Behind the Scenes with Presidents Obama and Chavez

Who gives a crap.
People are still losing their jobs.

The message has been sent. “We’re here to work together. Are you in, or out?”

I am a republican and I am sorry I dont see nothing wrong with Our president shaking hand with Hugo Chavez of Venezuela…Mr. Obama is a class act and very respectfull and should be admire for that. Ex-president Bush did the same and did not get heat from it! This issue is silly and should go away,period..Hugo Chavez reached out his hand and Obama responded with a respectfull gesture..Nothing else. I for one belive that we need to have less enemys in the word to be safe..I praise Mr. Obama for stanting up regardless of what others think..Hes a good man

were they “making tea”?

FYI, the Chavez book “insult” is based on the topic of the book (America’s/Euro’s rapacious treatment of Latin America). Was the book in Spanish or English?
I see nothing wrong with a business-like handshake between heads of states. That’s not what I saw.

And Jake, are you shocked and outraged because Obama acted like an adult at a summit with leaders of the western hemisphere?
Do you subscribe to the rightwing’s childish reactions and ignore or throw a fit in front of everyone on the world stage because you don’t approve of who a country elects?
Can’t expect to promote democracy and then turn around and throw a fit because we don’t like who the one elected is.
It’s up to us to conduct ourselves like adults and interact with leaders we don’t like.
Not doing so not only makes us a laughingstock but, makes us look petulant and immature. And that undercuts our ‘leadership’ role in the world.
No one wants to follow a spoiled brat with an attitude.

Those who know how to apply diplomacy, most of the time a smile covers up the reality of the feelings from inside. Especially when it lasts less than a second!

I heard that Chavez blamed 9/11 on the USA.
Sounds like Obama’s other friend–Rev Wright.

I bet the rich fat cats in the Obama administration bought all those Chavez books.
Just to make America look bad and make Obama look good.

Come on, Jake.
Get out in front of the report that the lawmaker on the NSA wiretap is Jane Harman and that she was caught speaking with AIPAC lobbyists and agreed to influence an ongoing criminal case.
And now it is being covered up.
The allegation that the U.S. has an ongoing intel (SIGINT) operation on Israeli covert spying in the U.S. is explosive.
What other tidbits have been learned from it?
It is likely the intel community has other evidence of Israeli spying on their ‘friend’, the U.S.
Come on Jake, find out and tell us more.

The NYT will avoid the Harman story like the plague (until they can’t anymore).
It is going to be hard to get the truth out on this one, given the number of reporters,flacks and lawmakers in Washington who also shill for Israeli interests.
One has to wonder if the internal WH documents on this subject (from Bush and Obama) will ever see the light of day…I’ll make a prediction and say ‘they won’t’.

He Harman story will be another example of the bi-partisan cover-up of Israeli covert spying activities in the U.S., which has been going on for decades.
Democrat or Republican, it doesn’t matter.Members of BOTH parties will try to keep this quiet.This will truly be the first bi-partisan effort of the new administration!
Shameful Americans cannot get the truth from their leaders and that this admin will cover up past crimes if it gives them political capital with the opposition.

“It’s unclear what they were talking about, but certainly the body language reflects a sterner President Obama than the grip-and-grin before the cameras.”
Obama undoubtedly felt Chavez did not come down hard enough on the US, while Obama did.

“…he is the duly elected leader of an independent nation.”
So is Kim Jung Il. So is Fidel Castro. So what?

So was Bush. I don’t remember Obama being so eager to give a grinning handshake to Bush when he was President.

“So was Bush. I don’t remember Obama being so eager to give a grinning handshake to Bush when he was President.”
True.
Obama never had the smile that Donald Rumsfeld did as he reached out to shake Saddam Hussein’s hands while we sold them chemical weapons.
Maybe he has a thing about shaking the hands of monsters.

is this really an issue? i mean really? or is this one of those because republicans say its an issue its an issue? this is so lame, there are hundreds of stories out there dealing with actual policy decisions that affect people and a picture of chavez whom is less popular in his own country than President Obama is downright lame. Cover aids, drop out rates, prison reform, homelessness, divorce, etc. any of these things are more pressing than seeing pictures and filling in your own blank

Obama needs to come up with a unique way to greet Ahmadinejad.
Maybe pinch him on both cheeks, or tickle his belly, muss up his hair, moonwalk, blow him a kiss.
Something that says I’m not a threat and please like me.
The O’Pology Tour 2009.

Re the Jane Harman ‘affair’ (cover-up),
We must end the nexus of money and foreign influence in Congress, whether it is from Israel, Saudi Arabia, or whomever.
This story demonstrates how corrupt it is…taking political contributions and in turn, using your influence to change the outcome of a criminal case.
Democrat and Republican, it doesn’t matter…they BOTH do it, and it has to stop.
Worse, it seems both the former admin and this one are covering it up.
Of course, the media will tread carefully because it involves Israel-its powerful lobby and the covert spying efforts on the U.S.

-Armed insurrection against the federal govt.
What a stupid assertion.
-letting the economy collapse
What exactly do you think deficits of half a trillion dollars a year forever is going to do? Are you quite serious?

“Considering the way the left used that 20-year old photo against Bush/the US, I would think it would be a cautionary tale for Obama.”
That’s quite true.
The left is not nearly as stupid as nor does it have the political amnesia of the right.
Right wingers ignored the photo as inconvenient to the current story line being spoon fed to them by the right wing media.

Ryan C- so you agree with me that Obama should have avoided being photographed grinning ear to ear and glad-handing Chavez, right?

Sure now “we” have to rely on body language to counter the still photo…
What do you think the Venezuelan press or Hugo Chavez will do with all of this?
They are focusing on the “my good friend” salutation.
I doubt they are seeing a “sterner President Obama” .

Also there is this from The L.A. Times-
In a news conference capping a three-day meeting of leaders from the Western Hemisphere, Obama also said the U.S. must engage other countries through humanitarian gestures, not only military intervention.
Maybe if you win a chance to question Obama you could ask him to clarify his statement.

Maybe Chavez called him an ignoramus again. That would certainly wipe the grin off his face.

“And a Democratic President to apologize for the United States being a great country.”
Here is what Obama has apologized for.
1) Arrogant attitudes towards our allies such as Freedom Fries.
2) Right wing death squads and CIA coups in countries who elect people we don’t like.
3) Torturing people.
Apparently these are the things that right wingers think make this country great.
I happen to think our greatness stems from our values of liberty and justice.

Dr John
re: ‘Obama is without dignity or class’
if your basing that on a comparison with Bush & Cheney, Gingrich, Bachman, Armey, Cantor, Chambliss et. al….. Obama rises so far above those people that your comparison is meaningless………. I see Republican memory loss disease is rampant here.

The fact that right wingers are freaking out, as if acting like an adult and shaking hands with other world leaders is somehow weakening the US, shows how pathetically insecure they are. Eeeew! Hugo Chavez has cooties! Grow up, little children, or leave the governing to the adults.

“…so your whole view of politics is based on ‘handshake’ methodology….. I can see why you adopted the moniker Fascist Hyena,…”
Whole view? Goodness, I’ve been setting forth my view of politics for many weeks here without ever mentioning a handshake.
I didn’t adopt my name. My father was the famed forensic odontologist Dr. Hyena, and my mother had a crush on both Benito Mussolini and Generalissimo Franco as a silly young girl (she later repented). Can I be blamed for that? You might as well attack me for the color of my skin.

re: Rumsfeld photo
If the US goes to war against Venezuela and then invades Venezuela again 13 years later,… the comparison between the photos might be more accurately made.

The Republican ‘ability’ to determine accuracy and intent from photos is a very impressive talent, and should be trusted…. we all remember how good Bill Frists diagnosis of Terri Schiavo from a video tape was

hi Ryan C, .. I know you remember how the party of ‘less’ government rushed to D.C. to write new laws for their religious buddies, so they could interfere in the personal medical decisions of an American family…..

“you speak blasphemy even to think it… how un-american of you…… next thing you know, you’ll turn down a heapin’ helpin’ of ‘freedom fries’.. you’ll try wind surfing, ..”
Ahhh Freedom Fries, perhaps the most embarrassing action by Congress in the last 30 years and that is saying something.

Ryan C
re: “perhaps the most embarrassing action by Congress in the last 30 years”
so much to choose from, altho’ Michelle Bachman, Jean Schmidt, Gingrich, Bush and lest I forget the impressive diatribes of one Gov. Palin certainly must be considered…..

Paul Wall-
That’s a great rational-because we can’t do much about the errs of the past or China – let’s just throw in the towel.
Here is your logic equation-
Clinton let genocide happen in Rwanda and he wouldn’t even let the word genocide be used-therefore we can no longer in the future do anything for anyone.
It would be “unfair” to the dead Rwandans.

madawaskan—we have done nothing about Darfur, declared by President Bush to be a genocide. human rights are brought up in the united states to make political points. americans for the most part could care less about human rights. if President Clinton had intervened in Rwanda he would have been crucified (and you know this), just as Bush would he if the US intervened in Darfur. and republicans are praying Obama does something about the genocide in Darfur so they can drag him down.
it’s all so cynical. if anyone truly cared about peace and getting along in this world, Obama smiling and shaking hands with Chavez wouldn’t have made the news. in fact if people cared about peace and diplomacy Obama might even be congratulated.

Some of the most vocal proponents for Rwanda at the time were US House Representative John Mica from Florida’s 7th district and James Inhofe U.S senator from Oklahoma.-Republicans.
I doubt that Clinton would have been “crucified”.
How he would not even “allow” the term genocide to be used in the Rwandan case leaving the United Nations and international courts of law less room to maneuver well you’d have to ask Clinton what his justification for that was.
Because Clinton feared name calling he allowed himself to not even use a little of his power to let that atrocity be called “genocide” which would have allowed the UN much more authority to act and to get assistance from other countries.
Now you bring up Darfur.
The United States second only to Norway donated more in percent of GDP and per capita than any other country-under President George Bush.
President Bush authorized and spent nearly three million airlifting the African Union into Darfur by US C-130 aircrew and aircraft.
Forward ground controllers were also supplied by the evil conservative Howards’ Australia.
Despite all of that at the time Bush was also engaged in Afghanistan and Iraq at an ops tempo which is nothing compared to the ops tempo of the US military during the Rwanda genocide.
As for Obama letting Republicans get in his way in Darfur well they treated Condi Rice badly and physically pushed her team but again Obama and Democrats have not let the ill treatment of the Bush Administration get in their way of making nice with Ortega, Chavez , Raul Castro and possibly Iran and South Korea next.
So that cannot be a rational deterrence.
It is also irrational to somehow blame any inaction on Obama’s part in any arena economically, domestically or elsewhere on the Republicans.
Democrats own the Executive, the House and the Senate.
It is time to start taking responsibility.

Since when did the Conservatives become so insecure? You guys always need to be in a state of perpetual fear of somebody ALL the time. Why?
It’s not a healthy way to live guys.

madawaskan—i realize that genocide is a political issue for you to attack president obama, so my interest in dialog with you is gone.
if you were serious about the tragedy that is genocide you would be advocating action, military action in Darfur. you just want to rip apart Obama and Clinton.
very unsincere.
genocide is THE worst crime. that the US allows it to happen diminishes us all—republicans, democrats and independents.
quit pretending one president is better than another with regard to genocide. at least clinton intervened in the balkans where a genocide was occuring.
at the end of the day it’s “only Darfur” so who cares? your concern is cheaply political, not that the annihilation of africans in the sudan is at hand.

Mike C—read all of my posts and get what i say straight before you attack me. i’m on your side, man. don’t shoot!

Where, oh where, do guys like Chavez, Morales, and Ortega ‘get off’ with painting the US as a militarist, ‘corporate-financial Empire’ that tortures powerless people in its oil territories, and economically oppresses its own ‘working class’ citizens?
Oh, that’s right, they ‘get off’ with it because they see it directly and know the truth —- of which the American people are blinded by the ‘Vichy’ facade of democracy that this ruling-elite global ‘corporate financial Empire’ hides behind (with the help of an equally ‘Vichy’ corporate media) while the guileful EMPIRE hides in our kitchen of faux democracy and mis-uses the US super-power military to abuse the rest of the world!
There may be some method to Obama’s madness in allowing others to inform the American people about the global corporate empire in which we really live.
My bet? That not only all the other Western Hemisphere states will deliver this message today, but that all the European and other real, sustainable, and functioning ‘social democracy’ (post-WWII, and post-Empire) nations of Europe and Japan will start telling America this “inconvenient truth” —- which will make Obama’s job as the reforming leader of our country more possible in bringing America from EMPIRE back to the democratic Republic that 99% of Americans thought we were and want to be again.

madawaskan—if you think so little of genocide that you think sending some money and and airlifting some horribly underarmed african soldiers is the answer then i don’t inhabit the same moral universe as you. i respect what president bush did. but we are talking about genocide. and it is the obligation of every nation that has signed the UN charter to do contribute militarily. do you think our anything BUT combat troops can stop the genocide. it’s nice there are some australian troops (non-combat) and some african “peace-keeping troops”, again a euphamism for non-combat troops. the government of sudan would collapse if combat troops hit its shores! the road to hell is paved with good intentions. there was a UN peace-keeping “force” in kigali for god’s sake. read dallaire’s “shake hands with the devil.” the world should be ashamed of Rwanda—it wasn’t until 800,000 tutsis were hacked to death with machetes that the genocide even made the cover of Time!
i am not going to make excuses for the clinton administration with respect to Rwanda. when he visited there in 1994 on the anniversary of the genocide he could not even apologize.
the point i am making is that there is inaction in the face of genocide and you seem want to make excuses for Bush’s inaction and attack clinton. clinton’s excuse of Somalia and tha Balkans is as inexcusable as Bush’s “we hare ‘otherwise engaged’”.
is the US willing to let another genocide happen on its watch? yes. that is sad. that is the true hippocracy of this nation that touts “human rights” everywhere but protects them nowhere. US troops need to be in Sudan not Iraq and Afghanistan. because there is nothing worse than genocide.
political bickering over responsibility is childish and irresponsible. until US troops enter sudan to end this genocide we are complicit in its commission. and that does not sit well with me.
whether Bush or Clinton, republican or democrat, we must act against genocide—not in words or easy deeds of throwing money around or flying in unarmed african troops—we must act militarily, decisively. it would take nothing for the US Army to end the genocide in Sudan and topple Bashir and send him to the Hague. the sudanese army is nowhere near as strong as the taliban. there is no genocide in afghanistan.
you keep trying to politicize inaction—well Bush had a war and clinton did nothing—all of that is pathetically irrelevant. we have a genocide being committed as we type and all you want to do is say Clinton did nothing in Rwanda???!!! OK he did nothing. so what’s our excuse for not intervening in the Sudan? please don’t say we have other committtments or this or that president “tried” or we have more “pressing committments”. the Nuba (black african) people of Darfur will cease to exist within 18 months. they will be totally annihilated.
i’m sick of the blame game and president a did more than president b, because in the end 0×0=0. nobody stoppped the genocide in Rwanda but the RPF fighters. and no one will stop the Darfur genocide at all.
so either man up and say the US should commit ground troops (combat troops) to end the genocide or i just consider you insincere. either you wrote about Darfur and Rwanda because you are concerned about genocide and annihilation of you are just making cheap political points and excuses. which is it?

The people who accuse us on the Right of hating Obama because he’s black, or inflicting hate upon him like they did Bush, have it so wrong. I want so much to be able to support the man. I want to be able to cheer for him (when did you ever hear that from the left the last eight years?)! He’s my President, for crying out loud. When I saw this video, due to the language factor, I focused on the body language. It appeared that Obama was giving Chavez the (in politico-speak of course) smackdown the man deserved. If that’s the case, then Bravo, President Obama!

We just barely made it through Bush’s 8 years of “grip and grin” and good ‘ole boy nickname diplomacy without slipping into WWIII. Is it possible that 2 people can actually have a brief conversation without smiling and not hate each other? I think so, if they’re grown-ups. The thing I love about Obama is that he is serious without being uptight. We haven’t seen that in a politician for too long.

right wingers please finish college or at least high school you can not just rely on the bible (99percent of it is false) China is one of the worst communist human violating countries in the world and we speak to them if you rigt winger hate chavez so much stop importing his oil

Most Americans have long since recognized the GOP’s desire to use a soundbyte rather discuss issues.
Other than the dead enders that comprise the Republican hard core nutjob base, most Americans recognize the GOP one sentence hypocrisies and realize how far the GOP has fallen.

It’s quite simple Hugo Chavez has some hints of communism however if America can barrow money from China, then we can deal with Venezeula. Hugo Chavez wants to seen as the leader and respected.