Kissinger: "Obama Is Like A Chess Player"

In a long interview with Germany's Der Spiegel, former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger compared President Obama to a chess player making an opening move.

SPIEGEL: Do you think it was helpful for Obama to deliver a speech to the Islamic world in Cairo? Or has he created a lot of illusions about what politics can deliver?

Kissinger: Obama is like a chess player who is playing simultaneous chess and has opened his game with an unusual opening. Now he's got to play his hand as he plays his various counterparts. We haven't gotten beyond the opening game move yet. I have no quarrel with the opening move.

Read the whole interview here.

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Comments

[Hare]

I don't care what this world criminal has to say.

[KriTiKiT]

Hell yeah, like I keep telling people... he wins by not publishing his move

[Collielady]

Obama is a political Bobby Fischer? I can see that.

[booboo111]

Who cares what Kissinger has to say. Elder statesman my a.s.s. He should be in jail for the Laos and Cambodia bombing campaigns.

[repearwo]

Can not disagree with that. I am glad there are others that know that the Killng Fields was a direct result of Nixon-Kissinger's installation of the Lon Nol government so they could invade Cambodia. Kissinger has more that just that to pay for Allende and many others.

[bola47]

and extending the war long after it was lost and murdering thousands of american soldiers.

[BCLance]

Amazing, isn't it? And he has somehow parleyed a record of immorality into a reputation as a leading diplomat, despite the fact that the long-term realities of his initiatives are failures.

[Montgriz]

Bingo!

[fallout4U]

I think he already lost his queen....

[eggygen]

I have won many a games on a queen's gambit.

[Chace Haynes]

Indeed

[repearwo]

Hard to do on an opening move.

[cruzking2000]

You must be good at hiding then....

[deepfreezevideo]

I wish Kissinger was more like Robert McNamara, in his current state.

[joanjourne]

THIS you print, mine you gotta hold for approval?? He means 'deceased', y'know!

[ciarequital]

LLLOL

[Hare]

ditto

[Montgriz]

sooner or later we all will be...the trick is to not do the evil things both of those people have done....

[wonketteRAWKS]

Sounds like Kissiner has been reading HuffPo.

[Hammerofthor]

On the day Robert McNamara dies, why do you put this other old war criminal in our faces?

[RowJimmy]

Kissinger has been chummy with every president since Carter. He is a globalist who works in the interest of international banks. Why this unelected foreign policy meddler has so much influence with our government is beyond me.

[Chace Haynes]

He is the senior link between corporate elites and their $$$ interests, and our government.

[BCLance]

Just because he's one of the most *famous* war profiteer doesn't mean he's the *only* one. It makes me sick to hear presidents and presidential candidates praise him.

[anothervoice]

Mom and I were discussing this the other day. President Obama is not just smart, as in IQ, he's emotionally smart, or has a high EQ. You can see it in a press conference, where he answers the question completely, but also respects the source of the question - even to the degree of understanding the political landscape behind the particular question. A high EQ is especially effective in interpersonal relationships and would probably be very useful in any kind of political or diplomatic negotiations. He makes people comfortable.

I could go on and on, but I think we have a really good executive here. In eight years, we'll wish he had another four.

[RowJimmy]

EQ? Utter non-sense

[ciarequital]

Not nonsense, spot on. On the other hand, your EQ is quite low.

[anothervoice]

Don't take my word for it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emotional_intelligence

[JustLucky]

Absolutely right. Well said.

[kesmarn]

As you mentioned, it's very interesting to watch him in action at a press conference. He's very respectful of earnest questioners, as you noted, but he's not afraid to confront someone who seems to be interested only in trying to trip him up. One woman was grilling him on whether or not he was still smoking, how many? around others or alone? etc., etc. And he gave her "the look" and said: "This is basically a human interest question and I understand why you're asking it." She interrupted: "No, no..." And he said: "Yes, yes, it is. And here's what I have to say..." Then he answered the question in terms of how children would be affected (it was a conference on the FDA taking over on nicotine issues) in the future. And that was it. Case closed. The velvet hammer came down.

[pearlx2]

VERY astute of you and your Mom to recognize this in our President and express it so well. Unfortunately too many Americans miss the subtle things in life, probably due to mis- and under-education. A lot of them only respect bluff, bullying and bluster, especially Republicans.

[pleaseIMPEACH]

Obama is playing chess of the political kind.

He of course is playing the white pieces! (white always moves first)

Obama (w) v World (b)

Ruy Lopez

1. e4 - e5

2. nf3 - may I suggest Iran and Israel play nc6 and join in a new peaceful world order

Peace.

[STParker]

Well, if we're gonna have a cesar, he might as well be smart, right?

[jinjinpinti]

I prefer the idea of a Pharoah. Caesar was such a loser in the end. Where is his pyramid? Hmmmmmm?

[RS Deese]

lern 2 spel, jeenyuss

[elimenez]

The chess phrase in its context can be applied to any politician, even Bush. Bush made a first move, albeit a terrible one, when he considered invading Iraq. The bigger news is how optimistic Kissinger is, who is a pragmatist to the bone. I think the bigger quote is how considers Obama's policy moves more realistic.

[OceanSize]

Bush thought he was playing checkers.

[deanimal]

Legos.

[Space Walker]

more like connect four!

[billbb]

Hi-Ho Cherry-O.

[notyouraveragebear]

Obama is like a chess player -

while all the GOP has to offer are bad checker players.

[jsgaetano]

Bush/Cheney were sitting at a chess game, thinking they are actually playing checkers.

[TakeSake]

It's more like they tried to play '52 Pickup and then left the room.

[Gmoney1]

The old man is late - we said this long time ago -

[satyriasis]

Kissinger is a pos but his analogy is correct. Obama is a genius and it's good some Republicans recognize this and openly admit it.

[baROCK]

So true. I've been saying that myself for over a year. This man *think* things through,not firing from the hip which some of my fellow amercians have grown custom too.