Julian Assange should stick to reporting. His politics SUCK

[AFK]

I think it's pretty likely that only that kind of personality is going to do what he did.


I don't see some mousey introvert throwing themselves out there like that to expose government secrets. 

[Faust]

I think it's pretty likely that only that kind of personality is going to do what he did.


I don't see some mousey introvert throwing themselves out there like that to expose government secrets.

Snowden looks pretty mousey to me, but I haven't seen him speak.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Oh, sorry I wasn't talking about any of the charges of sexual assault, just personality. I should have been more clear.

Ah ok, yeah, any interviews I've seen make him come across as incredibly arrogant and self serving, pure douchbag.

Yeah, but "douchebag" isn't an argument.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

I think it's pretty likely that only that kind of personality is going to do what he did.


I don't see some mousey introvert throwing themselves out there like that to expose government secrets.

Snowden looks pretty mousey to me, but I haven't seen him speak.

Snowden's forum history indicates that he's not terribly mousey.

[Deepthroat Chopra]

Assange hiself ended up with 1.18% of primary votes (you need nearly 14% for a seat, after preferences). Before his preference deals were made public, he had polled at 4%.

The Greens, whom he preferenced against, were the only party in parliament here that lobbied the government to provide Assange with the same diplomatic and legal resources availabale to, say, accused murderers and drug dealers arrested overseas. His preference deals shouldn't stop this, but he does seem to alienate his sources of support.

Preferencing against the Greens was likely seen by him as a Machiavellian thing, as it's most likely he'd be competing against the Greens for Senate seats in all states. He failed in this though, as his preferences could have helped a wacky array of minor parties control the balance of power in the Senate. These include -

The Motoring Entusiasts Party - they advocate cheap oil, and have little other policies. Why didn't some else think of that?
The Australian Sports Party - They literally have no policies. They made a philosophical Statement that there should be more sport
Palmer United Party - A political party designed wholly to advance the mining interests of it's magnate founder, Clive Palmer. The same chap is rebuilding the Titanic, and opening a Jurassic Park in Australia
Australian Sex Party - Actually, this party should be in government.
Liberal Democrats - Libertarian from the right

The consolation is that the wacky parties have won seats from the major parties, it seems (Labor and Liberal), while the Greens seemed to have increased their seats. Vote counting isn't completed as yet, but it's close.

I don't know if the concept of "preferencing", very important in Australian "democracy", is understood by all. If anyone's interested, I'll try and think of a brief way of explaining it. But, basically, it gives smaller parties a chance of Senate representation, but involves a lot of backstage hoodoo.

[Rococo Modem Basilisk]

The fact that he's a douche may actually be a good thing, karmically. I mean, he's going to be hassled in a completely unjustified way for doing some very good work; we all feel less guilty about it since we know he's a d-bag (sort of like Weev).

Snowden might be mousey in person. Ars Technica has an article about how he was an arrogant right-wing asshole/troll online, though.