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In the wake of the announcement that Russia had granted temporary asylum to Edward Snowden, President Obama cancelled plans to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in September. In doing so, Obama not only gave in to the anti-Russian lobby in Congress but also empowered the anti-American, anti-western lobby in Russia, according to Nation editor Katrina vanden Heuvel. Earlier today, she spoke on a panel on MSNBC's NOW with Alex Wagner to debate the reasons for and consequences of Obama's decision and where Edward Snowden, the 2014 Olympics and LGBT rights fit into the picture.
—Rebecca Nathanson
