Passing the security information that was breached by Manning to Wikileaks, and Julian Assange, was hailed at the time as bringing that big international bully, the reactionary establishment then customarily referred to as “the United States of America”, to heel, and was thought to be a very clever move at the time by the liberal left. In fact, they were effusive in their praise of the “bravery” of Manning and Wikileaks to dare, in the face of great adversity, to act so boldly.
Until Wikileaks broke into the Democrat National Committee computers, most notably that of John Podesta, and released THOSE emails to the general public, then Assange became the most despised person in their universe. More than anything, it emphasized the message that Donald Trump was broadcasting far and wide, that the Clinton candidacy was being funded by and was based on some very criminal activities, something the Democrats had no interest at all in being publicized.
Richard Nixon was small change. This was the Power Ball jackpot of scandal and chicanery.
“thought to be a very clever move at the time by the liberal left”
I don’t remember it exactly like that. I remember that much of the content that Manning had stolen was very embarrassing for the State Dept, mainly. He had access to their classified docs (carelessly stored under Hillary, of course) through the military side of the main server.
I do remember them shifting their stance when he said he did so because he was angry, confused, and frustrated by his sexuality.