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Very nice. Conservative criticism of Obama's foreign policy approach is so patently ridiculous, that he's now openly mocking the wingers freaking out over his handshake with Hugo Chavez.
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.
Greg Sargent:
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.
Me, I'm still chuckling at "this imaginative crowd".
The more we push the right off the cliff of craziness, the more hope there is for us to adapt a more sane foreign policy. Obama needs more moments like this (Remember the State of the Union where he kept confusing the rethugs whether they should clap or not? Yea, stuff like that). America wins...
Why wouldn't he address it with sarcasm? It's a moronic stance to take. He knows people are picking his ass apart to find anything, I would shrug it off too.
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...
I actually agree that attacking him for a handshake is a waste of time.
It's actually not when you consider the fact that the photo becomes a poster that emboldens dictators like Chavez and Castro. It sends a message to those opposing these dictators that they (the leaders) are standing up to the US and that any resistance within their own countries is futile.
Also, (not that I am defining your political position but it is more of a statement applying to the far left), where do the hypocritical Democrats really stand on human rights? Apparantly, when it suits them, they completely igonore infringement or complacency unless they can blame it on Bush or Cheney. Selective criticism does not earn a place of respect in my book. Nor does it establish credibility with any independant thinker.
It pretty much is a joke. Wow, some decides to act diplomatically at a diplomatic conference. How shocking. Meanwhile there are plenty of photos of every President in the last 100 years shaking hands with worse characters, it's called diplomacy.
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...and rightfully so
