing at hte state department that has Not been brought out to the Light Of Day ???

ss, this won't go away because Obama doesn't want it gone, it distracts from his connection to the anti-American racist pastor. I wouldn't be surprised if it turns out to be his own supporters giving him the out.

BKMC- Us Obama supporters are always accused of our "Blind Following" on these posts but this is just the Hillary/McCain supporters refusing to believe that they could have dared to try something illegal and..get caught- when I saw this for the first time last night my first thought was oh man who did it this time- Clinton, Bush, or McCain...and if the other supporters take a minute to think about why they are so upset over our concern they might realize that they may have had exactly the same thought.Doesn't say much for their faith in the politics of their chosen candidates does it...?Regardless of them telling us we are "foolish" or we should just "drop it" lol- this will not go away..someone will be held accountable for what took place, the only question is - which one? I can't wait to find out.

Thousands of people have access to the files within the state dept so I don't know why Obama is so upset unless he has something to hide? If it was a Hillary supporter does anyone suppose they found something? The system worked because it identified the people snooping and it turns out they had legal access but why the need for the access?

The Clintons are corrupt. Go to Wikipedia and search for Travelgate, Whitewater, Impeachment, etc. You'll find out they are devoid of charachter.

I wouldn't doubt they or Senator McCain have something to do with this. They are campaigning together now, aren't they? =-)

Never trust a Clinton.

I love how the press is so two faced about people being able to state their opinion.. they leave what they want posted up, and remove what they don't like. The so called freespeech advocates sensor their readers opinions. This will be removed soon as well.

Obama's just trying to divert attention from his anti-American racist pastor and his connection to this pastor.

Must have been Clinton supporters trying to dig for more dirt to add to the already embarassing precedent of character assassination Bill-ary has been engaged in ever since she was immediately crowned on Super Tues. On an unrelated note: GOOD JOB RICHARDSON!!

For those here blaming the administration, you need to get some facts straight. The administration already knows what's in the files because they have legal access to them. Hillary on the other hand has no legal access to them but would have loved to get a sneak peek. The system didn't break down because those allowed to see saw it's just that there was a log of them seeing and they had no reason to why they saw other than to help Hillary. Obama's going down fast but Hillary may have waited too late to pull out the stunts.

Make no mistake. We may not yet have gotten the fingerprints back on it yet, but that gun ... the one lying right there?

It is smoking.

Can you say "OBAMAGATE". This was more than idle curiousity. Come on.........!

If the fired and reprimaned persons looked simultaneously at other famous people's information, than the behavior becomes more of a curiousity than a crime. However, it at the same time of day and same date, they were exclusive in their search of passports, then we have a whole different story here folks.

This computer system has a password screen and a warning screen like so many of them do... And these contractor ignored those two big warning signs that you would put them in trouble if they look at any high profile people... This just doesn't past the smell test of just snooping... There is something more here... And the dates of the snooping were on days after Obama won big in primaries... this stinks!

The cover up (not reporting)indicates these fall guys may have been directed to do the snooping. The question now becomes for who? Condie you better straighten this out before the day is over. You don't want to become part of the problem.

All the ivory tower democrats seem to think the Obama speech on race helped endear himself to America, and this is simply not the case with the average independent voter. The average independent voter didn’t want to have to face the question of race, so rather than answer it, they will avoid it in future elections, and this translates to a loss of support for Obama. It is hard to see how a speech that blamed both white and black citizens in America for social injustices while still showing support for Rev Wright will help his poll numbers.

bsinkop and Carl:

The lady in charge was a former ambassador appointed by the Clinton administration. That's how the Clinton camp knew this information about his travels.

"it sounds like the Clintons are looking for any Dirt, they can bring to light , so Hillary can become our next Leader, Obama should be on the look out for, the CVlintons will used any one to get the results!"

The Clintons? Whatever. Obama supporters-friggin unbelieveable.

Funny how people didn't make much of a big deal when bill clinton's people got 900 secret background info(which was highly illegal) from the FBI.
Has any of you high IQ reporters asked yourself why are we concerned about the travels of a US Senator-shouldn't this be a public record since taxpayer dollars were used (unless there was a security purpose)
START THINKING PEOPLE!!!!

I normally do not post but I was a gov contractor. Most are white, highly skilled, but not hired due to the Feds not wanting to deal with their own LAWS and Unions. These contractors probable did this because they were told too. Then the feds can fire them without do process through the contractor and put all the liability on to their actions. I know it happened to me. This way the Feds do not have to obey their own laws. This is equivent to watergate. If the money trail is followed of the contract you will find shell companies leading to gov agencies or bigger fish. This whole process needs to be exposed not just this incident.

Very Fishy!!

But i have yet to find out which company these contractors work for.
Haliburton, Blackwater ??

That might be a larger question to ask

John- Thee is a big difference between obtaining background checks legally and having people illegally access personal information. This is no better then the identity theifs that steal information. It is a CRIME to do what these people did. If it were you and your family you would want your information protected and only viewed by people with the security clearance to do so.

This is another look at how people are still trying to stear up dirt on Obama because they can't find it, If there not careful these fools are going to tear down the democartic party and the republicans will win again, Hillary has show a new side of her she will risk it all to win every at the cost of her own be carefull

I respect the rights of others to have confidential information in their passport files protected; However,I expect anyone running for president to have a complete background check, including passport records.

I don't want to find out about someone's past after they become president. They will have access to our nations highest secrets.

How can we as voters be assured nothing shady is in Barack's past and being hidden from the public.

My vote was on the fence between Barack and Hillary, now I have to lean to Hillary since I now realize I know nothing about Barack's hidden past.

John

Wow - I never gave much thought to the conspiracy theorists but this makes a person stop and think. Honest mistake? or Oops we got caught!! God Bless you Senator Obama and your family be safe and strong so you can lead this country out of despair.

It is outrageous that Obama's passport records were compromised. But I don't think the employees should have been fired. It should have been enough that the state department strongly condemned their actions. After all, everyone knows that words are more important than actions.

HOW would Clinton KNOW that Obama had "NEVER" been to Latin America???

THERES a QUESTION for you, Jake...

the Clinton camp released this 2 days after the second breach

"As voters evaluate you as a potential Commander-in-Chief, do you think it's legitimate for people to be concerned that you have traveled to only one NATO country, on a brief stopover trip in 2005, and have never traveled to Latin America?"

they know everything about Barack's Travels

Are some people afraid of "CHANGE"? Event after event; from his religion, Somalia costume, his former Pastor Wright flap, and now comes the breach of Personal Passport File.

It really worries me!

For those of you who are just laughing the whole thing off and making jokes about how "sensitive" Obama is are obviously not familiar with the way that these State Department files work, and the level of access priveliges. If these employees were able to access the file, then they were also able to alter it.

Would it be of any interest at all, if Rush Loudmouth suddenly produced official documents showing that Obama had visited North Korea, Iran and Syria in the last five years?

Thought so.

And if you think that sort of smear --even when exposed -- doesnt have an impact on voters, tell it to John Kerry. A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting its shoes on.

" First of all, is it correct, Sean, the way that the State Department found out about this whole thing was because you got a call from a reporter?

MCCORMACK: No, no, no, no, no, no."

McCormack is dead on... they didn't find out from a call from a reporter...

It was an email.

The Clintons would do anything and say anything to get elected. They are fighting for the third term seems like modern day restoration the Clinton dynasty. She was against Florida’s early primary, now she is crying…she voted for the war, now she crying …She claims that she is transparent, yet they have not released their Income Tax and Clinton library contributors…what they are hiding? Why they are so secretive out those information?

The only reason they think that it's not politically motivated is because the same people who didn't forward the information in the first place say it's not politically motivated... there's a real reliable source. So... if it's not politically motivated... WHY didn't they tell their boss?

While Obama blames the administration Hillary is laughing all the way to the Destroy Obama and Democrat Party Party. There's so many Clinton Moles left in the State Dept it's just amazing to me that it has taken this long. The secret trips to dictator lands and travel to restricted places are just about to get exposed and the Clinton Moles are looking at it prior to Obama becoming a Senator.

Wow! Someone looking at an official government record! Imagine that! Obama people...get over it! What a bunch of crybabies!!

Treasury will not be amused. I can imagine a smoked window suburban or escalade pulling out of an underground garage this morning with some 'jack booted thugs' inside. These folks don't do much in the way of distraction off of the sentient now. They will want answers and getting pulled off the martial arts mats will not deter their methological analysis of what happened. These are smart people, not the type to create patents, or deal with humor, but instead accustomed to a honed non-debilitating frenetic world view where nothing is overlooked. These guys don't do humor as it obfusicates the sentient analysis of now. I would not want to be methodically analyzed by these folks as a consequence of these events. Secret Service is going to want answers and they don't do curiosity either, it distracts their focus. Somebody going to have some splainin to do for some really hard-nosed questions.

I seem to remember a story about a lady who had thousands of files -- not one file -- on US Citizens but somehow conveniently misplaced them until the statute of limitations expired. Oh yes, she's running for president! Where is the outrage from all of you lefties? I guess you have selective outrage.

'Contractors' in government areas like these are usually people who worked for the government before and have retired but now return as consultants--kind of. It's not as lax as the other kinds of outsourcing.

Yes, I was watching cable news last night and flipped accidentally to Keith Olberman and saw this "breaking news." How hilarious!! He spent so much time on this and I knew that it was used as a distraction from the main stories of the day where Obama called his gma a "typical white person" and Kerry said that Obama would deal w/muslim people better because he was BLACK! So, I flipped back to FOX and Hannity said the same thing I was thinking: this passport thing is a way for the obama camp to distract from the real news that is not so good about him. You're smarter than the MSM, everyone! Don't let them fool you!!!

first of all, these were BUSH employees trying to find something to use against obama. leave hillary out of it. BUSH has PRIVATE contractors that can get state records? dont sound right. i think rove had a paw in this. dale

Incredible.

BTW, this very same Pat (Patrick F.) Kennedy was the Assistant Secretary of State for the Clinton Administration from 1993 to 2001.

What is still missing is the answer to the question, "Why, what were they looking for," and "under the direction of whom?" Certainly not serendipity.

Roger: You're right re: revolution. My guess is that the "people left over" would be those who believed in the Second Amendment - aka conservatives.

UNDER SECRETARY KENNEDY: Right. First of all, these were employees -- all of these involved employees of contractors rather than U.S. Government employees: As a retired DoD engineer I resent the increased use of "Contractor Personnel" within U.S. Government offices. Is this a technique to avoid the Hatch Act?

Who cares, who really cares. I don't care. We seem to need another revolution, every is already at each other throats over the stupidest little things. I am ashamed of this country and the way the people have a knife to each others backs, ready to stab when it best suits them. Just fight it out, who ever is left alive can start over.

I am old enough to remember Watergate. Now here come STATEGATE! Remember when the Shrub said he would do everything he could to help John "The Elder" McCain. Well, a call or pillow talk to Condi could have put this in operation...Just the thoughts of The Joker.

So much for privatization in the security sector. Sounds like deferred accountability. Or shall we call it "outsourced accountability".

Sounds like Rove still has his little helpers in place.

No smoking gun. Other than internal procedures that were NOT followed. This middle management must be fired or reassigned. The computer system made its work: advise of a breach of security --but management did not act. Unacceptable!

So they make a big deal of the perpetrators not being State Department employees....but it was State Department employees who failed to follow procedure and notify their higher-ups.

To me, not telling you boss what happened is as bad as looking at the files in the first place.

Did anyone bother to ask the fired contractors WHY?

Is the contract company headquatered in USA? Using employees from USA?

ROFLOL

Busted!

it sounds like the Clintons are looking for any Dirt, they can bring to light , so Hillary can become our next Leader, Obama should be on the look out for, the CVlintons will used any one to get the results!

Fire them, Hire me, I'll fix it.
I was in the Gov for 26 years..
I am seen it all..
This is another prime example.

Thanks..
Really gives me hope for the future.

As an Obama fan, I can only pray that this is the "monster" at work. It will not only hand Obama the nomination, but someone will be doing some fed time. My only headache here is that what if its someone in McCain camp? Could it lead to a constitutional crisis?

Elephant? What elephant? That? That is a large pachyderm, but there are no elephants in this room. It is against State Department policy.

Sounds like the work was out sourced to a private firm, and the private firm handled it.

Also sounds like a reporter needs a better email service, and help in following directions. No smoking gun here.

Be very worried Obama supporters. Something is afoot! They better increase secret service detail after this!

It's like the "Who's on first?" routine, but it lacks the timing!

Question: Have you learned from your mistakes?

Answer: Certainly, in the future I can unequivocally say, that I can repeat them exactly.