"Obama gives himself Control over All Communications..."

[tularetom]

20. They don't know whether to shit or go blind over Snowden

On the one hand they'd probably like to hang him for treason. That's usually their first impulse in cases like this. But they're sort of over a barrel since Obama has more or less co opted their position by taking a strong stance against Snowden's activities.

However, if they come out and criticize the actions of the administration they are more or less implying agreement with what Snowden did. And that is directly at odds with their authoritarian world view.

BTW, this only applies to mainstream "centrist" republicans, those way out on the libertarian lunatic fringe are totally OK with what Snowden did.