Strange Headfellows

In an interview with Campus Reform, fugitive from Swedish justice and Wikileaks indiscriminate leaker Julian "Ass Is Part of Who I Am" Assange revealed his American political preferences (via LGF):

College-aged support for libertarians and Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) represents the United States’ “only hope” in politics, Wikileaks founder Julian Assange told Campus Reform early Friday morning.

“The only hope as far as electoral politics… presently, is the libertarian section of the Republican party,” said Assange, in response to a question about the recent swell of college-aged and youth-based support for libertarianism.

“The libertarian aspect of the Republican Party is presently the only useful political voice really in the U.S. Congress,” said Assange. “[I] am a big admirer of Ron Paul and Rand Paul for their very principled positions in the U.S. Congress on a number of issues.” [snip]

Assange, who was speaking in an online video forum, hosted by the transparency organization OurSay.org, also praised American Journalist Matt Drudge saying he is responsible for breaking down the “self-censorship” of the American mainstream media.

“Matt Drudge is a news media innovator… It is as a result of the self-censorship of the establishment press in the United States that gave Matt Drudge such a platform and so of course he should be applauded for breaking a lot of that censorship,” said Assange.  (our emphasis)

This, along with fellow Paultard and Putin houseguest Edward "Shoot My Balls" Snowden's drama, illustrates why some progressives need to be very careful in picking their "heroes."  In our view, both Assange and Snowden veer onto the "anarcho-libertarian" nihilist edge of politics, wherein a sense of "ethical egoism" and unfocused action always trumps collective judgement.  =cough= AynRand =cough= To name-check far-right conspiracy fluffer Matt Drudge (!) as a media exemplar kinda gives Assange's game away, too. 

But Gary Norton sums it up best, first on the link to Paul and the Republican Party, then on Drudge:

Yup. An anti-government, anti-Social Security, anti-Medicare and Medicaid, anti-civil rights, anti-choice, anti-LGBT, pro-business, anti-minimum wage, anti-40 hour work week, anti-union, basically anti-every piece of Democratic and progressive legislation that has ever been passed in this country Political Party and its nihilistic leaders are the only hope for America.

And Matt Drudge, a guy who has never found a right wing lie that he wasn't eager to spread, is Assange's idea of a "news reporter." Wonder if Assange has a tricorn hat, breeches and wig in his suitcase?

BONUS:  Also, Tomasky.

Snowden to Ecuador?

NSA leaker, Ron Paul admirer and legend in his own mind Edward Snowden has left Hong Kong, China, for libertarian paradise Russia, and has  reportedly sought asylum in libertarian paradise  Ecuador, following earlier speculation that his ultimate destination would be libertarian paradises Cuba or Venezuela.  Snowden is reportedly to travel from Moscow to Cuba, enroute to Ecuador on Monday.  That's quite the travelogue of open, freedom-loving places, Mr. Snowden! 

Snowden is being sought under the Espionage Act for disclosure of classified information, gathering or disclosing defense information, and embezzling public property or records.  His passport was also revoked today.

If he was intending to change the story from domestic intelligence gathering overreach to himself, he's done a bang-up job.

UPDATE:  Snowden was not on the flight to Cuba earlier today, raising speculation that the Russians are finding the laptops he carried with him with national security information too tempting.  They may end up keeping the laptops and handing Snowden over to the U.S.

UPDATE II:   Edward Snowden, the not-accidental mole.  Also calling into question Glenn Greenwald's role (h/t LGF).