Obama Doesn't Want to Jeopardize Relations With Russia, China Over Edward Snowden

Too late?

President Obama's declaration Thursday that he wouldn't be "scrambling jets" to capture Edward Snowden provided the clearest public signal of how much the administration wants to shield key diplomatic relationships from damage over the case of the fugitive national security leaker.

The administration's efforts at downplaying may also stem, in part, from a desire to manage expectations, since Snowden may continue to elude U.S. custody. But it's clear that in the last several days, the administration has sought to de-escalate confrontations over his flight.