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Comment by dogma1138 | Hacker News Reader

>The article mentions that both candidates consider Snowden a traitor, with Trump explicitly using the word and Clinton calling for Snowden to be extradited to the United States under investigation for violating the Espionage Act.

Only 15% of American believe that Snowden is a hero, 30% call him a traitor outright and only 25% of them believe that he should be offered any type of deal/pardon.

http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/edward-snowden-rasmussen-po...

So both candidates either appeal too or represent to the vox populi.

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>Only 15% of American believe that Snowden is a hero, 30% call him a traitor outright and only 25% of them believe that he should be offered any type of deal/pardon.

According to that poll. I think it's a reasonable possibility that one of those buckets is shortchanged by the way polls are conducted.

Honestly, I was surprised that 25% of the US public/registered voters are willing to pardon Snowden, I would've thought that that percentage would be far lower.

You need to realise that even in the Huff's online polls e.g. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/05/edward-snowden-poll... Snowden was viewed unfavourably, and if online and the Huff is not pandering to a favourable demographic even tho on paper the poll might match the US demographics then I don't know what is.

I think that's a fair point.

Our republic, much like many historical republics including (crossing immediately the Godwin line) the Weimar Republic, are fervently nationalistic and willing - through fear, state disinformation, and through prejudice - to support cases against liberty in support of centralized autonomous power.

While the youth population of America either broadly support Snowden or are deadlocked (depending on the poll), the more religious and jingoistic elements of the American public and those whose generations participated in World and Cold wars have been easy to convince that civil liberty is something cheap to trade for consolidated power.

There is a difference between supporting the position and supporting the act.

I would go as far as say that the majority of "young" (18-35) Americans would call for a trial rather than a blanket pardon.

Pew Studies seem to indicate the opposite of what you've said: http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/01/22/most-young-a...

That doesn't mean the majority will support blanket pardon over a trial, especially a trial like the one Snowden requested where he could mount a defence based on the public's interest which is not possible for espionage charges.

In fact by your own poll it looks that the majority of 18-35's would favour criminal persecution since the 18-29 is 42 for 42 against and 30-49 is 56 for 36 against.

I see. Yes I think that's right. I think more 'young' people would want to see a fair and open public trial than a blank pardon.

It's my impression that more 'young' people would want to see a blanket pardon over a secret trial where a defense can't be mounted.

Myself personally (not an American) would favour trial (of any kind) over a blanket pardon, however I will support a full pardon or full commute of the sentence in case he is found guilty by a trial in which he could not mount a proper defence due to the espionage act limitations, if it would be a closed trial or if it would be a military tribunal instead of a trial by jury.

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