Train rider tweets ex-NSA chief's 'off record' comments

Michael Winter | USA TODAY

The former National Security Agency chief who oversaw warrantless surveillance learned Thursday that you never know which stranger on a train might be listening — and live tweeting your "off the record" bashing of the current administration.

Amtrak passenger Tom Matzzie, a political strategist and former MoveOn activist, captivated Twitter with his series of informative and entertaining tweets revealing what Michael Hayden was telling reporters during several phone interviews aboard an Acela express train that left Washington at 3 p.m. Hayden, a retired four-star general, headed the NSA and the CIA under President George W. Bush.

"Former NSA spy boss Michael Hayden on Acela behind me blabbing 'on background as a former senior admin official' Sounds defensive," Matzzie (@tommatzzie) wrote first.

Follow-up tweets included:

Hayden was bragging about rendition and black sites a minute ago.

On Acela: former NSA spy boss Michael Hayden just ended last of handful of interviews bashing admin.

On Acela listening to former NSA spy boss Michael Hayden give "off record" interviews. I feel like I'm in the NSA. Except I'm in public.

On Acela: Hayden's comments to press were clearly about NSA spying on foreign allies.

On Acela: phone ringing. I think the jig is up. Maybe somebody is telling him I'm here. Do I hide?

New call. I am totally busted I think.

There is a faint smell of sulfur on the train.

I just had a very nice conversation with Michael Hayden. He was a gentleman and we disagree.

Hayden posed for a photo after his office called to tell his blabbermouthing was all over the Internet.

Yahoo News assembled the entire thread.

As several commenters noted, next time, Hayden might want to take the "quiet car."