I don't see a disconnect. For one, people will overlook that he at least made an effort to whistle blow responsibly (& I've yet to see evidence that he failed in that effort). He didn't pass off his information to wikileaks

I might think it's more plausible since I myself have gone from wildly left wing youth to libertarian left adult. Recognizing that faith in state is as bogus as faith in religion has great impact on one's political opinions

& sometimes I like to dial things up on the internet too