Kerry Trashes His Liberal Persona By Attacking Snowden

Secretary of State John Kerry has a proud liberal past -- from his involvement with the anti-war movement as a decorated veteran to his service for years in the United States Senate. But his ridiculous response to Edward Snowden's TV appearance made him look more like a right-wing apologist.

After Snowden gave an interview to NBC News, Kerry felt it necessary to try and denigrate Snowden, instead of taking the high road and just letting the rather tepid interview fade away. Taking a person shot at Snowden, Kerry said:

"This is a man who has betrayed his country."

"He should man up and come back to the US."

"The fact is, he has damaged his country very significantly. I find it sad and disgraceful."

Frankly I had thought Kerry was better than that. I guess I was wrong. Snowden did not "betray his country". He was a whistleblower who exposed the massive and unconstitutional spying the United States government was doing on its own citizens. That spying was a clear abuse of the nefarious Patriot Act, and showed that both Presidents Bush and Obama had been lying when they said assured Americans that they were not being spied upon. Snowden is a hero who struck a blow for the constitutional rights of all Americans. I understand that Kerry was just trying to defend the government as its representative, but in saying Snowden "betrayed" his country, Kerry abandons his own progressive principles.

As for the statement that Snowden should "man up and come back", I consider that to be an unnecessary and rather cowardly statement. It's easy for a man in a powerful position like Kerry to make fun of someone else, but we all know that there's no way Snowden could get a fair trial from the United States government if he did come back. Snowden embarrassed some powerful people, and they want their revenge. They have poisoned the public view of Snowden, and there is no way any trial blow could be considered just.

I will go along with the "sad and disgraceful" part -- not for Snowden, but for Presidents Bush and Obama (both of whom owe the American people a big apology for spying on them). When the Patriot Act was passed, progressives warned that it would be abused by the government and used against American citizens. That has been proven to be true (and is probably still happening).

In attacking Snowden in this way, John Kerry is trashing his own proud liberal past. He should be embarrassed.

(The caricatures of Edward Snowden and John Kerry are by DonkeyHotey.)