With apologies to the late William Safire, who came up with this imaginative format:
“So Netanyahu wants to meet me when he comes to the States for the U.N. General Assembly. Of course he does. Last time he was here and we met, that arrogant SOB showed me up during our joint press availability and delivered me and America a lecture on Palestinian intransigence. Then he goes and gets dozens of standing ovations speaking before a Joint Session of Congress. He makes me look bad, I find myself with fundraising problems, and the chance that in an incredibly close election even the loss of 10,000 Jewish votes in Florida could make all the difference. And who is to blame for my difficulties? Netanyahu. He has stoked this. He has nurtured this. He has made this flower.
“Now here we are, and he wants to corner me again. He wants to talk about Iran. He knows we’re just a few weeks from the election, when it would be best for me to look really tough. But that’s not my strategy here. I want to do what I can to squeeze Iran, but I want to make sure the Iranians have wiggle room to get themselves out of the nuclear trap they’ve walked into without looking as though they’ve surrendered. What does he want? He wants me to establish ‘red lines’ for Iranian conduct that will set up a tripwire. If they cross those lines, war begins.
“Meaning a U.S. war. Bibi figures it would be best if the U.S. did Israel’s work for it, because we have all the weaponry and the long-range capability. He wants to scare me and everybody else by saying, ‘We don’t know if we Israelis can do this, can take the Iranian nuclear program out. But we’ll have to try if you don’t. We may fail. We may do badly and there may be horrible repercussions and loss of life and chaos in the Middle East and oil at $200. But I’m just crazy enough to do it.’
“I don’t think he’s crazy. I think he’s hateful. I think he wants to destroy my presidency and he doesn’t care how he does it. I think this close to the election he wants to force me into a corner I don’t want to be forced into, and get a soapbox to stand on to preach his word while I stand there mutely and say nothing.
“No way. I’m not meeting with him. Let them scream. Let Romney try to play this for votes and money. What’s done is done. I’ve raised the money I can raise and the Jewish vote will go the way the Jewish vote will go. People who really agree with him are not going to vote for me already. I figure no matter what, I can get 60 percent of the Jewish vote and that will have to do.
“Remember what I said to Medvedev? That after the election I’ll have more flexibility? Oh, am I going to flex some of that Bibi’s way. You can count on that.”
"I figure no matter what, I can get 60 percent of the Jewish vote and that will have to do." n nThis will not do! Obama probably cannot win if he only gets 60% of the Jewish vote.
> This will no do! Obama probably cannot win if he only gets 60% of the Hispanic vote. n nFixed!
Bravo to John! This is a super post and the format is divine. n nThat's probably just what Mr. Obama thinks and if anyone believes that after the election–win or lose–Mr. Obama will be more supportive of Israel, well, there's a bridge in Brooklyn for sale, too. n nThe fact is Jewish support for Mr. Obama is waning and if Mr. Obama cared a wit for Jews, or Israel, he'd meet with Mr. Netanyahu. That he snubbed Mr. Netanyahu, yet again, should show just how anti-Israel this president really is. In a more perfect world, Mr. Obama should jump at the chance to meet and stand firm on Iran. That he's not doing so, that his Secretary of State tells the world no red lines, means a nuclear Iran is fine by this administration. n nWhat a disgraceful showing to our closest ally.
Unbelievable?! Zero support for Israel from the Obama administration.
Clinteastwood and the chair/part2
Obama to Netanyahu: n n"Drop dead. And take Israel with you."
Well, he certainly isn't channeling Jim Baker's line because the Jews *do* for for him. n nI'd love to finally have my fellow congregants finally open their eyes to what and who this man is and stands for but alas, it is not to be. Their path is set and they dare not stray lest the truth become too powerful. Sigh.
"Last time he was here and we met, that arrogant SOB showed me up…." n nYeah, and now he's back trying to get the US into another war … on his schedule. No more huffing and puffing about going it alone; he knows now he can't launch a successful attack without US help. They'll probably meet, but I applaud Obama for letting Bibi know that his interference in US politics is not appreciated.
PS — Hey John, as I've written before, nice to see you're still ghettoizing dissent with a continuing score of those who agrees with the right-wing majority. No other site does this that I know of. Tell me, when I reach -100 do I get a star — a yellow one, of course?
Buzz off. The rating score simply means lots more people think you're an ass, than agree with you.
When a-holes like you start to agree with me, then I'll worry.
No need to worry. Pat Buchanan already agrees with you about Israel constantly trying to push the US into war. So do Cynthia what's her name, Code Pink, Michael Moore and David Duke.
No, of course not. A nice RED star for you, comrade!
And a swastika for you, mein herr.
Sorry, Hillel, you've already got the David Duke vote sewn up.
Really? What's the last war that he got the US into? Iraq? Afghistan? WWII? I'm curious to know. n nOr did you mean one of his predecessors got the US into a war. If so, tell me which predecessor and which war? n nYou have always been a shill for Obama, but when did you start channeling Pat Buchanan? Tell us next how "real Americans" with non-Jewish names will be the ones to die in the war that Bibi wants to push the US into.
Exactly. It was vital to Israel that the USA go to war in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya. Yes sir. n nAnd let's not forget the 3billion in aid to Israel, which takes the food off American tables. Never mind the 50B/yr return to the US on Israeli technological contribution to American productivity and military capability. n n nHillel, you are misnamed. You are a moron. And I say that with all due respect. n
Although Hillel the Shill has a nice ring to it. So does Hillel's verbal shilshul.
Still waiting for HillelA the Obama Shill to tell us what wars Bibi or Israel has gotten the US into.
I think the Obama saw the reaction to the Jerusalem vote last week, and figures 'What the hell, no use pretending anymore, and I can't stand the SOB anyways.'
Bibi comes all the way from Israel, and Obama can't make a meeting because he "might not be in town [NYC] at the same time"? please. n nhow many times can Obama diss my people before they get wise? I understand that liberal Jews have a hard time even thinking about voting Republican, but honestly, it's not rocket science. I did it, and so can you! n nif Obama is reelected, Israel is doomed. if I were Bibi, I'd send the planes the day after what promises to be a complete fiasco at the UN.
Let's see. Invite Morsi to the White House, foster and support the Muslim Brotherhood post "Arab Spring", refuse to draw any red lines with Iran and insist on continued diplomacy and sanctions to prevent a nuclear-armed Iran knowing full well how futile all that is and publically snub Netanyahu and alienate our only real ally in the region. n nIf I remember correctly, didn't our American president spend some of his childhood years living in Indonesia and attending an Islamic school? And let's not forget his longstanding association with the Rev. Wright and that ilk. n nPut it all together and a second term is a very scary proposition. n n
I shudder to think of what Obama will do concerning Israel (and other things but especially Israel because I'm a Jew) in a more "flexible" term. So I hope Davidthomson 1 is right that n n…"I figure no matter what, I can get 60 percent of the Jewish vote and that will have to do." n nThis will not do! Obama probably cannot win if he only gets 60% of the Jewish vote… n nI'd be among the 40% plus not voting for the guy.
Since WWII, Adlai Stevenson received 44% of the Jewish vote and he got clubbered. Even though it is wishful thinking on my part, it would be nice to keep the SOB under 44% and really make the difference. n
Secretly thinking?????????? n nReally?????????????????? n nSECRET??????????????????????????????????????????? n nI'd say he telegraphs pretty loudly, myself – like the crack of that 1800's Volcanic explosion on Krakatoa, in fact.
The scheduling conflict is now revealed on Drudge Report – CAMPAIGNING. n nEasy to see how the slump he is in would put campaigning above ALL other considerations.
I'm not precisely sure why we have to do what Israel tells us to do – or why they have to do what we tell them to do. Israel is perfectly free to act as a sovereign state and decide its' own course, and we are perfectly free to let them go it alone if they want to do it "their" way.