WH: Obama not violating privacy; Snowden's whereabouts unknown
(CNN) – President Barack Obama does not feel that he has violated the privacy of any American, his chief of staff, Denis McDonough, confirmed Sunday.
Asked directly if Obama feels that way regarding the government's controversial surveillance programs, McDonough said simply, "He does not."
During his interview on CBS' "Face the Nation," McDonough added the president plans to "talk about this in the days ahead."
McDonough said the president will discuss the need to "find the right balance, especially in this new situation where we find ourselves with all of us reliant on Internet, on e-mail, on texting."
Shortly after the National Security Agency programs were leaked earlier this month, Obama publicly defended the operations that involve storing phone records and collecting information from Internet companies. Obama called them "modest encroachments on privacy" that help prevent terrorist attacks.
McDonough declined to wade into the debate over whether Edward Snowden–the former contractor who leaked the NSA information–is a hero or a traitor. But the White House chief of staff confirmed that he does not know where Snowden went after he checked out of his Hong Kong hotel on Monday.
"I'm sure you'll understand when I tell you I don't want to get involved in any ongoing investigation or any kind of effort that's being undertaken, but I can tell you that I don't know where he is right now."
- CNN's Ashley Killough contributed to this report.
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This president never violates any laws–he knows the laws precisely just like me. True. I have confidence.
My guess would be that he is in the custody of the Chinese government being questioned about the efficacy of the NSA's surveillance capabilities.
These statements from the Government are a test, right? A test of the gullibility of the American People?
Perhaps the White House should get some villainous pirates to look for him.
US govt are always blaming China, Russia and others on hacking their network, however, its the same thing NSA is doing. So don't pretend to be innocent on cyber-attack and play double standards to the world. Hypocritical Americans
Let's wait, because this will be a new face for China . . . A Communist country will take side for Democracy if it will grant asylum to a "Free Speech Activist" like Snowden.
If anybody but Obama leaked information they would be hunted down and put in jail.
Obama continues to get a free ride from the press and many other people I once thought were smart not anymore.
Obama has down more damage to this Country than any other President before him.
If Snowden really feels like he did the right thing, then why isn't he being a grown up and facing it head on? Running and hiding in another country is not helping his credibility as to why he did it.
I hope he leaks 9/11 and ET life.
Clearly, someone's helping Snowden hide out. The interesting question: who? What happens to that person(s)? What if he/she is a Chinese national - then what?
Obama called them "modest encroachments on privacy" that help prevent terrorist attacks.
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well, if vacuuming up every piece of electronic communication in the country is a modest encroachment i guess that means we need to have webster redefine the word modest and the word encroachment. and this from a guy that supposedly a professor that taught constitutional law. scary, very scary.
obama doesn't know where snowden is but rest assured he will personally search every golf course until he finds him.
They won't "know" where he is until the whitehouse decides how to silence him...these strategic decisions take time!
Whistle-blowers should be applauded not vilified. If we had whistle-blowers in Germany 70 years ago, we wouldn't have had the Holocaust. Snowden is a hero.
Putin: I did not steal Super Bowl ring
I am strong belived that presdient obama are too lots problems for 5 year so why obama team are lot leave with his cabient team
I ask mc donough that I want question what about fraud check scam from afrcian amercian
No one knows where he's at and no one ever will probably NDAA 2012, or maybe Extraordinary Rendition any bets?
Whereabouts unknown?? what happen to the CIA? oh i forgot his a CIA..
Blame the Chinese, Blame the Chinese, Blame the Chinese.....will it works again ?
I would rather be less safe than less free.
Well of course he hasn;t. There is not a sane organic intelligent life form on this planet or from this Universe that thinks so. Only the right wing thinks so. Which would rather have NSA knocking on the door and saying ::Sorry our mistake," or an Islamic terrorist saying "Welcome to Allah!" Give me NSA any day of the week. and blowing up you and your children?
I suggested this a long time ago and I still think it needs repeating..If you think Islam has the right to kill you PLEASE mark your door, the rest of us trust the USA