This strange stuff started in recent days with a report by CBS reporter Mark Knoller that a new Obama tweet on Twitter purported to joke about diverting Air Force One to Venezuela (on Obama's way home from Europe) so that Obama could pay Chavez a visit.This week Chavez has taken to the Venezuelan TV airwaves to respond, saying to Obama: "Well, Obama, if you said that, we'll receive you here. I'd shake your hand again." Chavez added that he and Obama would "sit down to talk, to eat socialist arepas" (which are reportedly a type of pancake popular in Venezuela). (Link to full story at bottom).
For the record, I've never cared much for the seemingly chummy relationship that Obama seems willing to have with Chavez, dating back to the early part of Obama's presidency. Maybe I'm just old school, but I think it's beneath a sitting American president to exchange jokes and glad-hands with authoritarian socialist dictators.
I assume Obama's behavior is probably connected somehow to the policy of complete appeasement towards Chavez that's been pursued by both the Obama and George W. Bush administrations -- a policy with which I do not agree and, regardless, certainly does not justify an American president going out of his way to joke and engage in photo ops with the likes of Chavez. Bluntly, I think this kind of behavior is pretty pathetic and reflects quite poorly on the American presidency. I think that just about says it.
http://nation.foxnews.com/culture/2010/11/23/chavez-responds-pres-obama-we-would-eat-socialist-arepas-together
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