Jennifer Hoelzer

Over the last week, I've been accused of writing this post for a host of nefarious reasons. The actual story behind it is much less sinister. 

In case you were interested, here it is:  

Early last week, Mike Masnick asked if I'd be willing to write the week's "Favorite Techdirt Posts of the Week."  As he explains below, each week, someone from the larger Techdirt community recaps the week by summing up their favorite Techdirt posts.  When he asked me to write, neither of us knew the President would hold a press conference that Friday, in fact, I was well on my way to finishing my draft when I heard that the President had addressed the NSA's surveillance programs.    

Given my experience working for Senator Ron Wyden -- the chief critic of the NSA programs -- Mike asked if I'd be willing to revisit my draft with an eye towards discussing the President's statement.  I said I would, but given a prior commitment, I told him that I wouldn't be able to get to it until late Friday night.  He said that was fine as long as he got my draft early Saturday AM. 

It was after midnight when I first read the President's remarks. And -- as you can see -- when I read his declaration of support for the principles of "open debate" and the "democratic process," something inside me snapped.  After countless hours spent helping a U.S. Senator push for just such a debate only to be repeatedly met with intense opposition from this very President's Administration, I found his words infuriating.