Explain again to me why this is a scandal?
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Richard Nixon shakes hands with Mao Tse Tung, responsible for the deaths of tens of millions of his own people.
George W. Bush holds hands with Crown Prince Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, a nation that calls for the destruction of Israel, where women can’t drive cars and where even the slightest expression of dissent is met with prison and perhaps execution. Fifteen of the 19 hijackers on Sept. 11 came from Saudi Arabia.
Donald Rumsfeld, special envoy of President Ronald Reagan, shakes hands with Saddam Hussein shortly after the gassing of thousands of Kurds at Hussein’s orders.
President Gerald Ford yuks it up with Leonid Brezhnev, the hard-liner leader of the Soviet Union, one of the most repressive regimes in human history.
President Barack Obama shakes hands with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who has said many very bad things about the United States.
So explain to me again: What’s the problem here?
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207 comments Add your comment
Copyleft
April 20th, 2009
11:50 am
It’s a scandal because the right wing really, really NEEDS a scandal right now.
And, in the fevered imaginations of talk-radio hosts, no president has ever met with foreign leaders who disagreed with U.S. policy ever before, much less shaken hands with them. Clearly, this is proof that Obama is nothing but Hugo Chavez’s puppet!
TnGelding
April 20th, 2009
11:52 am
Because it’s the dreaded opposition party making nice with our “enemies.”
ByteMe
April 20th, 2009
11:59 am
Ah, the things that really really SHOULD be in the newspaper instead of “Faith and Values”.
RW-(the original)
April 20th, 2009
11:59 am
Maybe I’m missing something here, but shouldn’t there be a link to some credible source calling this a scandal?
Corporal Punishment
April 20th, 2009
12:01 pm
This is a scandal because the neocons can’t stand (or understand) diplomacy.
I Report/ You Whine
April 20th, 2009
12:04 pm
Let’s see, Russia is serious, China is serious, Saudi Arabia is serious, duh, Venezuela is a tinpot third world wannabe.
At least Obozo didn’t grab his ankles.
This time.
George American
April 20th, 2009
12:05 pm
Obama is obviously trying to appease our enemies, like Phil Castro and Jugo Charvez. He is week and making the world think that America is week by shaking hands with a socialist who has vowed for the destruction of our constitution and way of life.
We should not stand for this appeasement or the continuation of the Cuban communist threat!
Reebok
April 20th, 2009
12:07 pm
Jay – You are going to take all the fun out of this if you are going to keep putting things into historical perspective.
Reebok
April 20th, 2009
12:08 pm
Wait – I’m sure Wooten can tell me why this is a scandal…stand by, I’ll be right back.
Brad Steele
April 20th, 2009
12:09 pm
Whiner,
Brilliant logic and deduction. Your anger and stupidity is eclipsed only by your dumb comments.
I Report/ You Whine
April 20th, 2009
12:10 pm
This one is rude, I like it-
The poster scribe could have condemned any other media formerly known as mainstream. He (or a brash she) could have written “MSNBC Sucks,” but what’s so bold about stating the obvious? He could have scratched out “USA Today Sucks,” for promoting their love for big government, but the McPaper’s crosswords are pretty good. He could have stated “the Journal-Constitution Sucks,” but why disrespect the dead?
“Crazy” right wingers, bwa.
ByteMe
April 20th, 2009
12:12 pm
RW: You mean rightwingnuttery has a “credible” information outlet? Like FOX News or something? Or you mean something like a real news source, since this isn’t commenting on news, but commentary on rightwingnut noise makers like Wooten and Hannity….
Mrs. Godzilla
April 20th, 2009
12:13 pm
Oh, the scandal du jour! How delightful!
Next up …… they demand to see Bo’s birth certificate!
There is no actual proof he’s a dog after all.
Mrs. Godzilla
April 20th, 2009
12:14 pm
No wait…..Bo gets own teleprompter….
bark….bark….bark
AmVet
April 20th, 2009
12:18 pm
My take on this is simple.
When the Uppity One gets 4,274 Americans killed, 31,102 wounded, many gravely, and wastes nearly a trillion dollars on a botched invasion and occupation, let’s talk about foreign policy.
Until then you chest pounders would be well advised to find a convenient sock and insert it in a certain orifice…
Paul
April 20th, 2009
12:22 pm
Scandal?
Look at those other pictures. I’ll offer that now’s the time for the US to implement full diplomatic relations and contacts with the Islamic Republic of Iran. It ‘worked’ with Nixon and Mao.
We have a small window of opportunity with Iran. Moderates abound. We need to understand Iran’s interests – and the interests of the various factions. Weaken the extremists and encourage the moderates by instituting full diplomatic relations and removing one of their boogeymen (us) from their arsenal.
Paul
April 20th, 2009
12:24 pm
Jay,
Sorry. Didn’t address the thread, directly. I’ll go with CopyLeft’s answer. And enjoy listening to Hugo explain to his people why he’s making nice with imbeciles and devils.
Wyld Byll Hyltnyr
April 20th, 2009
12:28 pm
Hate to say it, but I agree with you, Jay. Just two guys, who happen to share a common hatred of everything great about America, shaking hands. What’s the big deal?
Wyld Byll Hyltnyr
April 20th, 2009
12:29 pm
ps – I wonder if, for the first time in her life, Mrs. Chavez felt proud of America.
Corporal Punishment
April 20th, 2009
12:31 pm
AmVet,
Your reference to the “Uppity One” is just the type of racist bloating we expect from your like.
Thank you for helping to marginalize yourself and the nutbag fringe.
Hoof Hearted
April 20th, 2009
12:31 pm
It’s a scandal because: (a) it’s a slow news day/week; and (b) the loons are desperately searching for ANYTHING to stick to Obama. It’s embarrassing that so many of us are this gullible.
Also, I don’t think the picture of Bush and Crown Prince Abdullah is analogous. While Saudi Arabia might be our “enemies” in reality, they are allegedly our “allies,” and they have never threatened to destroy the U.S.
Wyld Byll Hyltnyr
April 20th, 2009
12:32 pm
All kidding aside, Chavez is actually an upgrade as wingman to President Ob-amatuer over Billy Ayres. At least Chavez doesn’t hate everything about America and, frankly, he isn’t nearly so good at killing his perceived opponents as Pencil-neck Billy Ayres.
Next – G-d bless Venezuala? No, no, no, no, no GD Venezuala.
getalife
April 20th, 2009
12:34 pm
The cons are crying wolf on everything.
When he does screw up, cons will be ignored.
AmVet
April 20th, 2009
12:38 pm
Private Punishment, take it up with Congressman Lynn Westmoreland. He’s the one channeling Taggert from Blazing Saddles.
He’s right up your alley, I’m sure…
And the word is ilk, not like, dufus…
Shawny
April 20th, 2009
12:40 pm
There is no scandal. Don’t try to make one up.
I Report/ You Whine
April 20th, 2009
12:40 pm
Rampant idiocy in action but yet it’s the right wingers who are “crazy-”
BOLD: OBAMA VOWS TO CUT $100,000,000 FROM $3,550,000,000,000 BUDGET!
Well happy day!
Regulators Clash on How to Release Banks Results Without Damage…
Duh, let’s put out a news report saying that our test results are bad but we’re gonna hide them, duh, spazzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzstic.
Corporal Punishment
April 20th, 2009
12:42 pm
AmVet,
Ilk and like can be used interchangeably, language genius. It is bloviating, not bloating – that was the bait, Dr. English.
Bosch
April 20th, 2009
12:48 pm
Paul,
From downstairs: in our case it’s option three – no amount of drugs can help – I think beer and crawfish is the ticket for this old woman – it’s probably make her much happier! This is a case of Alzheimer’s we’re dealing with, and it sucks big time. The old woman tried to smack me this weekend! Glad she didn’t have a knife. I haven’t had a woman actually try to hit me in a long time!!!
Just so ya’ know – shopping around for nursing homes is NOT FUN. Nursing homes – even the good ones – are about the most depressing places on Earth.
But as to the topic –
Jay, got me?
AmVet
April 20th, 2009
12:50 pm
Punisher, you’re a veritable lexophine!
Methinks your avoidance of the salient point though, indicates you were a big Shtick & Awe kinda guy.
Dark days indeed for the fake conservatives and armchair warriors…
Taxpayer
April 20th, 2009
12:55 pm
Oooohhh! That Hugo. He has sad some really dirty words about the USofA. That was priceless, Jay.
Reebok
April 20th, 2009
12:57 pm
OK, Wooten is no help…apparently smiling and acting diplomatic at a diplomatic summit w/ Chavez is some kind of gateway drug to kowtowing to North Korea…I guess I’m not smart enough to get the connection…my bad.
Mort Merkel
April 20th, 2009
12:58 pm
Hey, if Limpbaugh can twist Somali pirates into impoverished teen martyrs, the right can turn anything into a scandal. I really think many Republicans need to be committed for mental health care for a few months to regain their sanity. No, really.
Ray
April 20th, 2009
1:08 pm
Chavez is a pretty crafty advisory. He also happens to be the only one of these in the pictures that is from the Western Hemisphere. Maybe it’s like Kanye West said….. maybe Chavez is just misunderstood and we are not aware that he just doesn’t like white people. Maybe this is his chance to gain the respect that he feels no one is giving him. Behind that smug grin, what do you think is running through his mind? “How can I screw this idiot American President and put his weaknesses to my best advantage?” “How will this elevate my standing among those in South and Central America who view me as a lightweight?” There is not one American President who posed with past dictators in Bookman’s photo catalog that had a poorer understanding of American foreign policy than Buckwheat. No one. He is viewed as weak by those who would exploit him and unfortunately, he is the “leader” of the free world. Most of those who do not like us at least knew that they were dealing with men of some strength and resolve. They were, for the most part, not trying to win a popularity contest with our advisories. Can you imagine Mr. Wonderful saying to Putin, “Mr Putin, tear down this wall?” I cannot and neither can the despots of the world.
Sissy Saxby
April 20th, 2009
1:11 pm
It’s a scandal because the haters can’t do anything but hate, hate, hate.
p.s. get a job, Whiner
RW-(the original)
April 20th, 2009
1:13 pm
BM,
I’m not trying to tell you or Jay B anything. I just don’t know who is calling this handshake a scandal in the first place.
Question
April 20th, 2009
1:14 pm
Sidebar — I continue to see the following statement as recent as this week. Can someone please explain to me what it means –”The thing that bewilders me is that this president just cut taxes for 95 percent of the American people,” Axelrod argued.”.
Corporal Punishment
April 20th, 2009
1:15 pm
Ray,
Pure brilliance. Please give us more. Referring to Obama as “Buckwheat” is very original racist thought. Thanks for speaking up for all of Georgia’s anonymous Klanners.
Copyleft
April 20th, 2009
1:19 pm
RW: You can check Neal’s Nuze (boortz.com), LGF, Fox News, and Wooten’s own blog for numerous cries of dismay and outrage at this horrific spectacle of a U.S. president meeting with foreign leaders without spitting on them.
Taxpayer
April 20th, 2009
1:22 pm
Just be careful who you shake hands with. Some times, the ones proclaiming themselves to be on the side of good turn out to be the truly evil ones.
“If there is somebody captured,” President George W. Bush told reporters on March 23, 2003, “I expect those people to be treated humanely. If not, the people who mistreat the prisoners will be treated as war criminals.”
Then, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, President George W. Bush, and other administration officials orchestrated a chorus of outrage, citing those TV scenes as proof of the Iraq’s government contempt for international law in general and the Geneva Conventions in particular.
“It is a blatant violation of the Geneva Convention to humiliate and abuse prisoners of war or to harm them in any way. As President Bush said yesterday, those who harm POWs will be found and punished as war criminals,” Pentagon spokeswoman Victoria Clarke said on March 24, 2003. – truthout.org
Then again, you just gotta love semantics, dontcha know. I mean, these GOPers really have a thorough command of the English language.
JohnF
April 20th, 2009
1:25 pm
RW,
Good ole Newt G. is the most vocal critic of “the Handshake”, i.e, he has raised the incident to that of a scandal.
RSP
April 20th, 2009
1:25 pm
The second one, Awww, so sweet.
RW-(the original)
April 20th, 2009
1:26 pm
Copy,
No I can’t because I checked. There’s a lot of talk about Obama accepting the book but nothing I saw about this handshake being a scandal. Even the talk about allowing Chavez to interrupt Obama to give him the book calls it amateurish not scandalous.
mm
April 20th, 2009
1:26 pm
Wyld Byll,
I have to at least give Whiner credit for twisting the truth. You are no where near the truth when you post.
Jay,
Each and every day the nutjobs attack something about Obama:
“He didn’t have a comment”.
“He bowed to a Saudi”.
“He shook hands with Chavez”.
“His dog has links to the Kennedy family”.
“He uses a teleprompter”.
“He’s not wearing a flagpin”.
“He’s not wearing a tie in the oval office”.
You know he’s doing a great job if they can’t find anything worse than these pathetic “scandals”.
fearless fosdick
April 20th, 2009
1:30 pm
Corporal Punishment @ 12:31
Punishment, I’m going to stick my two cents in here in defense of AmVet.
As I read the entire context of what he posted it is obviously clear that this was not a racial slur…it’s called being ironic. Here for your enjoyment is the fool who uttered the term uppity…The one and only Lynn Westmoreland!
http://en.sevenload.com/videos/APAfFaS-Stephen-Colbert-versus-Lynn-Westmoreland
Truth
April 20th, 2009
1:31 pm
Seems to me that Jay and his followers are the ones trying to create a scandal….
AmVet
April 20th, 2009
1:32 pm
What a hoot. The out of work Kingmaker is not just daft and dangerous, he’s a disturbed stalker?
(CNN) – Meghan McCain loves Twitter — except for the “creepy people.” Like Karl Rove.
In a blog post for the Daily Beast published Monday, McCain says the social networking site has been a “liberating” experience for her — if only her dispatches weren’t being read by the former Bush advisor.
“Karl Rove follows me on Twitter. That’s creepy,” she said. “I joined Twitter a few months ago; so far, it has been a liberating way to transition from political to personal blogging. It’s allowed me to share the less serious aspects and humorously uncensored moments of my life. But there’s also been a downside: I am now being followed by Karl Rove, and my local sheriff, and God knows how many other political pundits. We need to take Twitter back from the creepy people.”
Later, she wrote: “I can’t shake the fact that Karl Rove is following me-it can be creepy. So watch out.”
The daughter of former Republican presidential candidate John McCain also said she finds Rove’s Tweets “boring,” and speculated that he had a “ghost Twitterer” or an assistant posting his thoughts.
Bosch
April 20th, 2009
1:32 pm
RW,
I’ve been out of the loop with news the past few days, but someone this morning told me that they heard Newt carrying on about it.
RW-(the original)
April 20th, 2009
1:35 pm
JohnF,
Link please.
ByteMe
April 20th, 2009
1:36 pm
RW:
Sen. John Ensign, R-Nevada, told CNN on Sunday it was “irresponsible” for Obama to have been seen “laughing and joking” with Chavez.
“This is a person who is one of the most anti-American leaders in the entire world,” Ensign said on “State of the Union.” “He is a brutal dictator, and human rights violations are very, very prevalent in Venezuela. And you have to be careful.”
Republican Newt Gingrich joined the criticism Monday, saying enemies of the United States will use Obama’s friendly encounter with Chavez as propaganda.
“Everywhere in Latin America, enemies of America are going to use the picture of Chavez smiling and being with the president as proof that Chavez is now legitimate, that he is acceptable,” the former House leader said on NBC’s “Today” show.
Stephen Hayes, a CNN contributor and writer for the conservative magazine The Weekly Standard, said it’s not the handshake that irks Republicans but that Obama “seemed to actually be enjoying it.”
…
Lots of commentary, amounting to just hot air.
Bosch
April 20th, 2009
1:39 pm
AmVet,
Maybe the “ghost twitterer” is Alberto Gonzalez – I read somewhere the other day that he can’t find a job.