NEWSFLASH: If you want to have an open and honest dialogue with someone you have to be, at the very least, civil toward them.

Have the GOP ever heard the old adage - Keep your friends close, keep your enemies even closer? I would want this guy sitting in my lap 24/7. He is a wack-job of the highest caliber.

Won't someone think of our oil? Obama should have had him overthrown in a bloody coup.

"OMFGBBQ! First he bows to the Saudi King (rather than kiss & hold hands with him, I guess) and then he shakes hands with Chavez! He's kowtowing to our enemies!"

Please, Obama has done more to repair US relations overseas in less time than it took Bush to destroy them. Nixon shook hands with Chairman Mao and even his harshest critics will say that his efforts to repair Sino-American relations is one of the shining moments of his administration. Reagan extended the olive branch to Gorbachev and helped bring an end to the Cold War.

A little diplomacy goes a long way, people. Just look at Iran. 8 years of our bad-mouthing & sabre-rattling and in just a few weeks, their own crazy leaders are now willing to talk with us.

brigid_fitch: Please, Obama has done more to repair US relations overseas in less time than it took Bush to destroy them. Nixon shook hands with Chairman Mao and even his harshest critics will say that his efforts to repair Sino-American relations is one of the shining moments of his administration. Reagan extended the olive branch to Gorbachev and helped bring an end to the Cold War.

I don't often do this, but: ^^^ THIS. ^^^

I love how people are trying to talk up being respectful of other people as a bad thing.

Chavez doesn't even know what to do with himself now that Bush is gone. He's desperately trying to reformulate his message so that he can attack America without attacking Obama. Unfortunately for him, Obama's making nice with Cuba is making that difficult.

You see GOP, there are ways to fight our enemies that don't involve bombs and torture.

But it was OK when Reagan shook hands with Gorbachev, right?

Right?

Honestly, I'm having great trouble understanding why this is an issue. As soon I saw the photo I knew that it was going to cause a ruckus amongst certain segments of the press and society. Sadly, I was right.

/Diplomacy, muthafarker. Do you speak it?
//now sees that someone else brought up China and Russia...sorry

Some people just bring dumb to a whole new level. Obama has, in a few months, got the Cubans pledging to discuss things that they've been thumbing their noses at us about for FIVE DECADES. Iran is looking like it's ready to make a deal...and quite frankly we need a deal in that part of the world.

Am I completely on board with some of the Democratic majority/Obama's spending priorities? No. There are some initiatives that I oppose. But damnit, give the man credit where credit is due. If this is the Republican playbook...simply opposing him to oppose him come hell or high water, then I hope they enjoy their time in the wilderness. Because they're going to be there for a long while.

If Obama can swing some reasonable deals which result in other nations (even "enemy" ones) playing constructively with us...then this is a good thing. Bush viewed politics and the world as a strictly zero-sum game. He was very wrong.

It's tragic when we shake hands with despots...

Oh, the humanity...

Unless, I suppose, you look deep into their souls, then is it OK?

Boy, that GW must have just hated America...

And as we know, if you shake hands with someone, you then have shaken hands with everyone they've ever shaken hands with...

Other than the subhead, there's nothing in the article that actually supports the headline. The polls at the end are very interesting, though.

When it comes to dealing with other countries, it seems to me that you have three basic options:

1) Do nothing and hope everything works out fine.
2) Maintain diplomatic relations and try to work out agreements.
3) Start bombing the shiat out of them.

Despite the rantings of ITGs and professional pundit IRL trolls, options 1 and 3 are pretty much never good ideas. Unfortunately, they're easy to say as soundbites, and lot easier to carry out than option 2.

Option 2 is hard work. It requires patience, and judgement, and the wisdom to compromise AND hold on to your values at the same time. It can be messy, and oftentimes you take two steps back for every one step forward.

Worst of all, it often means you have to put up with less than savory characters. Sometimes you have to shake hands with complete despotic jackasses. Sometimes you have to hold hands with Saudi princes. But in the long run, it's the best strategy for achieving your country's peace, prosperity, and security goals.

Ahoy Freepers!!! (new window)

My favorite...

o: NormsRevenge
"I think it was a nice gesture".

No normal human bean could possible believe it was a nice gesture.


3 posted on April 19, 2009 4:25:55 PM CDT by rjones42

Human Bean, indeed...

To borrow from a previous Freeper quote...

"The decent continues"

And of course, there's this one too, with the extension of everyone you shake hands with...

These idiots still haven't figured out the Internet.

Well Done Hubiestubert, well done..
/internet Hi-5

How it should have been done

History shows that the rhetoric, the vitriol, and the demonizing of an enemy or rival can be overcome by the simple gesture of a handshake and the exchange of words, any words. These acts allow us to find out something that we already knew: our enemies are flawed, scared and human, just like us. Diplomacy is the search for common purpose and coexistence. That's a good thing. Right?

John McCain wouldn't have shaken Chavez hand. He would have kicked him in the balls and declared war on Venezuela.

We would also currently be at war with Iran, North Korea, Russia, Cuba, and France if we had The Maverick leading us. McCain would have also captured Bin Laden by now and personally commanded the Navy in a war against Somali pirates.

We need a Real American to lead us through these difficult times.

Forty-Two: brigid_fitch: Please, Obama has done more to repair US relations overseas in less time than it took Bush to destroy them. Nixon shook hands with Chairman Mao and even his harshest critics will say that his efforts to repair Sino-American relations is one of the shining moments of his administration. Reagan extended the olive branch to Gorbachev and helped bring an end to the Cold War.

I don't often do this, but: ^^^ THIS. ^^^

I didn't have a problem with it until Chavez started dry humping Obama's leg. I know the guy was excited to meet our president, but I think the proper protocol of gentle petting and ear nibbles before dry humping should have been followed.

GOP gets their panties in a knot because President Obama didn't ask them "Mother may I?" before shaking hands with Venezuelan President Regular smart Americans laugh at Obama and his retard worshipers as he now apologizes to Hugo Chavez

FTFY

/Honestly, I expected them to get along well together.
//Not much difference in how they think.

What you can't see is the guy on the other end is some dictator or something, and the kitten was freely elected.

As long as the GOP seeks to make talking points out of nothing like this, they will continue their decline into a minor regional party.

As someone who was a Republican before they became completely farked up, stop treating politics like a football game and pay attention to their actual actions. farking mindless automatons.

Chavez is a little tin horn Dictator like Kim Jong Buttface. But I guess that's all right in the new hopey change world.

GaryPDX: Chavez is a little tin horn Dictator like Kim Jong Buttface. But I guess that's all right in the new hopey change world.

God, its just nothing but WWHHAAARRGGGBBLLLL with you, huh?

The GOP is right. We should just invade Venezuela and Cuba and kill the leaders, instead of trying diplomacy. I mean, we saw how well that worked in Iraq!

GaryPDX: Chavez is a little tin horn Dictator like Kim Jong Buttface. But I guess that's all right in the new hopey change world.

And what would you suggest Obama do? Reject going to the meeting because Chavez is there? Turn his back on him when he held out his hand to shake? Kick him in his venezuelan ball sack for justice? The fact is the guy runs a country and even if he is a "tin horn dictator" telling the guy to go fark himself and fark up any chance of diplomatic progress is stupid.

GaryPDX: Chavez is a little tin horn Dictator like Kim Jong Buttface. But I guess that's all right in the new hopey change world.

Of course he is, but he's one who thrives on anti-Americanism. Unfortunately for him, his brand of anti-Americanism is based on hating Bush. Obama is successfully diffusing that bomb by separating America from Bush. Chavez is facing the same problem Republicans are, that is, how do you attack Obama's policies without attacking Obama? One way is to shut your mouth and wait for Obama to make a serious mistake. The other option is the Republican whargarbl method. So far, Hugo Chavez is showing that he's smarter than Republicans.

GaryPDX: Chavez is a little tin horn Dictator like Kim Jong Buttface. But I guess that's all right in the new hopey change world.

By shaking hands with the dude and not being a complete cock bag Obama instantly took away Chavez's primary source of strength, which is anti-American rhetoric. I know that's not as rewarding as going all American on his ass and invading his country, but we're pretty tied up in Iraq and Afghanistan for some reason and really can't invade anyone else now anyway.

its so embarrassing to be a Republican in this day and age. how ever will you distract us from the fact that you were stupid enough to believe that water boarding was only used 4 times?

GaryPDX: Chavez is a little tin horn Dictator like Kim Jong Buttface. But I guess that's all right in the new hopey change world.

What the hell happened to you? You used to make somewhat valid points and commentary. Now you're just a sad husk of your former self. Did your beliefs and reality collide causing your sane half to disintegrate?

I never understand why the President should be expected - nay - required - to shake hands with winners of pageants and college sports teams and boy scout troops and whatever little piddly group, but shaking hands with on of the most influential leaders in the Western Hemisphere is some crime and below the dignity of the president. Silly politics is silly.

What a handshake might look like.

zelachang: GaryPDX: Chavez is a little tin horn Dictator like Kim Jong Buttface. But I guess that's all right in the new hopey change world.

What the hell happened to you? You used to make somewhat valid points and commentary. Now you're just a sad husk of your former self. Did your beliefs and reality collide causing your sane half to disintegrate?

lol..yea..that's it. So Chavez being a little tin horn dictator isn't a valid point?

depmode98: its so embarrassing to be a Republican in this day and age. how ever will you distract us from the fact that you were stupid enough to believe that water boarding was only used 4 times?

Just become a Democrat then or if we get enough Republicans to do a "raid" of the Democrat Party, Democrats will get pissed off and join the Republican Party.

Besides many states are doing well with Democrats controlling everything. We need to vote as many Republicans out of office in the local races in 2009 and again for the state and national in 2010. One America only needs only one political party.

This thread has more shakes than Michael J. Fox.