Breaking News: Obama State Dept. Breach

Krista Swisher, Indianapolis, IN — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 00:51:03 GMT

The State Department got into Senator Obama’s stuff in January, and it’s just now coming out??!! Holy *&%$#@! Well, at least someone there got fired! This breech could end up hitting the proverbial fan big-time! No political motivation to this, huh? And, we’re supposed to trust these people, why?

Breaking News: Obama State Dept. Breach

Krista Swisher, Indianapolis, IN — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 00:51:34 GMT

That tears it; I've got a file. I know I do.

Breaking News: Obama State Dept. Breach

william gardner — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 00:52:43 GMT

KEITH, PLZ comment on timing of casual"Friday afternoon" notification

Breaking News: Obama State Dept. Breach

Fri, 21 Mar 2008 00:57:30 GMT

"Aggravated Snoopery" - I'm going to have to check the the regs, but I'm pretty sure that's a naughty, naughty thing. 3 episodes of same; innocent curiosity?

Oopsie.

I think I'm seeing a "pattern of behavior" here. . .

Some folk never learn. They tried this same thing against Pres. Clinton. Backfired then, too.

Administrative bungling? Ya think! But then, why hould be expect competence (or honesty or integrity) out of this administration?

Breaking News: Obama State Dept. Breach

Full Moon — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 01:01:08 GMT

Hey, they're just trying to investigate Barack. Obviously someone thinks he needs to be looked at a little harder. After Pastor Wright, who knows what might show up?

Breaking News: Obama State Dept. Breach

Krista Swisher, Indianapolis, IN — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 01:01:13 GMT

Keith, you're doing great, and you look faboo! Don't worry. As one of my blogger buddies likes to say, I'm "wed but not dead!" :D

Breaking News: Obama State Dept. Breach

Bonnie Gerardi — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 01:06:39 GMT

I notice that instead of talking about Obama calling his grandmother a "typical white person" ONE DAY after his "historical" speech on race, you are instead making a big deal out of this passport story to make him look like a victim. It certainly seems as though this was completely innocent, and not nearly the big deal you are trying to make it. Seriously, could you guys kiss this mans butt any harder? Why don't you all just come out and say that you want him as president? Your bias is screamingly evident.

Breaking News: Obama State Dept. Breach

greenbrier — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 01:08:41 GMT

Dumb nosey kids or high-tech Watergate thugs? The world wonders--

Breaking News: Obama State Dept. Breach

B. Johnson — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 01:12:48 GMT

Fox just read the Obama campaign statement and then commented that it was just a low level employees curiosity. OMG!

Breaking News: Obama State Dept. Breach

Franny, Chicago, Ill. — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 01:17:15 GMT

Bill Burton's words ring more true than many would like to admit [especially those of the current administration]. I'm as shocked as everyone else, especially because the breach occurred in January! How is it that no one informed Obama? If any citizen's information gets breached, they have the right to know.

What is even more shocking is that when I flipped shortly away from Countdown to watch some of the O'Reilly Factor, he was showing wet t-shirt contests...I'm hoping for that to appear on worsts tomorrow!

Breaking News: Obama State Dept. Breach

Victoria, Washington DC — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 01:31:02 GMT

Couple of thoughts...First, these breaches occured a week after Iowa, a week after Potomac Tuesday (when Sen Obama looked particularly strong) Don't know if I buy the snoopy worker explanation. Perhaps they should ask these contractors or anyone at the firms they work for if they have ties to Fox News.

Breaking News: Obama State Dept. Breach

J Quagliano — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 01:32:33 GMT

Anyone notice the photo of Obama in muslim clothes was leaked to Drudge the weekend of the 23rd/24th, a mere 2 days after the Feb 21st violation? And with the employee terminated, the Inspector General has no authority to interview either of the terminated emplyees. Sounds Political to me.

Breaking News: Obama State Dept. Breach

HM, in an ivory tower somewhere — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 02:01:19 GMT

A second live edition of Countdown at 10:00 pm ET. Thanks, kids.

Breaking News: Obama State Dept. Breach

Linda Garrity, Duxbury, MA — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 02:01:25 GMT

Or did anyone notice that Rezko was arrested 2 days before the Texas/Ohio primaries? Coincidence? I don't think so. Remember Alberto Gonzales and his Federal prosecutors on a mission? Were they let loose at just the right time?

Breaking News: Obama State Dept. Breach

Dan, Rochester, NY — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 02:04:16 GMT

Fired? Shouldn't they be arrested?

Breaking News: Obama State Dept. Breach

J Swanson, Germantown, MN — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 02:09:03 GMT

This whole passport breach debacle makes me curious how many other "contract employees" have checked out files associated with their birthdays out of curiosity. Certainly Mr. Obama's birthday is not uniquely interesting.

Breaking News: Obama State Dept. Breach

M.L. DeNike, San Diego California — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 02:09:50 GMT

January 9 was the day AFTER Obama lost the New Hampshire primary.

February 21 is the day AFTER Obama won several primaries.

March 14 is the day AFTER the Jeremiah Wright story broke.

Has anyone studied the history of Karl Rove collecting dirt on opponents? Someone needs to face reality. This is NOT coincidental.

Breaking News: Obama State Dept. Breach

Anita H., East St. Louis, IL — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 02:10:58 GMT

I don't think for a moment that this was just some "nosey employee" and it should not be just brushed off as such!!! Somebody should check the date that Hillary boldly came out and said she had visited over 80 countries and that Barrack had only visited 1 - and she named it!!!

Breaking News: Obama State Dept. Breach

Krista Swisher, Indianapolis, IN — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 02:11:21 GMT

It doesn't matter at this point if it was "mere snoopiness." This administration has no credibility, and there is absolutely no reason to believe them or trust them whatsoever.

Breaking News: Obama State Dept. Breach

Terri — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 02:13:02 GMT

This is not just a curious employee...you state that the higher ups found out about this when a reporter called them about it...how did the reporter find out about it? Sounds like they were doing a favor for someone.

Breaking News: Obama State Dept. Breach

ALindsay — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 02:17:12 GMT

It's interesting that the Kenyan photograph surfaced right after the supposed first access to his file.

Breaking News: Obama State Dept. Breach

Kimberly Kent, Wyoming, Illinois — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 02:19:42 GMT

While I certainly agree that the State Department's security breach of Senator Obama's passport information is indeed an "outrageous breach of privacy", I have to ask, where is that same outrage against the enormous violation of privacy of COUNTLESS AMERICANS when the telecommunications companies participated with the Bush Administration's illegal warrantless wiretapping of telephone and email accounts?

Breaking News: Obama State Dept. Breach

Lee — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 02:20:01 GMT

Just curious - what GSA Contractors provided these "contract employees" to do administrative data processing? Do these contractors have any connection to/affiliation with any administration/candidate/ party? Haven't heard anyone mention this.

Breaking News: Obama State Dept. Breach

Heather Elise, Gainesville, FL — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 02:23:01 GMT

Keith, why aren't you asking the important questions? If this breach was simply due to "imprudent curiosity", were the other two presidential candidates' files breached? If I were to be curious enough to snoop into files, I'd snoop on all three of them, wouldn't you? After all, Clinton's and McCain's passport files would also be pretty detailed, pretty full, and pretty juicy!

And, the State Dept. keeps claiming "no information was disseminated (sp?)"! HOW DID THE REPORTER FIND OUT?

Curious minds want to know!

Breaking News: Obama State Dept. Breach

Chris Morton, Boynton Beach, FL — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 02:25:33 GMT

Obama Passport Breach: There is no Inspector General of the State Department. The post was vacated in 2006. Right now the Deputy Inspector General, William E. Todd, is the acting IG. Get hold of him.

Breaking News: Obama State Dept. Breach

Terri — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 02:26:10 GMT

Breaking News: Obama State Dept. Breach

Sally Doe, Portland, Maine — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 02:28:23 GMT

It is time the media looked into the trememdous outsourcing/contracting of goverment jobs. It has been a priority of this administration to privatize traditional federal jobs no matter what the cost. When is that story going to finally break. This would be in all departments not just the state department.

Breaking News: Obama State Dept. Breach

anonymous — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 02:29:38 GMT

Who is the contractor? It might be important to look at them and how they got their contract.

Breaking News: Obama State Dept. Breach

Krista Swisher, Indianapolis, IN — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 02:31:06 GMT

Bonnie Gerardi (Sent Thursday, March 20, 2008 9:06 PM) I hope you are as easy-going over some "innocent" lacky hacking into YOUR personal information.

Breaking News: Obama State Dept. Breach

Linda, Cleveland, Ohio — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 02:32:08 GMT

Do the Republicans never learn? It's not the crime. It's the cover up!

If they had reported these "idle curiosity" incidents to Obama as they occurred, this would be a non-story. As is it, it's huge and only going to get bigger.

Man, Keith was cooking tonight with as fast as the info was coming in. Go, Keith, go!

Breaking News: Obama State Dept. Breach

Shannon, Hawley, PA — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 02:37:25 GMT

Why isn't anyone asking this question: Why, if there was a security breach, wasn't the secret service detail to a candidate to the highest office in the land notified so that a proper investigation/precautions could be taken? This is very troubeling.

Breaking News: Obama State Dept. Breach

Krista Swisher, Indianapolis, IN — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 02:37:34 GMT

Linda, Cleveland, Ohio (Sent Thursday, March 20, 2008 10:32 PM) Abso-damn-lutely!

Breaking News: Obama State Dept. Breach

Stevie, SLC Utah — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 02:38:10 GMT

Have to jump in on the white grandmother bit. Hey I'm white. Hey I grew up in white home. Did I hear any racial slurs growing up? You bet I did. Have I ever been guilty of uttering a racist remark? I have to plead guilty. When are we as a people going to take a good look at ourselves in the mirror? If Senator Obama was trying to step on my toes, he missed. It was my heart that got stepped on and it hurt like the dickens. But maybe I can grow from the experience.
And Keith, I hope you stay on passport business. It is impossible for me to believe anything coming from this administration.

Breaking News: Obama State Dept. Breach

adam/nyc — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 02:39:55 GMT

sniff sniff

I smell a Clinton.

Breaking News: Obama State Dept. Breach

Richard Green, San Clemente, Cal., 92672 — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 02:40:15 GMT

For this to happen once is plausible, twice is really poor supervisory oversight, three times is WTF!!!
My concern is not so much what info was disseminated, but was any bogus info placed in his file? These folks had update capabilities. They also showed disregard for the law. There has been no investigation and we only have the word of the folks who tried to suppress all this that the incidents were benign. Lets see how aggressively Condie Rice goes after this. I'm not holding my breath...

Breaking News: Obama State Dept. Breach

A.J.Holmes — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 06:31:57 GMT

What does caching mean? This is all new to me.Thanks

Breaking News: Obama State Dept. Breach

Larry — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 06:45:10 GMT

Keith, is this true? What follows is a post I saw somewhere else:

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

Breaking News: Obama State Dept. Breach

Tanya Sacramento California — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 07:51:51 GMT

Yea, I watched tonight and I know you said something about someone (involved in this) being associated with the Clintons...wouldnt suprise me...waiting to hear more about that!

Breaking News: Obama State Dept. Breach

Pedro, Fort Lauderdale — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 11:02:05 GMT

Keep an eye out for information about Obama's past that was previously unknown being spun and "leaked" to the press. What are those nutty Republicans up to now...

Breaking News: Obama State Dept. Breach

Karoelynne, Fremont, CA — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 12:35:01 GMT

Rachael's questions were right on. Schuster needs to find out the answers. KO will then report the findings. To me that would be a "hat trick". Thanks for treating this as real news and not dismissing this out of hand as others have (Joe, Tucker, Larry Eagleton (sp?)).

Breaking News: Obama State Dept. Breach

J.Sykes, Greensboro North Carolina — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 13:39:32 GMT

I am wondering now, about the terrible lies in the email that was circulated about Obama, the writers of these smears would have at least needed to know where Obama traveled as a child, to try to give their lies any kind of plausibility, so it would have been the framework that they filled in with their nonsense.

Breaking News: Obama State Dept. Breach

Richard Scott Salamack,Amsterdam,New York — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 14:26:08 GMT

David Schuster hit the nail on the head last(just as it was occuring to me):Only the Inspector General can determine if this rises to the level of a criminal investigation and the IG was never informed of this.The authority of his office was usurped by low-rank civil servants.

Breaking News: Obama State Dept. Breach

anonymous — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 15:29:14 GMT

Why won't the government release the name of the contractor? Were these government contractors even US citizens? Some contractors outsource data entry to Sri-Lanka......

Breaking News: Obama State Dept. Breach

J Swanson, Germantown, MN — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 15:57:06 GMT

Like father -- like son. Whether or not this has political motivation it appears "odd" to me that both Geo. Bush's have been unable to set the managment integrity in place that lives by the rules and follows set policy in any sort of intelligent fashion.

Breaking News: Obama State Dept. Breach

jen,il — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 16:00:37 GMT

Maybe we shouldn't contract out positions that deal with sensitive material or war. Call me crazy but I think tax dollars should pay people who are loyal to thier country and not thier company.

Breaking News: Obama State Dept. Breach

GT, Nashvill, Tn — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 16:18:44 GMT

I smell passport breaching - or should I say "invading of privacy - they should be fire; they should be in jail.

Breaking News: Obama State Dept. Breach

Roxanne Capitola, CA — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 16:30:23 GMT

I'm wondering WHY and WHEN the State Dept outsourced these sensitive functions and who are the contracters, how are they vetted, where are they located?

Breaking News: Obama State Dept. Breach

Will Garner, JC NJ — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 16:37:31 GMT

both Clinton's and McCain's passports were breached as well. Sounds like a bipartisan job.