This is highly inappropriate.  The argument should be based in principles and philosophies, not in political machinations motivated by a diplomat with a history degree.<p>Denis McDonough is not qualified or educated to understand what he is arguing against.  He is a man standing for the wave of Establishment thinking without ever having offered an original thought of his own.<p>The idea that the White House could unduly influence Apple on this issue is frightening.  The Chief of Staff should not be doing this.  He yields ridiculous power; what if the next Tim Cook is weaker or the next Denis McDonough is even more authoritarian.<p>We should argue from principles and philosophies.  This is a dangerous world we are creating.  One where individual personalities dominate us and determine our freedom, instead of philosophies derived from reason and analytical thinking.<p>Truth should be defended with honor, while power blinds those from knowing there was ever such a thing as truth.  What is right is not relative, there is only one correct answer here.