I Had to Answer a Lot of Questions
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I have a story to tell. Please read and think about it. So I was in college, working, and one day I walked into the workplace, and my co-workers were all wide-eyed. “We’ve been trying to reach you! There are [government agency] security men in your office and they want to talk to you NOW!” I had no idea what for, so I walked in my office and sure enough, there were two G-men in there. Turns out they wanted to know about a former roommate. She had graduated in [science field] and gone on to get a cool job with [government agency]. Now she was about to get a job physically working on [extremely valuable project] but they had to clear her.
You would not believe the questions they asked me about her. She was one of several roommates I had, and we were in the same apartment for about two years. They wanted to know everything - friends, family, boyfriends, any drinking or drugs; associations, where she spent her weekends - it was personal and thorough. Fortunately she was a very quiet-living, family-oriented, down-to-earth person, so I was able to assure them that there was nothing remotely shady about her or anyone she hung out with. After many, many questions, they thanked me politely and left.
That’s the kind of going-over a person gets, to be cleared to work on [one valuable thing, sorry to be so vague] - former roommates are hunted down and closely questioned to find any hint of anything dodgy.
Which makes me wonder - could Sen. Obama withstand that process and get any kind of security clearance? Please read this American Spectator article.
Holding the presidency is not like being a state senator, or a U.S. Senator. The president can order a nuclear attack. It is right for us all to demand to know who he lets into the circle of people who influence him. It is right for us to reject him if we see that those influences are actively hostile to this country.
[Cross-posted at Conservativa].
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“The fires of hell are frozen glaciers compared to my hated for the American government.”
That’s a quote from Joe Vogler, founder of the Alaskan Independence Party of which VP candidate Palin’s spouse Todd Palin was a member.
I’m all for vetting and investigating every candidate for every job. But is it too much to ask for an illusion of fairness?
I’m sorry guys… while I do support Obama I can at least give you several reasons why he’s not my preferred candidate… and none of them have to do with his connection to Ayers, Jeremiah Wright, or a madrassah.
For those of you who wish to cling to the terroist connection notion about Obama but to be quick to dismiss a not too dissimilar notion that at one point Todd Palin obviously supported, is more than a little hypocritical.
I’d kindly request for those who wish to oppose Obama, try to find something slghtly more substantial than a boogey man.
There are literally thousands of jobs in this country that require people to have a security clearance of some sort. When it all comes down to it, the president is in charge of every single one of them. If the people who are in each of these positions are required to have a security clearance, it does not seem unreasonable to expect them to get them either.
If W, with his drug problems, alcoholism and awol from duty issues can get a security clearance I think just about anyone can - though, as the above points out, Palin might have a real issue because of her previous association with an anti-American secessionist organization.
Speaking of questions for candidates… here’s just to the conservatives in general on here.. why is it the Federal government’s job to “create jobs” in the country? I’ve heard both McCain and Palin both hammer on this point… and unless they’re whipping a “New Deal 2: Son of Deal” out of their pocket I don’t think it’s up to the US government to create jobs at all.
Now, I can’t recall any specifics, but I’m -sure- Obama/Biden have probably made similar claims.. I’m willing to let them off the hook because they’re not conservatives.
But can somebody explain this to me? And keep in mind, the quotes from McCain and Palin are both directly related to them creating jobs, not them cutting taxes which would allow more jobs to be created… no, none of that… just that they’re going to “create jobs”. So… how? And how is this conservative in the slightest?
Mark,
I qualified for a Top Secret security clearance even though I had numerous blemishes (which I do not care to go into) in my past. I think I was given credit for disclosing these problems and being open and honest about them. I guess it did not hurt that some time had passed since the problems during which I had cleaned up my act.
I actually was at least a little surprised that I was given the clearance. Please note that my position that required a Top Secret clearance was sensitive enough that I had to take random polygraph tests.
Let me just say that if I could pass with my history, George Dubyah Bush, with his few indiscretions so long back in his past, would qualify as well. I also think Barack Obama would qualify unless he has something more troubling in his record then what has been disclosed thus far.
I totally agree with asking the questions, as have been done thoroughly throughout this campaign by both the left and the right.
I mean, we all don’t want another Rove around the freaking White House, am I right? Right?
Just a quick note:
“If Barack Obama would apply for a job with the FBI or with the Secret Service, he would be disqualified because of his past associations with William Ayers. - FALSE” (edited)
Jeremy,
Who made that statement? I stand as proof that it is not that hard to get a Top Secret security clearance as some people seem to think it is. I got mine.
Yes the background investigation is thorough. I remember when I went in for my wrap up interview (where any questions came up about what they had found) and I revealed that I had forgotten to disclose that I had worked for a couple months at a part time job selling software at computer clubs and what not. The investigator was more then mildly upset. Here she thought my difficult clearance investigation was complete (there was so much she already had been required to look into - my case was more difficult then normal) and now she had to go back and tie up that loose end.
Based upon my success in getting a clearance, I doubt Barack Obama would have any problems either. I doubt the fine tooth comb that his background has been subjected to by his political opponents would fail to reveal anything the government investigators could uncover. I do not believe that what has been disclosed would be enough to disqualify him. If it was, I would not have gotten mine.
LD, my error was in choosing the title for the link. It was the title of a spam email that has been circulating. The article it links to disputes the statement itself and shows evidence disproving it. I have edited the misleading text to reflect that, thanks for the catch.
I’ve gone through the TS process myself, which is why I honestly brought up Todd Palin as a serious issue for Sarah. He was a member of an organization which was dedicated to seceeding from the USA.
This could be an issue for her trustworthiness - not that she would intentionally disclose information inappropriately, but simply because she is married to a true security risk.
Mark,
Yeah but is it a group seriously dedicated to seceding from the union or just a bunch of Alaskan citizens that get together to have some fun being outrageous while voicing their displeasure for how the feds treat them?
I do not hold that against Sarah. I’ve got other reasons (far more serious) to think she is unacceptable.