for more insight on this we actually talked to the journalist who broke this story barton gellman you just got back recently from talking to snowden in a fourteen hour interview which you conducted in moscow gellman is the first journalist to speak in person with snowden since fleeing to russia so i first asked him why he thought snowden granted him this interview and why now well to back up he has not wanted to be at the center of the story you want the story to be about electronic surveillance and the limits of espionage and democracy and so he's kept away from the story i spent a long time trying to talk him into the idea that at the end of the year after half a year of this remarkable global debate that there needed to be a kind of summing up you know what do we learn what does it mean and we needed his voice in that story and he agreed to let me come and see it so this isn't in the works for a very long time because you as i understand it were in contact with him back in june or back and you know spring in the spring when he released all of these documents or you've been in touch

has secretly hacked into google and yahoo is data links barton gellman calls this the most explosive story and it's a was breaking into the data links the private cleone the links between for example to google data centers this one in finland and one in. and they are intercepting the data as it crosses there and they're intercepting that in very large numbers to collecting for example hundreds of millions. email address books that was a shocker for me in it and very much so for the industry and despite repeated assurances from the white house on the spot of internal n.s.a. documents and pfizer court documents reveal how the n.s.a. broke privacy rules thousands of times every year in congress there was a revolt against the spy agency we're here to answer one question for the people we represent do we oppose the suspicion this collection of every american's phone records in the summer the house of representatives comes within just a few votes of defunding the n.s.a.'s bulk records collection program despite the defeat n.s.a. reformers are emboldened a flurry of legislation drops to rei

the pentagon began to hear rumors about friendly fire washington post pentagon correspondent barton gellman was the first journalist to thoroughly cover rumors about friendly fire so it took about six months after the war for us to find enough people find the data piece together enough information from public records and the spaces inside them that we could do the story and the story was stunning frankly. the army and marines agreed and the army up held it to the letter that they would tell no family. about a friendly fire casualty and until they could tell all of them in a synchronized matter that was intended to set up a press conference the next day so it was decreed that always twelve five pm would be the time that thirty five casualty officers would show up on the doorsteps of thirty five next of kin and tell them that their loved ones had been killed by american forces and no one was to be told before that even if there was categorical evidence months before as there as there was in many cases. the army held a formal press conference on aug twelfth at five pm announcing that thirty fi

the pentagon began to hear rumors about friendly fire washington post pentagon correspondent barton gellman was the first journalist to thoroughly cover rumors about friendly fire so it took about six months after the war for us to find enough people find the data pieced together enough information from the public records and the spaces inside them that we could do the story and the story was stunning frankly. the army and marines agreed and the army up held it to the letter that they would tell no family. about a friendly fire casualty and until they could tell all of them in a synchronized matter that was intended to set up the press conference the next day so it was decreed that always felt five pm would be the time that thirty five casualty officers would show up on the doorsteps of thirty five next of kin and tell them that their loved ones had been killed by american forces and no one was to be told before that even if there was categorical evidence months before as there as there was in many cases. the army held a formal press conference on aug twelfth at five pm announcing that thir

joining us is "washington post" contributor barton gellman. thanks for being here. barton, quickly let me get your reaction to the judge's ruling. what is your reaction to the phone program specifically being declared lawful? >> we now have within about ten days' time two federal judges ruling on this in opposite directions, slightly different facts, slightly different reasoning. but one says it is almost certainly unconstitutional, against the fourth amendment, one says it's just fine. it's very much ripe for supreme court consideration as time goes forward. >> so you are obviously one of three journalists who received the original leaks to snowden. your understanding, i want to get on the record, he has now given over all of the leaked documents to the "washington post" and to the guardian. he is no longer in positisessiof the material. >> he brought nothing with him to russia precisely because he didn't want to be forced to hand it over. he gave us documents a bit over six months ago. he has had no role in the story since then. he hasn't given out any more docume

. >> barton gellman, how do you assess the way the u.s. public sees him?hether they tend to see him as a whistleblower oh as a saboteur? , over time the polls have generally said that, as many people, about the same number of people think that he has done more good than harm. certainly there is no doubt he has had more impact than any whistleblower i can think of. there have been six intensive months of international reaction on many fronts, the technology companies, congress, courts, united nations. that degree of impact is beyond anything. >> you say edward snowden is at peace with himself. an indoor cat. he is confined to his room in russia. it is a strange existence for anyone. >> i do not know how strange it is for him. wholl know certain types sort of live much of their lives virtually, online. he was like that in hawaii, he says. needs. not have a lot of he does not get out. >> can he can continue with the current status quote? >> he was not making predictions. he was not aiming for russia in the first place. he got caught there because his passport

but that's completely out of his hands. >> barton gellman of the "washington post," thank you so muchhank you. >> ifill: the monarch butterflies that spend their winters in the forests of mexico before returning north each year, are appearing in fewer numbers. independent videojournalist ross velton filed this report for us on why their numbers are dwindling. >> reporter: tradition says they're the souls of the dead, returning to earth. that's why monarch butterflies arrive in mexico around the start of november, when lost loved ones are being remembered on a holiday called the "day of the dead." the monarchs sometimes fly over two thousand miles from the u.s. and canada to spend winter in these mountain forests in central mexico. >> ( translated ): more than a decade ago, practically two decades, the butterfly colony here in el rosario occupied up to three hectares. >> reporter: that's nearly 7.5 acres in the part of the monarch butterfly biosphere reserve where the most butterflies are often seen. but the forest has been missing some souls. >> ( translated ): during 2012 to 2013, wh

washington post pentagon correspondent barton gellman was the first journalist to thoroughly cover rumors about friendly fire so it took about six months after the war for us to find enough people find enough data pieced together enough information from public records and spaces inside them that we could do the story and the story was stunning frankly the army and marines agreed and the army up held it to the letter that they would tell no family. about a friendly fire casualty and until they could tell all of them in a synchronized matter that was intended to set up a press conference the next day so it was decreed that always fell five pm would be the time that thirty five casualty officers would show up on the doorsteps of thirty five next of kin and tell them that their loved ones had been killed by american forces and no one was to be told before that even if there was categorical evidence months before as there as there was in many cases. the army held a formal press conference on aug twelfth at five pm announcing that thirty five of the one hundred forty eight american servicemen a

the pentagon began to hear rumors about friendly fire washington post pentagon correspondent barton gellman was the first journalist to thoroughly cover rumors about friendly fire so it took about six months after the war for us to find enough people find enough data pieced together enough information from the public records and the spaces inside them that we could do the story and the story was stunning frankly. the army and marines agreed and the army up held it to the letter that they would tell no family. about a friendly fire casualty and until they could tell all of them in a synchronized matter that was intended to set up the press conference the next day so it was decreed that always twelve five pm would be the time that thirty five casualty officers would show up on the doorsteps of thirty five next of kin and tell them that their loved ones had been killed by american forces and no one was to be told before that even if there was categorical evidence months before as there as there was in many cases the army held a formal press conference on aug twelfth at five pm announcing that

the pentagon began to hear rumors about friendly fire washington post pentagon correspondent barton gellman was the first journalist to thoroughly cover rumors about friendly fire so it took about six months after the war for us to find enough people find enough data pieced together enough information from public records and the spaces inside them that we could do the story and the story was stunning frankly the army and marines agreed and the army upheld it to the letter that they would tell no family. about a friendly fire casualty and until they could tell all of them in a synchronized matter that was intended to set up a press conference the next day so it was decreed that always twelve five pm would be the time that thirty five casualty officers would show up on the doorsteps of thirty five next of kin and tell them that their loved ones had been killed by american forces and no one was to be told before that even if there was categorical evidence months before as there were as there was in many cases the army held a formal press conference on aug twelfth at five pm announcing that thi

the pentagon began to hear rumors about friendly fire washington post pentagon correspondent barton gellman was the first journalist to thoroughly cover rumors about friendly fire so it took about six months after the war for us to find enough people find enough data pieced together enough information from public records and the spaces inside them that we could do the story and the story was stunning frankly the army and marines agreed and the army upheld it to the letter that they would tell no family. about a friendly fire casualty and until they could tell all of them in a synchronized matter that was intended to set up a press conference the next day so it was decreed that always twelve five pm would be the time that thirty five casualty officers would show up on the doorsteps of thirty five next of kin and tell them that their loved ones have been killed by american forces and no one was to be told before that even if there was categorical evidence months before as there as there was in many cases the army held a formal press conference on aug twelfth at five pm announcing that thirty

the pentagon began to hear rumors about friendly fire washington post pentagon correspondent barton gellman was the first journalist to thoroughly cover rumors about friendly fire so it took about six months after the war for us to find enough people find the data piece together enough information from public records and the spaces inside them that we could do the story and the story was stunning frankly the army and marines agreed and the army upheld it to the letter that they would tell no family. about a friendly fire casualty and until they could tell all of them in a synchronized matter that was intended to set up a press conference the next day so it was decreed that always fell five pm would be the time that thirty five casualty officers would show up on the doorsteps of thirty five next of kin and tell them that their loved ones had been killed by american forces and no one was to be told before that even if there was categorical evidence months before as there as there was in many cases the army held a formal press conference on aug twelfth at five pm announcing that thirty five of

the pentagon began to hear rumors about friendly fire washington post pentagon correspondent barton gellman was the first journalist to thoroughly cover rumors about friendly fire so it took about six months after the war for us to find enough people find enough data pieced together enough information from public records and the spaces inside them that we could do the story and the story was stunning frankly the army and marines agreed and the army upheld it to the letter that they would tell no family. about a friendly fire casualty and until they could tell all of them in a synchronized matter that was intended to set up the press conference the next day so it was decreed that always fell five pm would be the time that thirty five casualty officers would show up on the doorsteps of thirty five next of kin and tell them that their loved ones had been killed by american forces and no one was to be told before that even if there was categorical evidence months before as there as there was in many cases. the army held a formal press conference on aug twelfth at five pm announcing that thirty

also he was the first to interview snowden when he was granted temporary asylum here in russia barton gellman shared his impressions of one of america's most wanted he is remarkably sort of at peace with everything he's a manager considerable pressure i must assume but he doesn't show it he is. he's feeling like he did what he set out to do when he when he says that he's accomplished his mission what he means is that he's taking. a very important subject out secret world and and it to the public so that people can decide for themselves where they want to draw the lines instead of having to draw the lines drawn for them. and in the car in the article you mention that when interviewing him his guard never really dropped which i thought was interesting considering you're saying that he was remarkably calm and whatnot i mean did you get the sense that he was sort of constantly worrying work concerned at all about his future which is basically unknown at this point. he doesn't project concern about his future he is what i mean by that he didn't drop his guard is that he has boundaries for one thin

secrets and he was how washington post reporter barton gellman who was in the possession of snowden documents describe the impact of this story on whistleblowers this year. i've seldom if ever seen a story that has taken hold. so far and so broadly and so deeply and you know if you're a whistleblower who wants attention and. you can't even plausibly aspire to the impact he's had already and this was also a year of violent explosions both from homegrown terrorism in boston and from corporate disregard in west texas it was a year of government dysfunction and a year in which average people around the world took to the streets to protest against the status quo with actions against the trans-pacific partnership trade deal a new community of activists rising up on behalf of chelsea manning learned her fate this year for exposing us war crimes so earlier i spoke with the very people who brought you these stories r.t. correspondents a list of all on the stasi churkin and ramon glinda i first asked liz water coverage on the chelsea manning trial i want to know what she learned from the story and the

and i spoke with the washington post barton gellman this week about the impact snowden has made in such a short amount of time. i've seldom if ever seen a story that has taken hold. so far and so broadly and so deeply and you know if you're a whistleblower who wants attention and. you can't even plausibly aspire to the impact you've had already then of course we'll be hearing a lot more from delman thanks to stoughton in two thousand and fourteen but certainly wasn't the only whistleblower to make news this year liz you were at the trial of chelsea manning of the former us army soldier who was a queues of leaking documents to wiki leaks would you learn from that trial how did this story impact twenty thirteen yes certainly it was a year of very high profile leaks namely the court martial of chelsea manning formerly known as bradley manning spend a lot of time there covering the trial and for meeting maryland of course he is accused of the largest leak of classified information in military history charged with a very serious charge of aiding the enemy in addition to a slew of other charg

i got pretty much mission accomplished i think was his phrase in fact he told the journalist barton gellman quote in terms of personal satisfaction the mission's already accomplished i already won as soon as the journalists were able to work everything that i had been trying to do was validated because remember i didn't want to change society i wanted to give society a change to determine if it should change its self so mark did it snowed and when i think it's no did when i just like you can't have witnesses in criminal trials without that some of those people being criminals you cannot have know what's really going on in the government without whistleblowers and people telling you from the inside it's just not possible i think transparency one i think that you know what he did was admirable and i think that he can self define but yeah i think journalists bottom line until journalists can get information they can't do anything and i think if he feels that he won and probably won you know at the same time nicole this federal judge district court judge william pauley said quote americans have

barton gellman, the author of the article in the "washington post" talked about this earlier today onnn. let's listen to what he had to say. >> what he means by mission accomplished is he wanted the public to know what was being done in its name and what was being done to it in terms of surveillance, and he wanted it to be possible that decisions be made outside the secret bubble that they had been made since 9/11. to that extent, because he's had a lot of -- a great deal of public attention, because many of his concerns have been validated by, for example, a federal judge, by the president's own study commission, he believes he has launched the public debate that he wanted. >> so mission accomplished, but it's pretty clear also that there's more to this mission for edward snowden. we haven't heard the last of him. >> yeah, exactly. a lot of folks said why didn't he just raise his objections inside, why wouldn't he just be a true whistleblower and he said that he tried to do that. how did that work out? >> absolutely. starting october of last year, he said he brought his concerns abou