Will MSM Take Note of Obama’s Kissinger Gaffe?
When John McCain called Barack Obama on his misrepresentation of what former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger said, I thought he might have caught his Democratic rival in the gaffe of the night:
Look, Dr. Kissinger did not say that he would approve of face-to- face meetings between the president of the United States and the president — and Ahmadinejad. He did not say that.
Not only did McCain “win” that portion of the debate, but he caught his rival trying to dress up his foreign policy as something that had the blessing of that widely respected “elder statesman.” Indeed, Kissinger himself “believes Barack Obama misstated his views on diplomacy with US adversaries and is not happy about being mischaracterized:”
Senator McCain is right. I would not recommend the next President of the United States engage in talks with Iran at the Presidential level. My views on this issue are entirely compatible with the views of my friend Senator John McCain. We do not agree on everything, but we do agree that any negotiations with Iran must be geared to reality.
If John McCain had tried to claim a respected Democrat held views similar to his own, the MSM would be all over it. But, like Roger Simon, “My guess is the MSM will do its best to ignore this, because it certainly makes Obama look like a foreign policy amateur.”
Beyond that misrepresentation, Obama did not commit any major blunders in tonight’s debate. He didn’t look as strong or as confidant as John McCain, but did seem more easily rattled than his Republican rival.
Yet, if we had a more even-handed media, they might make much of his attempt to twist Henry Kissinger’s words. Â And of the former Secretary of State’s quick repudiation of the Illinois Democrat.
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Just like the media will make a big deal of McCain’s “Pakistan was a failed state before Musharraf took it over” gaffe? I suppose that makes McCain look like a foreign policy expert?
Obama’s difference with Kissinger was at what level the diplomacy should take place; presidential or lower-level. McCain confused Pakistan’s democracy with, what, anarchy? Apparently; yet the current right-wing again tries to act like proposing diplomacy is equivalent to high treason and ignores historical erorrs made while trying to lecture your opponent on history. Sad.
Comment by torrentprime — September 27, 2008 @ 3:11 am - September 27, 2008
Oh right! It’s Pakistan that’s the shining beacon on the hill. How silly of us. It’s Pakistan that millions of people flock to all the time.
Hey, I wanted to apologize to you, TP. You were right. Comrade Obama should have stayed away from that meeting at the WH (turned FUBAR by him), even if they did call him.
Comment by ThatGayConservative — September 27, 2008 @ 3:56 am - September 27, 2008
Torrent: uh, Pakistan was a failed state before Musharaf’s coup.. the PM , Shariff, was in the hand of Islamists and also responsible for invoking the US sanctions due to their nuclear activity.
Comment by Vince P — September 27, 2008 @ 4:21 am - September 27, 2008
Kissinger has already slapped Obama for it. See Hot Air.
Comment by rightwingprof — September 27, 2008 @ 8:16 am - September 27, 2008
The whole thing underscores Angry Bambi’s phoniness.
Another phony aspect: the Left “anti-war” candidate posing as a guy who wants to *expand* a certain war. (Afghanistan) Riiiiiiiiiight. I really buy your macho act, Angry Bambi. So convincing.
Comment by ILoveCapitalism — September 27, 2008 @ 9:49 am - September 27, 2008
Oh, but lest I forget – “You have a bracelet, too”. Shame on me. (/sarc)
Comment by ILoveCapitalism — September 27, 2008 @ 9:52 am - September 27, 2008
MM points out that Angry Bambi couldn’t even remember the name of ‘his’ soldier:
http://michellemalkin.com/2008/09/26/debate-video-obama-cant-remember-the-soldiers-name-on-his-bracelet/
Comment by ILoveCapitalism — September 27, 2008 @ 10:00 am - September 27, 2008
Pakistan? Obama characterized Pakistan as a democracy loving country that was taken over by a dictator. Heavenly days, Pakistan is a loosely knit amalgamation of whackos and crazies who love to practice for the next dictator olympics. Where did Obama get his idea that “democratically elected” presidents (and candidates) in that country get assassinated because they use the wrong fork or something.
Oh, I forgot, Obama made a fact finding trip when he was in college. We he was seriously broke. And he forgot to explain it in his series of biographies. Barack Putz Obama a regular walking state department of hope and change based on palaver. This guy is looking more and more like the dispatcher at the Amos and Andy taxi company.
Comment by heliotrope — September 27, 2008 @ 10:40 am - September 27, 2008
I hate the way he pronounces Pakistan. If he wins and I have to hear that forever, I’m going to go insane.
Comment by Vince P — September 27, 2008 @ 11:27 am - September 27, 2008
For Vince P:
De Tally Ban go to Packy Stan to tally de bananas. Day-O. Hey Mr. Tally Ban daylight come in Packy Stan and I wanna go home.
Comment by heliotrope — September 27, 2008 @ 1:22 pm - September 27, 2008
Oh Christ. That was awful.
You should have to spend the night with Pelosi as punishment.
Comment by Vince P — September 27, 2008 @ 1:29 pm - September 27, 2008
Oh stop it! You liberals are so full of shit.
Obama has been saying for months that HE would meet with Ahmadinejad personally without precondition in his first year. Obama is running for President, not for some lower level.
The fact is he was caught in a blatant lie, tried to pretend Kissenger backed him up, and dissembled into Clintonian “it depends on what the meaning of is is ” crap. ”
I have a newsflash for Obama and his walking dead followers. We’ve BEEN meeting with Iran, venezuela, North Korea, Syria, ALL ALONG. At lower levels. Since LONG before Obama suggested it. The fact remains that for the same reason we do not negotiate with terrorists, the president should never meet with these despots and rogues without precondition — it legitimizes them and what they do. If you negotiate with terrorists it sends the message to the world: kill enough civilians and get what you want. And if you meet with tyrants without demanding concessions it legitimizes their behavior and puts them on the same level as civilized nations.
Comment by American Elephant — September 27, 2008 @ 2:22 pm - September 27, 2008
Ugh, caught in the filter again.
Comment by American Elephant — September 27, 2008 @ 2:22 pm - September 27, 2008
Oh i think he made a bunch of major blunders.
First and foremost saying McCain was right half a dozen times or more. You can bet good money he wont be doing that again.
Going up against McCain on veterans issues was another, and I’m glad he did it directly since his campaign has been trying to do it through back channels and surrogates for weeks. He looked like a complete ass challenging a wounded and crippled vet on veterans issues, and McCain obliterated him. “Look, I love our veterans. They know I love them and will take care of them”.
His “I have a bracelet too” was ASININE, made even worse by the fact that it was obviously planned ahead of time. Especially the visual of the whole thing. McCain having difficulty raising his bracelet enough for the audience to see because of his torture inflicted wounds and Obama popping his up like an overenthusiastic puppy dog, “pant pant, me too! pant pant! me too!”
Interrupting McCain constantly and even trying to talk over him, I think was also a major blunder. Made him look not only unpresidential, but unprofessional and like he was falling apart, which, of course, he was.
Comment by American Elephant — September 27, 2008 @ 2:37 pm - September 27, 2008
“I hate the way he pronounces Pakistan. If he wins and I have to hear that forever, I’m going to go insane.”
Vince P, don’t you mean you’re going to go “nucular”.
Sorry, I couldn’t resist.
Comment by Draybee — September 27, 2008 @ 3:02 pm - September 27, 2008
AE-
A good list of blunders, but I believe you missed the biggest one of all.
In the last part, during his prepared closing statement, Obama started strong. I thought he was going to blow it when he started with Kenya — but it was a paean to America as a beacon of liberty and opportunity. Great stuff. Then he totally jumped the shark — he said:
Recall that his wife’s careless comment about pride in America was a talking point for months. This clear, prepared statement from the candidate himself is going to come back to haunt him.
It may not appear to be a “gotcha” moment right now, but I really think it will be.
Comment by Clint — September 27, 2008 @ 6:31 pm - September 27, 2008
Before someone jumps in to defend Obama’s statement, keep in mind he was explicitly comparing to the 1960′s.
When the U.S. was fighting in Vietnam (which we’ve heard is kind of like Iraq); when the Civil Rights movement was slowly making progress against segregation and the Klu Klux Klan was still active (this should be attractive to Africans like his dad??); when JFK, RFK, and MLK were all shot by assassins…
There were all kinds of good things too — just worth remembering how far we’ve come. Heck, just the fact that Obama was applauded as a Presidential Candidate at Ole Miss, where U.S. marshals and the National Guard had to be on hand to escort James Meredith onto campus during the era Obama is apparently placing up on a pedestal…
Comment by Clint — September 27, 2008 @ 6:39 pm - September 27, 2008
Well, that, Clint, and you have to remember that Obama is whining about the way people feel about us when those same people haven’t the faintest idea of reality in the United States.
Or, in other words, when people in Europe are upset because they falsely believe we sold Saddam more than a quarter of his weapons, Obama’s response, instead of confronting them and telling them they’re wrong, is to whine and blame US.
Comment by North Dallas Thirty — September 27, 2008 @ 11:20 pm - September 27, 2008