. . . details that have emerged from the exposure of hundreds of pages of previously classified NSA documents indicate that public assertions about these programs by senior U.S. officials have also often been misleading, erroneous or simply false.

The Washington Post reporting on the government's multitude of misleading statements and bald face lies about the National Security Agency's (NSA) surveillance programs.

The government has trouble getting its story straight because there is no viable defense for the NSA's massive domestic spying operations that sweep up and store data on millions of innocent Americans.

Since its actions are indefensible from a constitutional, legal, and moral perspective, the government instead has focused on the messenger. Despite Obama's claims that he welcomes a debate on civil liberties and his dismissal as Snowden as "29-year old hacker," the Obama administration has launched a worldwide manhunt for Snowden, brought a sealed Espionage Act complaint against him, pressured allies to deny Snowden asylum, and fear-mongered in the media with overblown and unproven claims of "national security," ironically and hypocritically communicated through anonymous leaks.

Yet, much of the mainstream media has lapped up and regurgitated the government's misstatements. (Such as during my appearance yesterday on This Week with George Stephanopoulos).

