An Interview with Mike Rogers

This episode of the podcast features Rep. Mike Rogers, former chairman of the House intelligence committee, Doug Kantor, our expert on all things cyber in Congress, and Maury Shenk, calling in from London.  Mike Rogers is now a nationally-syndicated radio host on Westwood One, a CNN national security commentator, and an adviser to Trident Capital’s new cybersecurity fund. The former chairman addresses a host of issues -- gaps in CFIUS, the future of the President’s new cyber threat integration center, the risk of rogue state cyberattacks on US infrastructure – as well as the issues we cover in the news roundup. 

These include Maury’s take on China’s toughening policy toward US technology, the prospects for a workable bill renewing section 215 (the ex-chairman is not as sanguine as Doug Kantor and I) and the administration’s new privacy bill.  (Our take: the bill is ideal for the Twitter age, since you still have 137 characters left after typing “DOA”.)   Maury updates us on the latest reason for delay in adoption of a new European data protection regulation. Doug Kantor and Mike Rogers consider the prospects for an information sharing bill and comment on privacy groups’ goalpost-moving style of congressional negotiation. 

And, finally, I respond to Edward Snowden’s claim that he wants to move to Switzerland by reminding him (and the Swiss)  what he said about them the last time he lived there.  (Said Snowden: “You guys can’t say I look gay any more. I’m living in Switzerland. I’m the straightest-looking man in the country.” Geneva is “nightmarishly expensive and horrifically classist,” and “I have never, EVER seen a people more racist than the swiss.”  Apparently a year in Moscow broadened his horizons.)

 

As always, send your questions and suggestions for interview candidates to [e-mail] or leave a message at [phone].