Politics
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- ********0
- Oh man!********
- psb!BattleAxe
- What was Obama supposed to do? be a baby and refuse the book? recoil in terror?mg33
- There's a bit of polite recoil going on there I think. Like you do when those Mormons ring your bell.TheBlueOne
- Oh man!
- TheBlueOne0
My god! I have seen the light! Thank you GetRefresh! An American president meeting a dictator? Being friendly at an international diplomatic meeting among other heads of state? Holy fuck! Rally the troops! He must be a socialist/fascist/anti-american... guy. Thank god, that as bad as Chavez is, he doesn't have nuclear weapons or is the leader of a country that threatened to bury us from the podium at the UN! I mean just imagine if Obama smiled or talked to someone from a country who had missles trained on us day and night! Or backed guerillas all over the planet fighting against our system of free government!
Grow the fuck up man and stop being such a toady to the right wing media already. Grow a few brain cells or something.
- Oh, just checking..let's see..Republican, Republican...and Republican! Must be a party of american haters. Not going to vote for those guys.TheBlueOne
- haters! Not going to vote for those guys.TheBlueOne
- I mean seriously, can you think of something to be outraged at all on your own?TheBlueOne
- +10000000000GeorgesII
- TheBlueOne0
- <-- included mostly for the coat. But yet another American President shaking hands with a dictator.TheBlueOne
- That coat is brilliant.TheBlueOne
- Jesus stfu about the god damn coat you fucking queen.tommyo
- hehetommyo
- Hahaha!TheBlueOne
- C'mon..admit it...you like the coat.TheBlueOne
- I admit that you're getting one for your birthday. What's your address?tommyo
- mg330
So which one in this thread is Rick? Bombay?
- Oh, hi. I see you're new here. Brochures are in the front hall, the bar is down in the back...TheBlueOne
- And yes, Rick = mrdobolina = DrBombaytommyo
- http://www.flatrock.…mg33
- That kids head could fit inside that chimp's mouth, easy peasyTheBlueOne
- tommyo0
I tend to agree. That's one thing I thought completely flawed with Bush. By all of his cowboy posturing he did nothing but incite other figureheads. I don't really see the point in getting upset by Obama being cordial to Chavez. It's business and I think this tact is proper.
- If anything, Obamas approach reeks of maturity and confidence. Well played.tommyo
- TheBlueOne0
And I like that he went right over there without intermediaries and shook the guys hand. If that's not the sign of a big dog in a room, I don't know what is...
Besides, if anyone is keeping score -
Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela: 0
US of A: +1 BookWinner: US of A
- mg330
It's like, what was Obama supposed to do - storm off? Turn the other way? Be an embarrassment in front of people by disregarding him?
$1 million says that creepo Sean Hannity would say that that Obama made the US look weak if he had not talked to Chavez.
- CALLES0
storm out of the room crying crapping his pants
- mg330
Also, I have to figure that the only thing that would make Sean Hannity proud of his country being led by Obama would be if he had stormed out of there, made a total fool of himself.
- TheBIueOne0
Tangled Web meet Weave:
"Rep. Jane Harman , the California Democrat with a longtime involvement in intelligence issues, was overheard on an NSA wiretap telling a suspected Israeli agent that she would lobby the Justice Department reduce espionage-related charges against two officials of the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee, the most powerful pro-Israel organization in Washington.
Harman was recorded saying she would "waddle into" the AIPAC case "if you think it'll make a difference," according to two former senior national security officials familiar with the NSA transcript.
In exchange for Harman's help, the sources said, the suspected Israeli agent pledged to help lobby Nancy Pelosi , D-Calif., then-House minority leader, to appoint Harman chair of the Intelligence Committee after the 2006 elections, which the Democrats were heavily favored to win.
Seemingly wary of what she had just agreed to, according to an official who read the NSA transcript, Harman hung up after saying, 'This conversation doesn't exist.'"
....
"And that, contrary to reports that the Harman investigation was dropped for "lack of evidence," it was Alberto R. Gonzales, President Bush's top counsel and then attorney general, who intervened to stop the Harman probe.
Why? Because, according to three top former national security officials, Gonzales wanted Harman to be able to help defend the administration's warrantless wiretapping program, which was about break in The New York Times and engulf the White House. "
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Democratic Congress critters, Israeli espionage and Bush officlas seeking extra-constitutional powers..
- http://static.cqpoli…TheBIueOne
- Oh shit... jebus we're all fucked.tommyo
- the Zohan?BattleAxe
- tommyo0
Oh come on, Hannity wouldn't have been satisfied unless Obama showed up wearing a suit made of the skins of illegal aliens and sang a duet with Toby Keith that had lyrics containing phrases like 'Chavez is a big fat cunt, a big fat cunt is he'
- that's happened at least twice already, dude... where you been?PonyBoy
- seriously... it feels like this has actually happened... hannity is pure 'dork'... so unfortunate.PonyBoy
- see, i expect Beck to break into song, not HannityTheBlueOne
- Beck would be sobbing while he sang though.tommyo
- ukit0
This article is right on. The Republicans have a big problem coming up. The candidate their base wants to nominate is completely unelectable in a general election. The GOP leadership probably knows this and will try desperately not to let it happen, but they might not have a choice.
http://www.politico.com/news/sto…
Only thing I would add is that the second leading contender, Mitt Romney, belongs in the "will never, ever be elected" category as well.
- I think you're going to see a third party on the right develop...TheBlueOne
- TheBlueOne0
@Ukit I find this video very interesting. It's of one of those Tea Bag parties, this one in South Carolina. Here we see one of the most rightwing Republican congressmen Gresham Barrett get up to speak, but because he voted FOR the bank bailouts under Bush he is literally booed and heckled for five minutes by this crowd:
So, what you have here is video proof of the schism in the Republican party, one that is being split between the rightwing centrists and those that are more extreme. If you can get one of the reddest of the red congressmen to get booed at an event about whatever these rallies were about in one of the most conservative states in the country? The mainstream Republican party as it is currently constituted is lost at sea.....
- ********0
You (all) really spend WAY too much time here on this thread.
- ********0
Seriously, though... how much time does one spend writing, editing and rebutting on this thread? And, most importantly, where does it ultimately lead you?
I have to think that most whom post within the politics thread are entirely self-serving, as they must know that hearts and minds will not be changed here, via their otherwise sensational rhetoric.
Perhaps you should all think about actually doing something useful, or helpful today. Give a bum a sandwich, or, pick up rubbish at your local park. Whatever.
- zenmasterfoo0
Back on to the Chavez issue (and enlighten me if we covered it, please) - shouldn't the administration knowing that Chavez was going to be there, and that some kind of photo op was going to happen have interjected a better method of handling the moment? Shaking hands is one thing entirely, smiling patting the shoulder, accepting a book that (unknown to Obama I'm sure) points out America's flaws, listening to a 50 minute tirade by a latin leader crapping on US/latin policy and responding with the same I'm not responsible for administrations before me chatter..all of this send a message. And more importantly bolsters the political might of despots like Chavez in his region and back in his country.
No, do NOT accept a book gift. There's political ways to interfere with this kind of fabricated moment.
No, do NOT smile and pat the shoulder and laugh with a known despot and dictator. shake hands and be firm in your appearance.
No, do NOT allow another government's leader to ridicule or bash our county and accept it without proper defense. Nothing harsh, but focused on respect and the removal of verbal posturing.
I have family in Venezuela. I was born there. This isn't a democratically run place anymore. It used to be.
- Ask GetRefresh, he brought it up. Oh right, he doesn't have time for this thread...TheBlueOne
- hehehe... crickets will suffice.zenmasterfoo
- ukit0
This whole thing seems a bit ridiculous.
Do you get offended when the U.S. shakes the hand of the leader of China? Russia? Pakistan? Saudi Arabia?
Because to my knowledge, most of these countries have committed far worse crimes than Hugo Chavez has.
I guess if you are big enough militarily and economically, you get a seat at the table and a handshake and can do whatever the hell you want.
- No shit, do you know the amount of business the US does with Chavez every year?DrBombay
- zenmasterfoo0
Also, just because another president before him managed to handle himself in a similar fashion with another leader/dictator/boob (pointing out that these are photos taken out of context) does not make it correct to do so again. Just stupid, compounded on stupid.
So the argument that "look at these republican presidents doing the same thing 20/30/40 years ago is idiotic. and simply a method of excusing it with the current president. Who ever he/she is will be was, it's not good form.
- zenmasterfoo0
^ ukit: Like I said, the hand shake isn't the issue. This is something diplomatic. It's necessary. Most often though the secretary of state does this, so as not to put our president in an uncomfortable position of recognizing a despot. As of yet we haven't sat down with Hamas, or current leaders of the PLO. But I expect Hillary will and for good reason. Engagement is important.
As far as I know none of the countries you've mentioned are governed by dictators. These nations are recognized internationally and hold solid position at the UN/are allies/trade partners/strategic alliances/etc.
- Do you know how much oil the US buys from Venezuela every year?DrBombay
- 20% of our consumptionzenmasterfoo
- so I don't get your point...DrBombay
- i seem to be missing yours as well. haha!zenmasterfoo
- zenmasterfoo0
Sorry guys. I love that country very much. I hate to see where it's gone and possibly where it's going. Chavez has provoked his neighbors and worked up military problems with Chile. If left unchecked it's only a matter of time before he tries to move beyond his borders.
I'll stop and move on to another thread..cheers!