Will Snowden be pardoned by Obama?

I saw a news story saying there is pressure by some of his Snowden supporters.

PLace your bets.

I would say, maybe 50/50 at best but probably less.

Putin has been acting up possibly, for instance hacking Dem convention, so Obama may just let it pass for the next presidents to ever consider.

Not sure what the overall public opinion is running on Snowden.

I don't see him getting pardoned anytime soon.

I think the public opinion is very negative on Snowden. Sadly, most Americans only hear the rhetoric in the media and don't try to understand the bigger picture.

Quote: DRich

I don't see him getting pardoned anytime soon.

I think the public opinion is very negative on Snowden. Sadly, most Americans only hear the rhetoric in the media and don't try to understand the bigger picture.

The movie coming out may help his cause
Look at Harvey Milk
Most in San Francisco outside the gay community did not think highly of him
In fact many were disgusted by him
He lost a couple elections till he turned to Jim Jones.
He had a very close relationship to Jim Jones and the Peoples Temple
Jim Jones political machine got him elected, in return he spoke at the Peoples Temple and promoted the Peoples Temple ignoring all the abuses
Sean Penn makes a movie and now Milk has a Navy ship named after him

Quote: rxwine

Not sure what the overall public opinion is running on Snowden.

I'll give you a clue: Nobody gives a crap.
I sure don't, I could care less.

I hope so, Snowden is a hero.

I would bet that Obama doesn't pardon him.

I suspect Obama views him as a real pain in the ass.

Quote: AZDuffman

I hope so, Snowden is a hero.

AZ? !!!

I'd say someone who discloses classified information illegally but carefully could serve as a check on some power-crazed agency like the NSA, thus could be considered a whistleblower who has done something useful for society. I'd still say such a person should be prosecuted, with any leniency up to some judge. What he did is and should be illegal and there is the risk others will take it upon themselves to do it too, if makes you a hero who's not going to prison. We can cheer when such a person fits our political beliefs, then go on to find others who do it have political beliefs we don't care for. Slippery slope.

But I'm not confident Snowden fits the bill for such elements of respect, since he turned over such a huge trove of classified crap too indiscriminately. There have been consequences to that, such as harming the fight against al Qaeda, which John Oliver got him flustered about. See link, also the video is easy to find.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/04/06/john-oliver-grills-edward-snowden-on-last-week-tonight.html