Overheard on Acela: Former NSA Chief Michael Hayden
October 25th, 2013
07:56 AM ET

Overheard on Acela: Former NSA Chief Michael Hayden

My, how the tables have turned. Former National Security Agency director Michael Hayden had a mole of his own on the Acela train Thursday afternoon.

Nearby passenger Tom Matzzie eavesdropped on a phone conversation between Hayden and an unknown journalist, live tweeting notes. At least he wasn't on the quiet car...

Hayden, a CNN.com contributor, told CNN he "had a nice chat with my fellow Pittsburgher" on his way.

"Not sure what he thinks bashing the Administration means," he said in a statement, adding he didn't criticize President Barack Obama. "I actually said these are very difficult issues. I said I had political guidance, too, that limited the things that I did when I was director of NSA. Now that political guidance is going to be more robust. It wasn’t a criticism.”

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soundoff (23 Responses)
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  21. USAPeasant

    Lol this is an awesome story proving America's greatness.

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    Also nice taste of sweet revenge on NSA spying, lol. Jeez, it's America, I'd say you're insane if you really think you're going to have success keeping secret courts and secret laws and secret spying all secrets from the nosiest people on Earth. Lol, but hey Americans also like to debate and argue rather than go to arab spring alla-akbar madness. So even the concluding 4th amendment debate between former NSA and CIA head and the Common Citizen in this article is very symbolic of the true American Way. NSA, you gotta reform bros, Americans are watching, and go easy on Snowden, at least he gave you the chance to get it out in the open and get it fixed and for bonus points his very presence in Russia and briefly Hong Kong puts pressure on Putin and to a minor degree China to reform themselves.

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  22. WERWER1234124

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    October 25, 2013 at 9:14 am | Reply
  23. Dan

    I'm sorry but this is a stupid "story", and I'm surprised it's been taken up by so many media outlets. Maybe if the guy had recorded Hayden's number, the number of the guy he called, and the date and time the call started and ended you could draw a parallel. The fact that he eavesdropped on the entire conversation makes him bored, and the fact that he felt he did something clever makes him sad.

    October 25, 2013 at 8:12 am | Reply

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