Hugo Chavez, president of Venezuela, once called President Bush “a devil”. This weekend Bush’s successor, Barack Obama, smiled and joked with Chavez, accepted a book from him and shook his hand.
These friendly gestures on Obama’s part started tongues wagging in Washington. The gang at Fox news charged Obama with being a weakling in front of an aggressor. Senator John Ensign, a Republican from Nevada, said, “I think it was irresponsible for the President be seen kind of laughing and joking with Hugo Chavez.”
Obama had his own answer for the criticism: “It’s unlikely that as a consquence of me shaking hands or having a polite conversation with Mr. Chavez that we are endangering the strategic interests of the United States.”
Incidentally, the book that Chavez gave to Obama on the history of American interference in Latin America has come from nowhere to be number two on Amazon.
This morning on NBC Newt Gingrich (who might run for president in 2012) slammed Obama for cozying up to America’s enemies.
Bush’s vinegar with Chavez got nowhere. Is it possible that Obama’s honey will work?
What do you think?
I don’t know to much about Chavez. I see he is friendly with my political hero of the 20 th century, Castro, who is fiercely independent, gutsy, although has behaviour problems of which I don’t always agree.
Obama was elected on one of his points to talk to those you disagree with, although when Obama gets finished reading the book, I am sure it will confirm what he already knows.
Who doesn’t remember Allende in Chile a democratic socialist,close to being elected and then overturned by U.S. intelligence.
I don’t agree with Obama shaking hands and cozying up to Chavez.
However, before Obama was elected he did say he was going to approach despots such as Chavez and Achmadenijad of Iran. He ran on that policy so I say: let him do his thing and we’ll see if it works.
As for Peter finding Fidel Castro “fiercely independent, gutsy” and considering him his political hero of the 20th century, well that makes me feel sad for Peter.
Fidel Castro is a despotic coward who lied to his people and his allies (the people he was fighting with) and once ensconced in power murdered those that opposed him. Since that time he has kept 11 million people enslaved and killed off 10s of thousands.
Castro is a human-rights violating, anti-democrat, mass-murdering Communist dictator.
I can only imagine who else you admire, Peter…Charles Manson? Pol Pot? Robespierre?
“I can only imagine who else you admire, Peter…Charles Manson? Pol Pot? Robespierre?”
Yeah – don’t forget the pope!
(sorry – couldn’t resist!)
Let all bitterness and anger and indignation and clamour and blasphemy be put away from you….And be ye kind to one another: merciful, forgiving one another, even as God hath forgiven you….Douay-Rheims, Ephesians 4:31-32
And remember the past. You forgave the krauts and the japs. And remember the present. He is the 3rd largest supplier of oil to the US of A. And remember the future. Every twit, headed by airhead Rush Limpwrist, will be on the twitter trying to tear down Obama. I notice that the book given to Obama by Chavez has now jumped from nowhere to second place at Amazon.
Jim:
I can’t help but notice that within the confines of your post you counsel us to cast away all bitterness and anger and indignation and clamour and blasphemy and then go on to refer to Rush Limbaugh as a “twit”, “airhead”, and a “Limpwrist”.
Practise, preach?
Tony:-
The reference from the Bible is what Obama is doing, in my opinion.
The reference about “Jaws” is what I’m thinking and to point out a fifth column at work (the enemy within) to pull down Obama with subterfuge and smokescreening. Obama is trying to make amends for the Bush disasters.
Two things: One, I notice that all the outrage is coming from the Repuglicants. But then, they couldn’t get anywhere with Chavez or Castro, so they don’t want the Dems to be able to do anything progressive, either.
And two — sometimes a handshake is just a handshake.
Let Obama do his thing and see what happens. Can’t be worse than Dubbya.
Tony, ” Yeah, don’t forget the Pope “, now don’t start putting words into my mouth.
Chimera, the Democrats got nowhere either. Kennedy expanded it.
http://www.historyofcuba.com/history/funfacts/embargo.htm
Seriously, I don’t get how anyone would consider Castro a hero. I don’t think we in the West “get it.”
Commentator, “Seriously, I don’t get how anyone would consider Castro a hero.” Universal Health Care and Universal Education, does not a country make. He would have done a lot more except for the embargo.
And yey if Obama pulls off these socialist ideas there are many people including myself will consider him a hero. I don’t think you or Tony get. it.
I figured you’d say that. It’s hilarious that a murderous thug who tramples on individual freedom gets a free pass because he introduced “universal” education and health. Examine the two closer. It’s not what it’s cracked up to be. I befriended someone there was a Russian trained engineer who was handing out towels to spoiled Westerners who wear Che t-shirts while sipping Heinekens. Cubans are not allowed to walk on beaches where Westerners are. I had to “escape” to go see Cuba. Havana is an infested rat hole. A place with spirit destroyed by “la revolucion” and by Castro alone. What a crock.
Sure, Peter. Great things he’s done for that beautiful island.
As if they’re the only nation to introduce the welfare state. And you know, Cuba trades with the EU, Russia and Canada so that argument has weak links in it.
Ever been to Cuba?
I got sick there. Good, friendly doctors. Just no medicine. And I was followed to boot.
We talk as if it’s some god darn compassionate paradise. It isn’t. Castro has you fooled dude.
http://blogcritics.org/archives/2008/02/21/023217.php
My article about Castro.
And Peter, I respect that you’re a socialist. But I don’t believe Castro is a model for the type of socialism we should strive for. He’s not a model to follow.
You claim to be a social-democrat. Castro is opposite of this.
That’s why I was surprised by your assertion.
Exposrip, “Castro has you fooled dude”. I said Castro has behaviour problems which I don’t agree with.
I remember Batista, which you sound as you long for a return to. Was that era what you call a “compassionate paradise”.
I wonder how a democratic socialist like myself would have fared in Cuba during Batista’s supported reign.
“I don’t get how anyone would consider Castro a hero.”
Who said anything about heroes? How about simply being polite to one another?
Peter writes:
(Castro) would have done a lot more except for the embargo.
Oh, that old canard.
Look, Peter, there are only two countries in the world (that’s 2 out of about 200) that don’t trade with Cuba: the United States and Israel. Cuba is free to trade with practically everyone else, including Canada which, I believe, is their largest trading partner. Indeed, even with the trade embargo I think the U.S. is around the 5th largest trading partner Cuba has (due to the exceptions such as medicine and certain essential agricultural products).
It is very convenient for a failed regime to find a scapegoat — the U.S. and its embargo — to put all the blame. But the reality is that socialism doesn’t work and never will. Indeed, the only places you find where it has limited success is places like Venezuela which has abundance of riches due to things like oil. But even with all their oil wealth Venezuela can’t even supply its citizens with the basic necessities of life, such as milk and dairy products.
Peter:
Batista was a black man who was overthrown by a bunch of spoiled white upper class elites (i.e. the Castro Brothers) who had never done an honest day’s work in their lives. Compared to what was instituted under the revolution, Batista was Mother Theresa.
Tony, “Batista was Mother Theresa”, great quote, when you get to heaven confirm that with her will you.
Joe, was that you about the Pope. I think you are more fixated on him than most people. He’s gotta be your hero.
Chimera, Peter said it.
Peter, I agree: Batista was no better. BUT two wrongs don’t make a right. I think Cuba would have had a better chance to be a normal country under Batista once he left.
Tony, exactly. Same with Che. Bunch of impostors.
I don’t know why we romanticize such figures.
Peter: “Joe, was that you about the Pope. I think you are more fixated on him than most people. He’s gotta be your hero.”
Naw, I just like a good laugh… When Tony started listing all of those vile figures as potential “heros” to you I couldn’t help but notice that (1) he left the pope off the list and (2) you really do admire the pope.
So putting them together I went for a laugh… I didn’t mean it to be taken seriously though – that’s why I added the:
“I don’t know why we romanticize such figures.”
Simple. It’s because, whether they be “good” guys or “bad” guys, they are active guys in physical pursuit of something they consider to be an “ideal.”
The rest of us, by comparison, live very dull, boring lives. And by the time most of us are pulling down a regular paycheck, our own ideals have been packed in exelsior and stored away with our teddy bears and teething rings, and Che and Fidel and all those hooligans are still out there doing the cowboys and Indians or cops and robbers stuff, but for real.
Or, to put it in short form: envy.
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Envy is one of the seven deadly sins.
SonyaSunny-
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Chimera:
I think you may have something there.
It is perhaps the reason we, as movie-goers, love the rogue and the bad guy…whether it’s Butch Cassidy or the Godfather we get a thrill out of siding and identifying with the guy who gets away with larceny.
Perhaps we live vicariously through them as they do things that law and convention prevent us from doing in our own lives…and the badder, the better!