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President Obama’s nominee for FBI Director is facing scrutiny over an issue that’s often in the news these days – namely the government’s right to undertake vast and indiscriminate surveillance of Americans. In Senate confirmation hearings this week, former Deputy Attorney General James B. Comey faced questions about his 2004 opposition to the NSA’s surveillance efforts under then President Bush. Comey also faced questions about the role of FBI whistleblowers, and, his 2005 signature on a memo approving so-called “enhanced interrogation techniques,” often euphemisms for torture practices like water boarding. While James Comey enjoys a reputation for honesty and courage, some critics have questioned whether he deserves such praise.

GUEST: Professor Beau Grosscup, Professor of International Politics at California State University at Chico. He is also the author of several books including “Strategic Terror: The Politics and Ethics of Aerial Bombardment.”