Edward Snowden NBC Interview: 'I Was Trained As A Spy'

"Edward Snowden, in an exclusive interview with "Nightly News" anchor Brian Williams, is fighting back against critics who dismissed him as a low-level hacker — saying he was "trained as a spy" and offered technical expertise to high levels of government.

"I was trained as a spy in sort of the traditional sense of the word, in that I lived and worked undercover overseas — pretending to work in a job that I'm not — and even being assigned a name that was not mine," Snowden said in the interview."

NBC NEWS EXCLUSIVE WITH BRIAN WILLIAMS
INSIDE THE MIND OF EDWARD SNOWDEN

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[grasscuttinginpitts]

Already seen his interview in man has got balls and is a beautiful Patriot. Defending this man IS DEFENDING The United States of America.

[ManInMostlyBlack]

Snowden have done us, the people, a huge service in reveling this information. 

[PandaOfHearts]

So depressing this man risked so much and now many people are calling for him to be thrown to the wolves. What about the government? Nsa, Cia, etc... Who there is going to be held accountable and charged for their illegal actions against the people?

[NoWay]

We need to bring this guy home and pin a medal on him.

[Sita]

The irony of trying to smear him by calling him a "low-level hacker" is that in computer science terms, if someone has a "low-level" understanding of a system, it means they have a deep thorough knowledge of the system. Whereas if someone has a "high-level" understanding, it means they only have a basic superficial understanding of the system.

[AlearPaste]

we might think he is a traitor now, but in the future, we will thank him and think of him as a hero. 

[KingAtheist]

Snowden is a hero in my book. He did more this country than Obama

[SuperDubios]

THANK YOU Edward, for sacrificing your security and well being for the humanity! You could have lived a safe life with a highly paid job but you chose the right thing. The path of truth. You, my Sir, gained my biggest respect. Edward, Snowden, you are a true HERO!

[SoultakersGhost]

Snowden is a winner. He left everything behind to try to help the citizens. That is true patriotism. That is the type of people this country needs.

[banditontherun]

I'm just waiting for Nicolas Cage to play Snowden in his biopic.

[dannycraps]

Been a young terks fan for a long time!

[SlashinatorZ]

Every one of these people calling him a traitor would have said the same thing about the abolitionists 150 years ago.

[Airicks]

It was a good interview.. and surprisingly, Brian Williams did a good job in the online show after it aired on NBC12

[lexxtex]

Edward Snowden, , he should get a Grammy for Actor of the Year !!!

[sarahvick]

Very professional reporting. It's cool to see you report on the main show by yourself & kick ass.

[charlesvelasco]

the actual interview was a lot more broad. it didn't focus on this snippet. It was a great interview really.

[niemanickurwa]

Nicely done Jon, you're right, the info he leaked is what matters not the leaker. Kudos.

[robertdavis]

I feel Snowden to be a hero. Good on him, I cant see why he wishes to return, it is actually much better out here.

[MrEdgerr]

"started from the bottom now we here"
 - Edward Snowden

[eon]

Snowden sounds like he could be in an episode of persons of interest.