NBC 7 had five experts, representing different views, weigh in on Edward Snowden’s interview with NBC’s Brian Williams. The exclusive report was the first time Snowden agreed to a full-length interview with a U.S. television network.
Out of the panelists, three believed Snowden was a patriot and two said he was a traitor. Those two included U.S. Navy veteran Dan Wilson and President of The Halo Corporation, Brad Barker.
“He, at his level, did not see all the pieces on the chess board,” Barker said. “He took his ball with him home, shined a bright light on it and ripped the covers off multiple operations.”
Barkers comments were refuted by Erik Carlseen who is a cyber-security consultant.
“You can't have programs of this scope without the people or without Congress knowing,” Carlseen said. “It controls itself. It operates under its own rules.”
Although many are calling Snowden either a patriot or traitor, Open San Diego’s Seth Hall encourages the public to consider something else.
“Whether not a patriot or a traitor, is there great value in the info that has come?” he asked.
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Many of the opinions of the panelists were not changed by the interview, rather reinforced. To hear more of the conversation, watch the attached video.
