President Obama's NSA speech

President Obama is addressing the nation Friday to announce new guidelines for government surveillance programs, but he isn't expected to declare any significant revamps to existing efforts.

1/17/2014 5:22:24 PM Morgan Little
We'll be winding things down shortly, but thanks for tuning in during Obama's speech! Keep checking into Politics Now for updates on the fallout of the president's remarks today.

3rd & 7 37yd

1/17/2014 3:21:22 PM Morgan Little
Welcome to the L.A. Times' live blog of President Obama's speech on the NSA - his actual address won't begin until 8am PST, but we'll be here, along with members of our political team, with some early looks into what to expect from Obama's address and some context about the controversies prompting his remarks. Stay tuned!
1/17/2014 3:23:18 PM Morgan Little

Jim Watson / AFP/Getty Images

Obama will announce a few changes to the nation’s surveillance tactics today. From White House reporter Christi Parsons’ story this morning, according to a White House official: Obama will order an end to the NSA’s current means of holding vast phone records, with the Justice Department to deliver recommendations on how to best ensure the government doesn’t directly control the data by March 28.
by Kathleen Hennessey via twitter 1/17/2014 3:25:04 PM
Must reads before O's NSA speech: @cparsons has WH preview: lat.ms/1gV6Kq1 @DavidLauter has the big picture: lat.ms/19zrRyW
by Ken Dilanian via twitter 1/17/2014 3:30:02 PM
Obama could end the metadata prgm today if he wanted to. He's not doing that. He's tossing the question to Congress. latimes.com/nation/politic…
1/17/2014 3:33:20 PM Morgan Little

Francisco Seco / Associated Press

Leaks about the NSA’s surveillance have continued into the new year, with the revelation yesterday that the agency collects nearly 200 million text messages every say in the “Dishfire” program. The information gathered includes travel details and financial transactions. Read more on the program over at Tech Now.
1/17/2014 3:40:52 PM Morgan Little

Patrick Semansky / Associated Press

Back in December, a task force appointed by Obama made a list of 46 recommendations on reforming the NSA, a few of which are expected to be followed in today’s speech, but many of which will remain mere suggestions. You can read through the panel’s entire list right here.
1/17/2014 3:45:59 PM Morgan Little
A key reason why the White House has defended the NSA: Many within the Obama administration think its data collection tactics could have stopped 9/11.

From our story earlier this month:

“In recent White House meetings, Obama has accepted the '9/11' justification, aides say, expressing the belief that domestic phone records might have helped authorities identify some of the skyjackers who later crashed passenger jets in New York, the Washington area and Pennsylvania…”
1/17/2014 3:56:50 PM Morgan Little

EPA / NSA

Despite one scandal after another, the NSA has won
continued support from the White House and key congressional leaders, which has
allowed the agency the weather months of controversy. That’s in part why Obama’s
reforms today won’t fundamentally change the way intelligence gathering works.

D.C. bureau chief David Lauter and reporter Ken Dilanian have more in their story today.
by WH National Security via twitter 1/17/2014 3:57:27 PM
At 11am ET, President Obama speaks on U.S. intelligence programs. Watch → go.wh.gov/keNGhS
by Jeff Mason via twitter 1/17/2014 4:07:48 PM
#Obama has not left the White House yet, so NSA speech will be a bit delayed. Motorcade still holding on the WH driveway.
by L.A. Times Politics via twitter 1/17/2014 4:10:15 PM
For an early look at #NSA changes, here's a look at the White House's policy directive on intelligence activities bit.ly/LfKEnM
by Mike Memoli via twitter 1/17/2014 4:13:11 PM
Front and center at Justice Dept for POTUS speech: Judiciary Cmte Chair Pat Leahy (D-Vt.), Sen. Dick Blumenthal (D-Conn).
by Ken Dilanian via twitter 1/17/2014 4:15:48 PM
Are there enough flags behind Obama?
by L.A. Times Politics via twitter 1/17/2014 4:16:06 PM
Now Live: President Obama delivering remarks on #NSA reforms 1.usa.gov/IKgGYn
by Ken Dilanian via twitter 1/17/2014 4:16:10 PM
Paul Revere, father of the NSA?
by danielrothberg via twitter 1/17/2014 4:16:12 PM
Obama expected to 1) require judicial oversight for examining metadata 2) move database to 3rd party (eventually) latimes.com/nation/politic…
by David Cloud via twitter retweeted by KenDilanianLAT 1/17/2014 4:16:26 PM
First spend billions on propaganda, then see if it works: @SethGJones Special ops wants help to see if propaganda works
by emptywheel via twitter retweeted by KenDilanianLAT 1/17/2014 4:17:59 PM
Bad analogy, Pres: Had the Brits done metadata like you would, they would have taken out Paul Revere and we'd still be eating kidney pie.
by Mike Memoli via twitter 1/17/2014 4:20:33 PM
POTUS: "It is hard to overstate the transformation America’s intelligence community had to go through after 9/11."
by Christi Parsons via twitter 1/17/2014 4:20:53 PM
Six paragraphs into his speech, POTUS reminds of the "signs we had missed leading up to the attacks" of Sept. 11
by L.A. Times Politics via twitter 1/17/2014 4:21:42 PM
Obama: Though "few doubted the legitimacy of spying on hostile states," framework yet to adapt to modern era.
by Ken Dilanian via twitter 1/17/2014 4:22:32 PM
Obama: "Some of the worst excesses that emerged after 9/11 were curbed by the time I took office."
by Christi Parsons via twitter 1/17/2014 4:23:28 PM
Introducing reforms to NSA spy practices, Obama emphasizes "risks of government overreach," not signs of abuse, as his inspiration
by noonanjo via twitter retweeted by KenDilanianLAT 1/17/2014 4:24:45 PM
*Slow clap* RT @NoahCRothman : The grand arc of history has led to this moment, when we embrace cosmetic reforms to the NSA.
by Kathleen Hennessey via twitter 1/17/2014 4:25:22 PM
More NSA/9-11 debate: lat.ms/19zCTEr MT @cparsons Six paragraphs into his speech, POTUS notes "signs we had missed" before 9-11.
by L.A. Times Politics via twitter 1/17/2014 4:25:37 PM
Obama: "There are fewer and fewer technical constraints on what we can do" in seeking intelligence data.
by David Lauter via twitter 1/17/2014 4:25:59 PM
Intelligence activities "cannot function without secrecy," Obama says.
by Olivier Knox via twitter retweeted by khennessey 1/17/2014 4:26:23 PM
Senior Administration Official says US has halted spying on "dozens" of heads of state/government deemed "friends & allies."
by Ken Dilanian via twitter 1/17/2014 4:26:47 PM
Can we agree he's not "ending" the metadata program, as AP just reported in a breaker on my iphone?
by L.A. Times Politics via twitter 1/17/2014 4:27:42 PM
Obama: "I maintained a healthy skepticism toward our surveillance programs...what I did not do is stop these programs wholesale."
by Kathleen Hennessey via twitter 1/17/2014 4:27:43 PM
Obama defends NSA employees: They're not abusing authority to listen to your private phone calls or read your emails.
by David Lauter via twitter 1/17/2014 4:27:58 PM
Obama: "Nothing that I hv learned" indicates that intel agencies hve "sought to violate the law or is cavalier about ... civil liberties."
by Ken Dilanian via twitter 1/17/2014 4:27:59 PM
Obama: NSA is not abusing its authority to read your emails.
by Michael Cohen via twitter retweeted by KenDilanianLAT 1/17/2014 4:28:13 PM
SHORTER OBAMA: "If you knew what I knew"
by Kathleen Hennessey via twitter 1/17/2014 4:29:17 PM
This is the "please see my early speech" part of any Obama speech.
by Ken Dilanian via twitter 1/17/2014 4:29:25 PM
How's that "robust public discussion" on drones going?
by L.A. Times Politics via twitter 1/17/2014 4:30:03 PM
Obama: “I’m not going to dwell on Mr. Snowden’s actions or his motivations.”
by Ken Dilanian via twitter 1/17/2014 4:30:31 PM
Obama: Snowden revealed methods to our adversaries that could impact our operations for years to come.
by Mike Memoli via twitter 1/17/2014 4:31:21 PM
POTUS: "For our intelligence community to be effective over the long haul, we must maintain the trust of the American people"
by David Cloud via twitter 1/17/2014 4:31:42 PM
Obama: "Snowden trumped my last speech." Will it happen again?
by Mike Memoli via twitter 1/17/2014 4:31:44 PM
RT @SenMikeLee Privacy isn't something we give up to have security. Privacy is a form of security: ow.ly/sGNGl #NSA
by Kathleen Hennessey via twitter 1/17/2014 4:32:06 PM
Setting expectations, Obama casts NSA reform as work in progress: "I want the American people to know the work has begun."
by Ken Dilanian via twitter 1/17/2014 4:32:46 PM
Prez: We have real enemies and threats and intelligence serves a vital role in confronting them.
by Christi Parsons via twitter 1/17/2014 4:33:00 PM
"This effort will not be completed overnight," Obama says of spy reforms. Several of his proposals call for more study and negotiation
by David Lauter via twitter 1/17/2014 4:33:17 PM
Obama: "we cannot unilaterally disarm our intelligence agencies."