Does Obama not know Sarkozy is the French President?

twogreen2c

VIP Member
Feb 13, 2009
222
84
78
Wilmington, DE
It has supposedly been reported in last Thursday's online edition of the the French paper, Le Figaro, that Obama sent a letter to former President, Jacques Chirac, thinking he was the current President. What makes it so insulting is that he met Nicolas Sarkozy. Has anyone here heard this story. The bloggers are having fun with it. I am having a hard time believing that Obama and his administration could be that dumb. If this is true, Obama is making Joe Biden look smart. Boy this stuff is great material for Saturday Night Live.
 
Last edited:
Yes, I also heard about this.

Obama Reaches Out to Chirac - Another Snub? | Atlantic Council

One blogger had some hilarious words for Obama:

The list of Obama gaffs and diplomatic messes seems almost endless. I’ve lost track. There are several a day it seems. Of course, the media hardly notices, presumably because they are still covering for his lack of experience and sophistication. The affront is just not as important as the glow that emanates from the person of Obama.

What can anyone expect? There are like HUNDREDS of countries out there and all of them have people who are in charge of them. There tons of names for the people in charge. Some of them are presidents, some are prime ministers. There’s Dear Leaders and Supreme Ayatollahs. There’s Chancellors, Kings, Queens, Emperors and Empresses. How is a man supposed to have learned all of them in just two short months? Not to mention, he has to learn all their names too and which country they go with. It has to be so confusing!! Like a crash study course before a big exam. Remember cramming for the test? It was so easy to forget which answer went with which question. Its kind of like that. Does Sarkozy go with France or Belgium? Is Brown a Prime Minister or President? Is Queen Elizabeth the Queen of England or of Europe? Look at Putin, he’s president and then prime minister of Russia. How’s someone supposed to keep that straight?

Have you ever read some of their names? They are confusing and hard to pronounce. Why do people expect him to have all of this memorized already? I bet you’d have trouble remembering it all.

Of course, most Presidents have people who remember stuff for them, but Obama hasn’t gotten around to filling all those cabinet positions yet. That’s a lot of work and he has comedy shows to do and tons of American capital to spend.

Obama Sarkozy Snub? » Blue Star Chronicles
 
Ah, the right, are they ever right about anything?

Obama was merely replying to a Chirac letter who was writing him as the head of his foundation — the Jacques Chirac Foundation for sustainable development and cultural dialogue.

The foundation is promoting access to water and medicines in west Africa, combating deforestation in the Congo Basin, and trying to save dying languages in Polynesia, according to a spokesman who helped set up the foundation.

Obama writes letter to Chirac - blogosphere goes crazy | csmonitor.com
 
Yes, I also heard about this.

Obama Reaches Out to Chirac - Another Snub? | Atlantic Council

One blogger had some hilarious words for Obama:

The list of Obama gaffs and diplomatic messes seems almost endless. I’ve lost track. There are several a day it seems. Of course, the media hardly notices, presumably because they are still covering for his lack of experience and sophistication. The affront is just not as important as the glow that emanates from the person of Obama.

What can anyone expect? There are like HUNDREDS of countries out there and all of them have people who are in charge of them. There tons of names for the people in charge. Some of them are presidents, some are prime ministers. There’s Dear Leaders and Supreme Ayatollahs. There’s Chancellors, Kings, Queens, Emperors and Empresses. How is a man supposed to have learned all of them in just two short months? Not to mention, he has to learn all their names too and which country they go with. It has to be so confusing!! Like a crash study course before a big exam. Remember cramming for the test? It was so easy to forget which answer went with which question. Its kind of like that. Does Sarkozy go with France or Belgium? Is Brown a Prime Minister or President? Is Queen Elizabeth the Queen of England or of Europe? Look at Putin, he’s president and then prime minister of Russia. How’s someone supposed to keep that straight?

Have you ever read some of their names? They are confusing and hard to pronounce. Why do people expect him to have all of this memorized already? I bet you’d have trouble remembering it all.

Of course, most Presidents have people who remember stuff for them, but Obama hasn’t gotten around to filling all those cabinet positions yet. That’s a lot of work and he has comedy shows to do and tons of American capital to spend.

Obama Sarkozy Snub? » Blue Star Chronicles

The position of "remembering stuff for the President" in this case isn't even a Cabinet position. He has a secretary who's supposed to do this for him.

It's been suggested in the first linked article that he was referring to working with Chirac in the context of the foundation Chirac heads, rather than as President of France, which he obviously isn't. But it was still not the most diplomatic move ever made.
 
Ah, the right, are they ever right about anything?

Obama was merely replying to a Chirac letter who was writing him as the head of his foundation — the Jacques Chirac Foundation for sustainable development and cultural dialogue.

The foundation is promoting access to water and medicines in west Africa, combating deforestation in the Congo Basin, and trying to save dying languages in Polynesia, according to a spokesman who helped set up the foundation.

Obama writes letter to Chirac - blogosphere goes crazy | csmonitor.com

I did say in my post I had a hard time believing this. I didn't state it as a fact and put out the post to see what others knew.
 
Yes, I also heard about this.

Obama Reaches Out to Chirac - Another Snub? | Atlantic Council

One blogger had some hilarious words for Obama:

The list of Obama gaffs and diplomatic messes seems almost endless. I’ve lost track. There are several a day it seems. Of course, the media hardly notices, presumably because they are still covering for his lack of experience and sophistication. The affront is just not as important as the glow that emanates from the person of Obama.
What can anyone expect? There are like HUNDREDS of countries out there and all of them have people who are in charge of them. There tons of names for the people in charge. Some of them are presidents, some are prime ministers. There’s Dear Leaders and Supreme Ayatollahs. There’s Chancellors, Kings, Queens, Emperors and Empresses. How is a man supposed to have learned all of them in just two short months? Not to mention, he has to learn all their names too and which country they go with. It has to be so confusing!! Like a crash study course before a big exam. Remember cramming for the test? It was so easy to forget which answer went with which question. Its kind of like that. Does Sarkozy go with France or Belgium? Is Brown a Prime Minister or President? Is Queen Elizabeth the Queen of England or of Europe? Look at Putin, he’s president and then prime minister of Russia. How’s someone supposed to keep that straight?

Have you ever read some of their names? They are confusing and hard to pronounce. Why do people expect him to have all of this memorized already? I bet you’d have trouble remembering it all.

Of course, most Presidents have people who remember stuff for them, but Obama hasn’t gotten around to filling all those cabinet positions yet. That’s a lot of work and he has comedy shows to do and tons of American capital to spend.
Obama Sarkozy Snub? » Blue Star Chronicles

The position of "remembering stuff for the President" in this case isn't even a Cabinet position. He has a secretary who's supposed to do this for him.

It's been suggested in the first linked article that he was referring to working with Chirac in the context of the foundation Chirac heads, rather than as President of France, which he obviously isn't. But it was still not the most diplomatic move ever made.

Bush Fails Quiz on Foreign Affairs

:eusa_whistle:
 

Which was a GOTCHA MOMENT" for Bush:
"Glen Johnson - Associated Press Writer - Thursday, Nov. 4, 1999

WASHINGTON –– Texas Gov. George W. Bush was hit with a surprise quiz on foreign affairs and scored only 25 percent. The Republican presidential front-runner sat down Wednesday with WHDH-TV, the NBC affiliate in Boston, and was asked to name the leaders of four current world hot spots: Chechnya, Taiwan, India and Pakistan.

He was able to give a partial response to just one: Taiwan.

That drew immediate criticism from the camp of Democrat Al Gore, which said the vice president could have answered all four correctly.....
could not answer who is the president of Chechnya," Hughes added.....

Hiller asked: "Can you name the president of Chechnya?"
"No, can you?" Bush replied.

"Can you name the president of Taiwan?" Hiller asked.
"Yeah, Lee,'" responded Bush, referring to Taiwanese President Lee Teng-hui.

"Can you name the general who is in charge of Pakistan?" asked Hiller, inquiring about Gen. Pervaiz Musharraf, who took over last month in a military coup.
Bush said: "The new Pakistani general, he's just been elected – not elected, this guy took over office. It appears this guy is going to bring stability to the country and I think that's good news for the subcontinent."
Hiller persisted, saying "Can you name him?"
Bush said: "General. I can name the general. General."

"And the prime minister of India?" asked Hiller, inquiring about a man who was recently re-elected and who last year tested a nuclear bomb.
Bush said: "The new prime minister of India is – no."

At that point, Bush responded in kind to Hiller.
"Can you name the foreign minister of Mexico?" asked the governor, whose home state borders the Central American nation.
The reporter replied, "No sir, but I would say to that, I'm not running for president."
Bush said: "What I'm suggesting to you is, if you can't name the foreign minister of Mexico, therefore, you know, you're not capable about what you do. But the truth of the matter is you are, whether you can or not."

For the record, the president in Chechnya.... is Aslan Maskhadov.
The prime minister of India is Atal Bihari Vajpayee. "
 

Forum List

Back
Top