Obama Begins Mocking GOP’s National Security Attacks
An interesting, if subtle, shift in Obama’s tone: He’s taken to openly mocking GOP criticism of his willingness to diplomatically engage hostile foreign leaders.
You saw the new tone on display over the weekend, where Obama was questioned by reporters about the widespread GOP criticism of a warm handshake moment he had with Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez. GOP Senator John Ensign, for instance, said it was “irresponsible” to be seen “laughing and joking” with him.
Obama replied, in part:
Venezuela is a country whose defense budget is probably 1/600th of the United States’. They own Citgo. It’s unlikely that as a consequence of me shaking hands or having a polite conversation with Mr. Chavez that we are endangering the strategic interests of the United States. I don’t think anybody can find any evidence that that would do so. Even within this imaginative crowd, I think you would be hard-pressed to paint a scenario in which U.S. interests would be damaged as a consequence of us having a more constructive relationship with Venezuela.
Obama, in short, ridiculed the very idea that we should see Chavez as a threatening figure, and threw in a bit of mockery of the reporters, to boot.
It’s worth recalling that there was a time when Dems would quake with fear about national security attacks coming from the right, let alone respond to them with outright mockery. In this sense, Obama’s tone underscores how much the political climate has shifted on such matters.
It’s also a sign of his confidence that the public is with him — and has little trust in the Republicans — even on questions of national security. He appears to feel on solid enough ground that he can respond to the basic ideas underlying Republican efforts to depict him as weak with little more than contempt and derision.
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The funny thing is this though Greg, all day today every cable news station has focused on the Republican criticism, basically legitimizing it even when they have guests on that dispute it. Thats the maddenly frustrating part of our “news” folks these days.
Obama himself shifted the political climate on these matters beginning in the Democratic primary against Hillary Clinton. He was earnest about it then. The public agreed. There is no reason not to mock these dead enders now.
Here’s another part of Obama’s reply, that I think sums it up pretty well:
And you’re right, we had this debate throughout the campaign, and the whole notion was, is that somehow if we showed courtesy or opened up dialogue with governments that had previously been hostile to us, that that somehow would be a sign of weakness. The American people didn’t buy it. And there’s a good reason the American people didn’t buy it — because it doesn’t make sense.
The Republicans are essentially re-fighting the same battles they fought – and lost – during the 2008 campaign.
so happy to see him do this. I got a dose of the stupid this morning on CNN and it is true, the ‘journalists’ were trolling about how dangerous it was to shake Chavez’s hand. Are these idiots really so cowardly?
Looks like the Obama admin is gettin fiesty.
Here’s an exchange between Gibbs and CBS Chip Reid about the $100 million Obama wants cut from cabinet budget. Republican talking point alert, $100mill is not alot of money.
“Chip Reid (of CBS): “It’s hard to believe that $100 million won’t become the butt of a whole lot of jokes…It’s an amazingly small amount of money, you’ve got to admit.”
Gibbs pushes back, asking how many stories CBS did on $600 toilet seats at the Department of Defense. Says it’s all about “a culture in this town that believes there’s 26 conferences the VA should participate in when you can go into a room” and videoconference. (2:02 p.m.) ”
http://www.politico.com/politico44/wbarchive/whiteboard04202009.html
Obama to Republicans: “STFU n00bs!”
Yeah. Joe Scarborough went on some rant how even Clinton and Carter would have never let Ortega slam the U.S. without speaking out about it. This Joe guy is such a frickin’ simpleton and Mika just sits there and nods like a dope. I don’t know why I even turn on that show in the morning. I feel like putting my hand down the food disposal after about 10 minutes of it. I guess I don’t get why Republicans believe you have clunk around like an elephant with complete disregard and think that is the only way you get respect.
.
On a side note, this guy did a good article regarding alternatives to torture. http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-04-20/torture-doesnt-work/. He’s got a book out, How to Break a Terrorist. I wish he would do his rounds on the networks again. I’ve seen his interview and they are pretty convincing that torture is the wrong way to go seeing how they caught Zarquawi using his techniques. Maybe this blog should interview him to get the ball rolling.
I worked for President Obama when he was in the Illinois Senate, and some when he was in the U.S. Senate. There isn’t a sharper tool in the shed when it comes to witty responses or a general knowledge of a situation. With that said, it’s good to see the president has come around to my line of thinking when referring to the Republican Fantasy World as an “imaginative crowd. ” Not quite the same sting but we all get the picture.
@lamh31: Gibbs has pwnd Reid more than once since becoming press secretary. Good times
Y does the media choose to do tht? it is petty…u wud of thght the man committed a vial act of greviance…..has news become tht shallow? Tht is my question…
BUZZARDSKORNER
GOPWNED?
Once again, Obama throws out the straw man. Did anyone, Ensign et al, suggest that playing footsie with Chavez would endanger our national security? Nope.
Obama did announce his Defense Doctrine, however. Let tin horn dictators ridicule American all they want, and he will defend himself only. (afterall he was only 3 months old at the time)
Whatever happened to the Oath of Office where the phrase “to protect and defend” is confirmed. The only oath Obama believes in his one to himself and his jaded view of America.
As if no one in American political history had ever shown any kind of courtesy or been gracious to a political opponent.
It’s a handshake. That’s it. They are just demonstrating how desperate they are to find anything – anything – to use to attack Obama.
Ronald Reagan used to say “After 6:00, we’re all friends,” and by all accounts, he meant it – he apparently got along well the other powerful Irish politician in Washington at the time, Tip O’Neil. And, of course, Reagan was very gracious, occasionally, to Gorbachev. And that turned out well.
To Capt Merica: Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha… oh, ha, ha, ha, he, he, he. {snirk} Thanks for the laugh buddy.
In case you are a satirist, accept my thanks for the chuckle, if you aren’t… please see above guffawing and accept my apologies if my mocking you hurt you in any way…
Steve in Co:
Try to show some signs of intelligent life, heh?
From joint maritime exercises with Russia to harboring Hamas, Hezbollah, and al Qaeda on Margarita Island to encouraging drug smuggling through his country, there are legitimate threats that Chavez poses that are out of proportion to his country’s official military strength.
It would be a pity if any of these blew up in Obama’s face. His mockery would look foolish.
foolishmockery — go ahead and knock on wood, and keep your fingers crossed that something like that will happen. It will make your year.
Sue, unlike many detractors of our previous administration, I have no desire to see bad things happen to our country just to prove a political point. But I do hope our current administration is aware of legitimate threats to our south. When I see our president palling around with Chavez I’m not so sure…
insert picture of bush holding hands with the saudi king here.
insert picture of reagan yukking it up with gorby here.
insert ford shaking hands with brezhnev here.
insert nixon smiling and shaking hands with the chinese here.
etc. etc. etc.
wingers are such sad children.
“Obama Begins Mocking GOP’s National Security Attacks”
Must have missed Sophocles at Occidental, Columbia, Harvard, Acorn, Chicago…etc..
“Palling around with…” Now where have I heard that line before???
hmmm…..I know it will come back to me one of these days…
If Obama shakes another scary furren leader’s hand I will soil my armor a second time.
foolishmockery, you make america look weak by jumping at every shadow. stop it.
foolishmockery, somehow I think that President Obama is more aware of current and potential geopolitical dangers than you are. That is just a wild guess. And palling around? Also.
harboring Hamas, Hezbollah, and al Qaeda on Margarita Island
Oh, sweetie, did you get taken in by that transparent propaganda? You poor thing.
Once again, Obama throws out the straw man. Did anyone, Ensign et al, suggest that playing footsie with Chavez would endanger our national security? Nope…Whatever happened to the Oath of Office where the phrase “to protect and defend” is confirmed.
So, no one has accused him of endangering our national security and, oh yeah, he’s neglecting his oath to protect and defend.
Republicans might get some traction one of these days, if they every start expressing coherent thoughts.
I’ve almost stopped reading blog comments because there is always an idiotor two who wish to denigrate democrats or the president and said idiots will say anything, any stupid thing at all, to try to denigrate the president or his party. These idiots are so stupid they can’t be mocked, so egoistic they will never understand how wrong they are and so puerile that they will say things so stupid that they’re beyond irony.
President Obama is changing the world one day at a time. He is by far the best president in modern times and shaping up to be the best of all time. His subtle mockery of the rabid clowns of the press and the intransigently corrupt GOP are sweet reward for those who had faith in him.
Clowns like ‘captain America’ aren’t fit to polish his shoes.
I’m confused. I thought Chavez was the Hitler of the moment.
The Jake Tapper-driven “Chavez gave Obama his favorite book!” meme is fascinating for how pathetic it is. This kind of thing is useful for people to track people who argue without foundation or sense.
yo, joel from lowell, get ready for the clue stick, cuz it’s gonna land upside yer head after yer quote:
“Did anyone, Ensign et al, suggest that playing footsie with Chavez would endanger our national security?”
only richard “dead eye dick” cheney, that’s all
dick cheney is the only person who said that directly
so far
wanna bet it spreads umongst the lower intelligent political parties tommorrow ???
how much ya got ???
btw, talking to your enemies makes more sense than putting hershey stains in your undies like dick
How is the President’s “mocking” strange. The majority of Americans have long ago realized that the neocon rightwing nutjobs in the GOP are searching for the a soundbyte rather attempting any manner of realistic discussion.
The Republican hypocrisy practically mocks itself with little need of the president (or the rest of us) to point it out.
Ah the Republicans glorious view of the world: the US is like a scared Elephant, fearful of mice and lashing out with an occasional stomp on whatever poor mouse drew its attention.
“Captain America” (jeebus! using a comic book character’s name!) What a frightened little troll you are. The President shakes hands with Chavez. That’s not palling around. That’s simple courtesy.
Something the GOP and their trolls know very little about.
If Obama knew how eager the US military establishment and it’s allies were to completely sabotage his administration in these parlous times, he wouldn’t be so sanguine.
Obama has bought into their BS, which is almost entirely aimed at avoiding accountability (the rest is aimed at embezzlement) and they are going to give it him right in the neck, all the time screaming “Obama made us do it! Wwe wanted to stop after Bush, but he made us keep going!!!”
Does Obama think that he, by his genius, can somehow transform these eight-year-old morasses into something worthwhile? Did the military tell Obama that all of a sudden, they have some new technique or tactic which is going to change everything? It’s been bullshit for eight years, and it’ll be BS no matter what Obam does. Except now the blame falls on him. What a chump!
Captain America — {snork} oh god, please don’t stop-a-trolling. You make this commie-pinko-gawd-disbelieving armed liberal’s day!!
@Continuum
To extend this, I think it’s all about Castro.
The older and feebler he gets the more the right need another Latin American “threat”, no matter how crackpotted the comparison.
I mean, like most people here (I guess) I lived thru the Cold War. I know what “90 miles off the coast of Florida” and “allies with nuclear weapons” means.
But these wingnuts are trying to scare us with someone who is selling us oil?
PS Special penalty points for folks like Jake Tapper.
The mad mocking skillz Obama has connects directly with the publica at large, no media filter needed. And, like the balloon-leaking out of GWB’s popularity, this is just another issue that the Beltway Inbreds will show up last at the party for.
I hate Chavez and despise his regime but I see no harm in trying to achieve by dialogue what the Republicans failed to do by other, riskier means. What the Republicans of the last decade (unlike their predecessors right back to Teddy Roosevelt) never understood is that talk is cheap – and in diplomacy, that makes it worth trying as a tactic just like everything else.
Captain America: you’re no Captain America. The real Captain America can relibaly construct complete sentences.
reliably.
It’s a simple matter of perspective. If you are an oil company executive, Venezuela is a socialist oil producing country who competes with you unfairly. That’s scary. If you are not, it’s just a country.
Most of Bush & Co’s views and positions can be summed up this way: oil executive with overblown sense of importance who’s frightened of change in the importance of oil. Good grief.
oh yyea ,again,go ahead and blame bush,its much easier than facing the truth,and the truth is most of the media is in the pockets of general electric,acorn,and unions. and in their pockets,they all own a piece of obama.
when north korea gets the nerve,they will try to send nukes this way,but they are smart enough to wait untill terrorist are ready to back them up,and when it all hits the proverbial fan,and the ones who condemn so loudly,are the ones who will be hiding,while better men fight to keep freedom and liberty,whats left of it. then,and only after the fighting is over,will they come out of hiding,and again condemn the way the war was fought.