Tom Matzzie, who last wrote for Huffington Post, overheard former NSA director Michael Hayden Thursday afternoon bashing the Obama Administration ‘on background’ – and live-tweeted the whole conversation.
A source talking on background can be directly quoted, but cannot be cited by name and is usually referred to ambiguously – in this case as ‘a former senior administration official.’
‘Former NSA spy boss Michael Hayden on Acela behind me blabbing ‘on background as a former senior admin official’ Sounds defensive,’ Mr Matzzie tweeted just before 4:30pm.
Sitting directly in front of Mr Hayden while riding an Acela train that left Washington, D.C. at 3pm, Mr Matzzie had a front row seat to listen in on multiple interviews being given by the former head spook.
Mr Hayden spoke critically of the Obama Administration on topics ranging from 'a famous blackberry' to rendition and black sites, Mr Matzzie detailed in multiple tweets.
‘Michael Hayden on Acela giving reporters disparaging quotes about admin. ‘Remember, just refer as former senior admin’ #exNSAneedsadayjob,’ Mr Matzzie tweeted.
Showing time away from the beat hasn’t softened his journalistic chops, Mr Matzzie also was able to identify at least one reporter speaking to Mr Hayden – Time’s Massimo Calabresi.
‘On Acela listening to former NSA spy boss Michael Hayden give ‘off record’ interviews. I feel like I’m in the NSA. Except I’m in public,’ Mr Matzzie tweeted.
It didn’t take long for the ex-spy to get to the bottom of who was spying on him, as Mr Matzzie’s phone began ringing after only 15 minutes.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2476171/Former-NSA-chief-Michael-Haydens-conversation-train-gets-live-tweeted-passenger.html#ixzz2ikhrDjA1
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