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Wayne Besen
PO Box 25491
Brooklyn, NY 11202
Speaking on Wednesday from the same lectern Mr. Bush had occupied the day before, President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela announced, to gasps and even giggles: "The devil came here yesterday, right here. "It smells of sulfur still today, this table that I am now standing in front of," he said
If there is one thing Americans can't stand is some self-important tin horn twit coming to this country to insult our leaders. Even people who can't stand Bush do not want to see this rude, obnoxious and disrespectful behavior coming from a foreign leader. Chavez has shown himself to be beneath his position and unworthy of his title.
If his intention was to galvanize support it sorely backfired. Leave it to Chavez and Iran's Ahmadinejad to make Bush look reasonable and earn sympathy. Word to foreign louts: Leave the Bush-bashing to Americans and find the time to attend charm school where you can learn about class.
13 Comments:
I applaud Chavez for having the courage to say what many others are thinking.
The United States has had its foot on the throat of latin america for far too long.
posted by Anonymous, at
9/21/2006 11:08 AM
George W. Bush is not my leader! He isn't a leader at all. He is a tyrant and a terrorist. He has political motivations instead of morals. He's responsible for equating the word "America" with the approval of torture, the abominable concept of "pre-emptive war", war profiteering and indifference to victims of natural disaster. He's sent thousands of our brave soldiers to their demise under false pretenses. He's been filmed cracking jokes about what's going on in Iraq. As a man, he's about as close to the definition of a Satanic being as I've ever seen.
I am not a supporter of Hugo Chavez. I'm suspicious of his motives. However, I've got to give the man credit. He spoke the truth yesterday. George W. Bush is indeed demonic! My co-workers and I have been saying so among ourselves for months. It's about time somebody said it in a public forum, and I wish it had been an American instead of a Venezuelan. Denouncing Bush and upholding American values and principles are synonymous acts. They are patriotic acts. We can't follow blindly behind someone given to evil action just because he holds the title of leader. We have an historical example of what happens when a nation does that. It's called Nazi Germany.
posted by DC HAMPTON JACOBS, at
9/21/2006 11:31 AM
The only smell of sulfur present would have been from this lout's farts. He was just "talking to Buncombe", i.e., Latin America. The real problem is that thanks to Bush's doltish policies, Chavez will be taken seriously.
There is an old tale about two men. One of them could make a friend by the way he told someone "no"; the other could make an enemy by the way he told someone "yes". We have a doofus in the White House who is like the second man, and who goes around saying "no" to boot. And people wonder why anti-Americanism is on the rise everywhere, not just the Islamic world.
posted by Anonymous, at
9/21/2006 1:43 PM
Wayne,
well put. Bush may be a blithering idiot, but he's our blithering idiot. And attacks on Bush by foreign leaders visiting our countly feel just a bit too much to most folk like an attack on us.
posted by Timothy Kincaid, at
9/21/2006 6:14 PM
Whether we agree with our President or not, we can't abide another country putting our country down. As much as I disagree with...well, everything he had done since placed in office by the Supreme Court, I truly believe that he thinks he is doing the right thing. I don't know if this is good or bad, but I think it is fact. But when they attack him, unfortunately, they attack us. Furthermore, Chavez showed no class by choosing such a venue to mount his opposition to the adminstration. Diplomacy does work, in every aspect of life. And a leader of a nation should know this.
posted by jekelhyde, at
9/21/2006 9:11 PM
Why can't I shake the feeling that these comments in defense of an indefensible leader from loyal Americans echo words spoken by loyal German citizens sixty years ago at the height of the Third Reich? If you honestly feel that attacking George W. Bush is the equivalent of attacking the United States, I suggest you re-read the United States Constitution and think about whether your "President" embodies the principles and values enshrined within that document.
posted by DC HAMPTON JACOBS, at
9/22/2006 10:42 AM
I don't think Hugo Chavez did the democrats any favors.
posted by Anonymous, at
9/22/2006 2:02 PM
no, i don't have a problem with him jumping on Bush, i just don't like the venue in which he chose to do it. he's been attacking the president for ages now but to do it at the U.N. is a different story entirely. To attack the representative of this country at the United Nations is to attack the country. Furthermore, I don't believe that Bush is evil. i just think he's an idiot. Just my opinion, but I am probably not alone.
posted by jekelhyde, at
9/22/2006 2:51 PM
Sorry, JH, but you're wrong; he didn't attack us. He attacked George W. Bush, and it's hardly the same thing. God forbid that it even be thought of as the same thing! I pledge allegiance to the flag, not to the current occupant of the White House; my patriotism isn't blind. I've read the full text of Chavez's speech, and while I didn't agree with everything he said, his comments about Bush were 100% on point!
The man is indeed evil. The office of President doesn't make him any less so! He's a liar, a thief, a torturer, a dictator and a murderer. He has the innocent blood of both Americans and Iraquis on his hands! I don't care if Fidel Castro, Augusto Pinochet, Josef Stalin and Idi Amin had all been on that podium saying the same things Chavez said about him. They wouldn't have rated a word of condemnation from me for that reason.
When will progressives and moderates stop dismissing conservative leaders as idiots? We heard the same thing about Ronald Reagan. "Oh, he's not very smart, he's senile, he's a lightweight." If they're such lightweights, why do they keep winning the White House and the Congress? Who's responsible for the fascist policies they put into effect if not they themselves? We've all become far too complacent, far too willing to accept an unacceptable status quo. Frankly, I'm afraid of what this attitude will lead to. Rome is burning before our eyes, and we think somebody's just having a bonfire.
posted by DC HAMPTON JACOBS, at
9/22/2006 4:42 PM
Fascinating to hear Chavez acknowledge that the Devil actually exists.
posted by Anonymous, at
9/22/2006 4:57 PM
Just two more years, Stuffed Animal. And the tide is shifting. We can only hope that the next president can undo all the harm Bush has done to the reputation of our nation.
posted by jekelhyde, at
9/22/2006 9:00 PM
Wayne, usually you say good things but you are clueless on this one. Did you not see that there was loud applause after Chavez spoke.
