the missus has a question for you obamabots....

[Article 15]

Gee, I must think it's a big deal.
Oh wait, I didn't say that, but you tried to insinuate it.

You jumped into the thread to take a jab at Hillary by saying it was a "fact" that Bill went because she wasn't up to the job. I smelled BS (which it was) and that was the only reason why I even engaged you in the first place.

What about Hillary's broken arm? seriously.

I forgot about that.

I wonder if she's even out of the cast yet.

As I recall it was a shattered elbow?

 

[elvis]

You jumped into the thread to take a jab at Hillary by saying it was a "fact" that Bill went because she wasn't up to the job. I smelled BS (which it was) and that was the only reason why I even engaged you in the first place.

What about Hillary's broken arm? seriously.

I forgot about that.

I wonder if she's even out of the cast yet.

As I recall it was a shattered elbow?

yes. a wicked injury, i imagine.

 

[jillian]

If that's true then I'd venture to say political theatre is the reason why.

Such theatre usually has a goal, but what is the goal?

kim jong il said he's only release the women if he was sent a high level diplomat. They wouldn't send the president... that's too high... a former president shows a little respect to the little dude....

and clinton told him that he wasn't coming to NK UNLESS the women were going to be on the plane back with him.

nothing wrong with that.

seems you've got your nose out of joint about nothing. i'm finding that confusing.

 

[elvis]

Hillary should have gone. I wonder if Bill went because of her injury.

 

[Xenophon]

If that's true then I'd venture to say political theatre is the reason why.

Such theatre usually has a goal, but what is the goal?

kim jong il said he's only release the women if he was sent a high level diplomat. They wouldn't send the president... that's too high... a former president shows a little respect to the little dude....

and clinton told him that he wasn't coming to NK UNLESS the women were going to be on the plane back with him.

nothing wrong with that.

seems you've got your nose out of joint about nothing. i'm finding that confusing.

Why did the white house deny setting it up is the quetion.

The best answer I acn supply is they made a deal that they didn't want revealed, something they know would be politically damaging.

Its yet another nail in the 'most open and honset admin ever' coffin.

 

[Sweet Willy]

This is not out of the ordinary.

It was a good opportunity for everyone involved and appears to have been well executed.

If you're whining about this, you evidently like the sound of your own whining.

 

[Darkwind]

Let me see if I have this right….

So Clinton goes to N. Korea and gets those 2 Chinese-American female journalists a pardon….Why couldn’t or why didn’t our president do that himself? One leader to another…ya know, one of those moments that should have happened with our current president and not a former president stepping on Obama’s dick opportunity to prove himself??? I hear it was ‘unannounced’??? Bullshit… There must have been ‘prior assurance’ that Bill could seal the deal and leave with them both or he wouldn’t have gone…

Was he (Obama) just too busy having beers with a wronged Black teacher and the bad White cop to try and calm some racial tension that he should have NEVER been a part of anyway?????

Is it just that Obama’s people are stupid? Is it just that Clinton jumped at a chance to undermine Obama’s authority? NO because Clinton couldn’t do it without Obama’s permission…

So why wasn’t Obama the one to get their release??? Was he REALLY just too busy dealing with the issues of one (safe and free in America) black man who felt he was being harassed because of his color to help 2 Chinese women trapped in a prison in another country? PRISON - Not free on bail/bond and sitting on the lawn of the White House drinking Red Stripe or Bud Light…PRISON!!! Hard labor…Scary stuff…

No sexual remarks about Clinton’s persuasion techniques…I already asked myself ‘who did Bill blow to get those gals free?’…

If anything goes wrong with any of us, our friends or our family, I betcha a non-American brewed beer (like Red Stripe and Bud Light) that Obama won’t get involved… and neither would Bill… I’m just sayin’…

This was actually a shrewed political move on Mr. Obama's part.

Official US policy is that we do not directly negotiate with terrorist states and while he hisself has said that he would extend his hand (to have it cut off) if they would unclench their fist he also realizes that at the level of Secretary of State or an Ambassador he would just be setting himself up for embarrassment.

He can now claim that Clinton acted on his own (even though we all know that they have been in touch on this) while maintaining that detached air of a super power dealing with a troubled child.

Kudos for getting those journalists freed.

 

[Nevadamedic]

Let me see if I have this right….

So Clinton goes to N. Korea and gets those 2 Chinese-American female journalists a pardon….Why couldn’t or why didn’t our president do that himself? One leader to another…ya know, one of those moments that should have happened with our current president and not a former president stepping on Obama’s dick opportunity to prove himself??? I hear it was ‘unannounced’??? Bullshit… There must have been ‘prior assurance’ that Bill could seal the deal and leave with them both or he wouldn’t have gone…

Was he (Obama) just too busy having beers with a wronged Black teacher and the bad White cop to try and calm some racial tension that he should have NEVER been a part of anyway?????

Is it just that Obama’s people are stupid? Is it just that Clinton jumped at a chance to undermine Obama’s authority? NO because Clinton couldn’t do it without Obama’s permission…

So why wasn’t Obama the one to get their release??? Was he REALLY just too busy dealing with the issues of one (safe and free in America) black man who felt he was being harassed because of his color to help 2 Chinese women trapped in a prison in another country? PRISON - Not free on bail/bond and sitting on the lawn of the White House drinking Red Stripe or Bud Light…PRISON!!! Hard labor…Scary stuff…

No sexual remarks about Clinton’s persuasion techniques…I already asked myself ‘who did Bill blow to get those gals free?’…

If anything goes wrong with any of us, our friends or our family, I betcha a non-American brewed beer (like Red Stripe and Bud Light) that Obama won’t get involved… and neither would Bill… I’m just sayin’…

As much as I hate Clinton I have to say he is and was way more experienced and better equipped to handle this then Obama. I think that honestly Obama was to afraid to go in there and blow it because of his inexperience, especially because his inexperience is showing at everything he does. Of course they couldn't send Hillary because they don't respect women in that part of the world and Obama has learned he has to keep a leash on Biden because he lets top secret classified information slip out of his mouth or says other innipropriate things, so who is left to send, Richardson? Nope, he is busy fending off legal charges, so that leaves Bill.

Also I am sure it's a benefit to Hillary since that means Bill wont be left home alone while shes on a trip out of the country.

 

[hjmick]

Also I am sure it's a benefit to Hillary since that means Bill wont be left home alone while shes on a trip out of the country.

Yeah, because Bill on a plane for eighteen hours with two attractive young women is always a good idea.

 

[Chris]

When Obama picked Hillary as his Secretary of State, many of us imagined that Bill would be involved in some capacity.

Good teamwork.

 

[Political Junky]

No idea, last things Gibbs said was there are no real protests, its all faux outrage, he didn't bother with anything else.

You have no idea, yet you just called Obama a liar. LOL

 

[DiveCon]

No idea, last things Gibbs said was there are no real protests, its all faux outrage, he didn't bother with anything else.

You have no idea, yet you just called Obama a liar. LOL

maybe because he DID lie

 

[Darkwind]

No idea, last things Gibbs said was there are no real protests, its all faux outrage, he didn't bother with anything else.

You have no idea, yet you just called Obama a liar. LOL

Mr. Obama is a liar.

 

[mattskramer]

Let me see if I have this right….

So Clinton goes to N. Korea and gets those 2 Chinese-American female journalists a pardon….Why couldn’t or why didn’t our president do that himself? One leader to another…ya know, one of those moments that should have happened with our current president and not a former president stepping on Obama’s dick opportunity to prove himself??? I hear it was ‘unannounced’??? Bullshit… There must have been ‘prior assurance’ that Bill could seal the deal and leave with them both or he wouldn’t have gone…

Was he (Obama) just too busy having beers with a wronged Black teacher and the bad White cop to try and calm some racial tension that he should have NEVER been a part of anyway?????

Is it just that Obama’s people are stupid? Is it just that Clinton jumped at a chance to undermine Obama’s authority? NO because Clinton couldn’t do it without Obama’s permission…

So why wasn’t Obama the one to get their release??? Was he REALLY just too busy dealing with the issues of one (safe and free in America) black man who felt he was being harassed because of his color to help 2 Chinese women trapped in a prison in another country? PRISON - Not free on bail/bond and sitting on the lawn of the White House drinking Red Stripe or Bud Light…PRISON!!! Hard labor…Scary stuff…

No sexual remarks about Clinton’s persuasion techniques…I already asked myself ‘who did Bill blow to get those gals free?’…

If anything goes wrong with any of us, our friends or our family, I betcha a non-American brewed beer (like Red Stripe and Bud Light) that Obama won’t get involved… and neither would Bill… I’m just sayin’…

LOL. This is one of the most “non-issue” thread starters that I have ever read. Why did Obama wear what he wore today? Why did he eat what he ate? Why is the sky blue? Why doesn’t Obama do more things on his own? Why doesn’t he hire more assistants? I think that the only thing that we can get out of this thread is a speculation and guessing game. Perhaps Obama had other plans or concerns. Perhaps he thought that Clinton was better suited for the job. Perhaps Clinton was on better relations or had more clout with Kim Jing-Il. Perhaps Obama does not like the way that the North Korean looks. Isn’t it enough to acknowledge what was accomplished? The reporters are back.

Oh. I just thought of some more possibilities. Perhaps he does not like the weather over there this time of year. Perhaps he didn’t fill like traveling. Perhaps Clinton was not too busy and wanted to travel anyway.

 

[Xenophon]

No idea, last things Gibbs said was there are no real protests, its all faux outrage, he didn't bother with anything else.

You have no idea, yet you just called Obama a liar. LOL

Reality calls Obama a liar, and it needs no help.

 

[strollingbones]

That seems to be it.

Bubba knew before hand they would be released as I posted LAST NIGHT before he went there, so this was staged.

The question is, why.

If that's true then I'd venture to say political theatre is the reason why.

Such theatre usually has a goal, but what is the goal?

control of the democratic party? that is the goal...and always has been...the clintons are in control of the party...and want to remain so...obama may be potus...but the clintons still control the party and this shows that...

it is however, a bad move. it shows once again that hillary is nothing without bill...she should have womaned up and done her job without calling in bill....face it.. bill could charm the rattle out of a rattlesnake...

why does this piss anyone off? didnt the parents appeal to clinton for help....the people are getting out of jail...would you have preferred the ladies rot in a n korean jail...
and what if it is staged...arent most political moments...."mission accomplished" etc?
who was the war hero...saved from the hospital? what was her name again? all that turned out to be "staged"

 

[Ravi]

Former presidents are called upon to do things all the time. Especially the ones that are good at getting results.

Imagine if Dubya had been sent?

 

[Xenophon]

We'd be at war with North korea.

 

[Annie]

Well NK put out a statement that seems to say there was some thawing in US approach, after giving an 'apology'. Then there was the 'presidential type' photo op. Well the photo isn't deniable, the rest? I mean even I would trust administration over NK:

The Gaggle : More Details from the White House on Bill Clinton's Trip to North Korea

Posted Tuesday, August 04, 2009 11:45 PM
More Details from the White House on Bill Clinton's Trip to North Korea
Holly Bailey
The White House finally broke its silence on President Clinton’s trip to North Korea, where he facilitated the release of two detained U.S. journalists. Laura Ling and Euna Lee were pardoned Tuesday by North Korean leader Kim Jong Il after being detained four months ago after authorities there accused them of illegally entering the country. The women, both journalists for Current TV, had been sentenced to 12 years in a hard labor camp, but North Korea freed the women after Clinton’s visit today. The two are now en route to California on Clinton’s chartered jet, where they will be reunited with their families early Wednesday....

As arrangements were made, Clinton was subsequently briefed several times by administration officials, most recently at the home he shares here in Washington with his wife, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. (No word on her direct involvement.) According to a White House official, Clinton didn’t speak with President Obama about the trip—according to Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, the two men haven’t spoken since March when both attended an environmental event. Gore, however, did speak with Obama directly about Lee and Ling. But that’s not the only talking that went on. According to the senior administration official, upon word that Clinton would travel to the region, the White House and State Department quickly reached out to China, Russia and other allies in the so-called six-party talks aimed at convincing North Korea to drop its nuclear ambitions to make clear what the trip was about. “(We) consulted directly with allies to ensure that they understood what the trip was about and what it wasn't about,” the official said.

In Pyongyang, Clinton and his aides met with Kim Jong Il for about an hour and 15 minutes before the two sides sat down for a two hour dinner. An Obama official said the principal discussion was about the fate of Lee and Ling but said Clinton did bring up other humanitarian issues, including the imprisonment of Japanese and North Korea’s treatment of South Koreans. Asked if the issue of nuclear weapons came up, the Obama aide suggested it likely did, but bluntly admitted, “I don’t know.” Clinton is expected to more fully brief administration officials on what we went down in coming days. One thing the White House is sure on: Clinton did not apologize for the two journalists, as North Korea’s state-owned media suggested....

 

[American Horse]

Let me see if I have this right….

So Clinton goes to N. Korea and gets those 2 Chinese-American female journalists a pardon….Why couldn’t or why didn’t our president do that himself? ....I hear it was ‘unannounced’??? Bullshit… There must have been ‘prior assurance’ that Bill could seal the deal and leave with them both or he wouldn’t have gone…

Was he (Obama) just too busy having beers with a wronged Black teacher and the bad White cop to try and calm some racial tension that he should have NEVER been a part of anyway?????

Is it just that Obama’s people are stupid? Is it just that Clinton jumped at a chance to undermine Obama’s authority? NO because Clinton couldn’t do it without Obama’s permission…

So why wasn’t Obama the one to get their release???

Both the president and the Secretary of State are of too high of an echelon to deal with the release of these two women. Bill was the perfect choice, and there is little doubt that the release was pre-arranged.

Agreed.

The real question should be, what was the price for this release?

I'd like to know that as well.

Clinton, Loral, and the release of the two journalist from N Korea

This is a payback moment for Bill Clinton, and all he did for the Chinese vis-à-vis their space program. Before Space Systems/Loral and Clinton the Chinese were minor players in access to space missions. After Loral & Clinton the Chinese are a space power of the first magnitude. This may be payback to Bill. Consider that China controls the lifelines for N. Korea, and can get pretty much what it wants, if it asks.

The credit in this case should mostly go to Hillary; it’s her "Prom-Queen" moment, burnishing her credentials more than Obama’s because of family ties. But everyone’s a winner, including Obama, and an excellent tie in for Hillary in the future should she run for president when Obama's prospects have dimmed.

Item: In 2002, Loral also agreed to pay the U.S. government a multimillion-dollar fine involving investigations into the illegal export of advanced missile technology to China.

washingtonpost.com: President Clinton Overrode China Launch Concerns
washingtonpost.com: House Rebukes Clinton on China Satellite Export
washingtonpost.com: Loral Denies Benefits in Return for Donations
washingtonpost.com: Clinton Defends Satellite Waiver to Loral for China launches
Washingtonpost.com: Justice Dept. Investigates Satellite Exports
Washingtonpost.com: News Story - Ex-Official: Signs of Chinese Sale Snubbed