Bush Rips Obama Over "Embracing Tyrants"

Without directly mentioning his name, President Bush took a broad swipe at Sen. Barack Obama during his news conference on Thursday, equating Obama's willingness to talk with foreign leaders (both allied and adversarial) to "embracing" tyrants.

The topic of conversation centered on what U.S. policy to Cuba should be in the aftermath of Fidel Castro handing control of the island to his brother Raul. Taking what appeared to be particular pride in having never negotiated with America's enemies, Bush said:

"[Meeting with Raul] will send a discouraging message to those who wonder whether America will continue to work for the freedom of prisoners. It will give great status to those who have suppressed human rights and human dignity. I'm not suggesting there's never a time to talk, but I'm suggesting now is not the time not to talk with Raul Castro."

Dispensing the confusion over what time, exactly, would be appropriate, the reporter who asked the question reminded Bush that no one is saying the U.S should embrace Raul Castro but merely engage the new leader. The president conceded the point, only to ridicule the concept of negotiating-with-your-enemies as "embracing" tyrants once more.

"Sitting down at the table -- having your picture taken with a tyrant such as Raul Castro, for example, lends the status of the office and the status of our country to him. He gains a lot from it by saying, 'look at me, I'm now recognized by the President of the United States.' Now, somebody will say, well, I'm going to tell him to release the prisoners.

Well, it's a theory that all you got to do is embrace and these tyrants act. That's not how they act. That's not what causes them to respond. So I made a decision quite the opposite, and that is to keep saying to the Cuba books people, we stand with you. We will not sit down with your leaders that imprison your people because of what they believe. We will keep an embargo on you. We do want you to have money from people here in the homeland, but we will stay insistent upon this policy until you begin to get free."

For reference, here's what Obama said about meeting with Raul Castro during the Democratic debate in Austin, Texas on Feb. 22:

OBAMA:Now, keep in mind that the starting point for our policy in -- in Cuba should be the liberty of the Cuban people. And I think we recognize that that liberty has not existed throughout the Castro regime. And we now have an opportunity to potentially change the relationship between the United States and Cuba, after over half a century.

I would meet without preconditions, although Senator Clinton is right that there has to be preparation. It is very important for us to make sure that there was an agenda and on that agenda was human rights, releasing of political prisoners, opening up the press. And that preparation might take some time.

But I do think that it is important for the United States not just to talk to its friends but also to talk to its enemies.

In fact, that's where diplomacy makes the biggest difference. (Applause.)

One other thing that I've said as a show of good faith, that we're interested in pursuing potentially a new relationship, what I've called for is a loosening of the restrictions on remittances from family members to the people of Cuba as well as travel restrictions for family members who want to visit their family members in Cuba. And I think that initiating that change in policy as a start and then suggesting that an agenda get set up is something that could be useful, but I would not normalize relations until we started seeing some of the progress that Senator Clinton talked about. [...]

I do think it is important, precisely because the Bush administration has done so much damage to American foreign relations, that the president take a more active role in diplomacy than might have been true 20 or 30 years ago.

Because the problem isn't -- is if we think that meeting with the president is a privilege that has to be earned, I think that reinforces the sense that we stand above the rest of the world at this point in time, and I think that it's important for us, in undoing the damage that has been done over the last seven years, for the president to be willing to take that extra step. That's the kind of step that I would like to take as president of the United States.

Comments

[Mike169]

Dictators and sheiks and emeers
Have been Bush's friends through the years
He holds hands and kisses
These Middle Eastern sissies
And pats them fondly on their rears.

[bitabingbitabangbitaboom]

TIME TO REBOOT AMERICA!

[Gatormouth]

Bush probably feels put out because he feels that OTHER tyrants are getting embraced. I expect it's that he's getting lonely up there

[isisdawnra]

Your brain has BEEN in a slow down for the last 7 SEVEN years!

[Dandy12]

Bush has posed with a whole string of tyrants and crooks, even if it was with a photo of him alone!

[Shanti]

Right on! Bush is such a dum dum that he figures that by taking away our freedoms, the so called tyrants that he refuses to meet, will not hate us anymore!

[Dandy12]

This administration have thrived on having enemies and creating a pervasive atmosphere of fear! The fearmongering in this administration has been the most destructive that I've witnessed in my 58 years!

It is refreshing to see Obama wanting to establish some kind of dialogue, and promoting some degree of understanding. Unlike previous Presidents (especially the present one), we need a near revolutionary foreign policy to assertively open doors, and talk to people face to face.


Clinton should have opened Cuba. If Americans were visiting the island and circulating US Dollars, guess how much influence we would have there. Anyone who understands history knows that Fulgencio Batista, the US and United Fruit Co's guy was not a man of the people either.
After the Bay of Pigs and Kennedy's CIA plan to kill Castro, is it surprising that relations have not been exactly warm.

[Marrob]

I watched this press conference and Bush slammed Obama a couple of times. Am a Hillary supporter, F*** Bush, he's a damn babbling idiot. But he did manage to get 59 million people to vote for him.

[peskyliberal]

I wouldn't let those 59 million people work the fry bin at Micky D's.

[JimR]

Well, Karl did. Give credit where credit is due.

[larmarch5]

If Obama embraced tyrants, he'd be planting a big wet one on Bush -- just like McCain did.

[DennyCrane]

The only time Bush wants us to embrace a tyrant is when the tyrant is him. Seriously, how did we get to this point where talking to a possible enemy was seen as a sign of weakness?

[helonias]

That said from someone who holds hands with the Saudies on a regular basis.

[Macready]

embracing tyrants . ..leaving aside the fact that the chimp and cheney have ridden roughshod over the Constitution and rule of law . . . let's see who bush is in bed with . . . . Musharaff, the Saudi's . . . hmmmmmm . . . thought they were tyrants . . . the liar and chief spins and spins again . ..

[thegreatgiginthesky]

Exactly how is the Saudi king any different from a tyrant?

[MajorKong]

He's OUR tyrant.

[antiparanoid]

Please note how Bush did not rip Clinton over same.

Ah. The land of panic. Where only stupid things can happen.

[ljsfolly]

When history looks back at bush they will see someone who buffo'd himself through two terms and was deeply afraid to speak to anyone in power that he might shoot at later. His lack of diplomatic actions and understanding that there is a better way than just bombing or taking over a country to get what you want/need. The only ones who understood this were cleared out of their offices as soon as they tried to talk diplomatic or encourage talks. Sad but this also meant those who understood what effect would come from what actions bush insisted with Cheney to do. Cheney I am sure thought he knew it all and bush just had to push the buttons and tell who to do what. I think that the majority of the presidents, even Nixon, understood the need for face to face talks. Look at stupid bush saying he could see into Putin's soul. He should have put on those glasses he wears to read. OOPs forgot he doesn't need to read.

[Rianna]

So, is this why Bush has "embraced" that tyrant from North Korea? Isn't it funny, that he decided to attack a sovereign nation, to get one tyrant, which has resulted in the deaths of at least a million people, around 2 million displaced, and nearly three trillion of our money spent, and he treats the tyrant in N. Korea, in a special way?
It is time our incompetent leaders stopped trying to flex US might, and tried to embrace a few bad eggs. It might be less costly in lives and money.
Bush cannot afford to criticize someone who is trying a different way to his failed policies.
He has made a sorry mess, and should be ashamed of himself.

[JimR]

Does anyone listen to this a-hole anymore?

Hey Dubya, at this point everybody is just waiting for you to GO.