We have plenty of analysis of Obama's national security speech at National Defense University yesterday. Obama did say he was "going off script" at one point, but unfortunately his "off script" didn't venture far from the administration's talking points. What Obama should have said "going off script:"
*Drones are a mistake. Like so many tactics since 9/11, the U.S. has been improvising, and it is time to stop the morally-questionable practice of using drones.
*I have the authority to transfer Guantanamo detainees, and I will be starting that process on Monday by setting free the 86 detainees already cleared for release.
*It violates the First Amendment to spy on journalists, and I am ordering the Justice Department (and any other federal agency engaging in such an unnecessary intrusion on the free press) to cease any such surveillance immediately.
*In addition to the IRS investigation, I am ordering an immediate investigation into the torture program to hold accountable government officials who ordered, authorized, or participated in torture. I am commuting the sentence of CIA whistleblower John Kiriakou, who did not participate in torture.
*I am giving job offers to Thomas Drake, P.J. Crowley and any other whistleblowers and dissenters who have been unceremoniously ousted from government jobs on my watch.
Add your "going off script" suggestions below.
Kossacks' "going off script" suggestions for Obama:
From Kathleen McClellan:
"I do not have the authority to order the killing of Americans without due process."
From Buckeye Nut Schell:
I am going to order the Attorney General to fully investigate each and every financial institution that played a part in the economic collapse of not only our economy but the global economy and we are going to begin prosecuting all violations of the law to its fullest extent.
From stevej:
[I apologize] for misleading those who voted for [me] based on [my] statements about Nat Sec, foreign policy and transparency.
From Don midwest:
I will lead an effort to expose the lies used to discourage people from voting.
From Sarah Damian:
My administration will re-examine our classification system so that future national security whistleblowers who reveal government wrongdoing are not prosecuted under the Espionage Act.
From Joanneleon:
I'll provide a clear and truthful answer to one of the questions that the "heckler" actually asked about why the 16-year old American citizen, Abdulrahman al-Awlaki, was assassinated two weeks after his father was assassinated (after my administration offered no evidence to a court, nor any indictment on his father, in absentia).
I'll answer the questions about whether or not, as reported, a grand jury was convened for Samir Khan, and the DoJ was not able to get an indictment, and yet he was assassinated anyway.
From CIndyCasella:
I will stop with the secrecy paranoia and commute all Espionage Act witch hunt jail sentences.