Don’t Make Assumptions About the Passport Flap
Regarding the flap over the passports, the Washington Times reports:
The State Department last night said one of the persons responsible for the inappropriate behavior was employed by an information technology firm headed by one of Mr. Obama’s foreign intelligence advisors.
Of course, this doesn’t establish that Obama was behind the snooping — and people are finding tenuous connections between the two firms and each one of the candidates. Just something to keep in mind: we don’t know who’s behind this yet.
UPDATE: I forgot: thanks to jimboster.
Maybe “simple curiosity” is the explanation. After all, sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. On the other hand, being paranoid doesn’t mean there isn’t someone out to get you.
In this case, I dunno & I don’t care. What’s in a passport file anyway?
But I do wonder: where were the dems when Hillary had her goons going over 900 raw data FBI files on her opponents?
Comment by ManlyDad — 3/22/2008 @ 12:42 pm
“we don’t know who’s behind this yet.”
The part where we are all supposed to care is escaping me.
Comment by Verlin Martin — 3/22/2008 @ 2:30 pm
I’m interested. Everything is interesting in this election.
Comment by DRJ — 3/22/2008 @ 4:10 pm
This is going to make Olbermann’s head go ’splodey.
Comment by Saul Goode — 3/22/2008 @ 5:09 pm
wake me when Obama demands a Congressional investigation into the breach of Britney’s medical records.
Comment by Darleen — 3/22/2008 @ 5:18 pm
No it won’t, Saul. It doesn’t exist in his world.
Comment by Scott Jacobs — 3/22/2008 @ 5:48 pm
Geez,
I filed for a Passprt, and all they had on me was my Certificate of Birth, a picture of me and the request form. what is so important in a passport file? tempest in a Teapot. yeeeesh
Comment by paul from fl — 3/23/2008 @ 5:57 am
Could it be that a passport file also contains records of the USE of the passport, in other words, of dates and destinations of foreign travel?
Now why would anyone want to know where the candidates have travelled and when?
Comment by sherlock — 3/23/2008 @ 6:45 am
Considering it only shows country, it would tell us very little…
Comment by Scott Jacobs — 3/23/2008 @ 7:03 am
I’ve quoted you and linked to you here.http://consul-at-arms.blogspot.com/2008/03/re-dont-make-assumptions-about-passport.html
Comment by Consul-At-Arms — 3/23/2008 @ 2:13 pm
@sherlock (#8),
The electonic passport records (which appear to be what were improperly accessed) wouldn’t have records of foreign travel unless that was indicated on the passport application form itself, a question which is optional, and only indicates planned travel.
Comment by Consul-At-Arms — 3/23/2008 @ 2:22 pm
@Paul from FL (#7),
Most passport records (which I’ve seen in the course of my work) don’t even have a copy of the birth certificate itself (unless you’re an American born abroad, in which case a copy of your “Consular Report of Birth Abroad” or CRBA should be there, which isn’t technically a birth certificate), merely information about it, such as the type (city, state, county, &tc.), date issued or registered, and document number.
Comment by Consul-At-Arms — 3/23/2008 @ 2:33 pm
I have quoted and commented on your piece here: http://lifeafterjerusalem.blogspot.com/2008/03/dont-make-assumptions.html
Comment by Digger — 3/24/2008 @ 8:03 am