Bush Bans State Department Officials From Obama Rally

In a flagrant political act, the State Department has barred its employees from attending Sen. Barack Obama's speech in Berlin tonight. Under the pretense that he is maintaining political neutrality, the Washington Post reported today, State Department Undersecretary for Management Patrick F. Kennedy has interpreted the Foreign Affairs Manual in the most restrictive way, claiming that he is ensuring that foreign service officials will remain untainted by a "partisan political act." (Spouse and family members, however, have generously been excluded from this ruling.) The U.S. embassy, which is headed by ambassador Robert Timken, a businessman and crony of George W. Bush's from Ohio, who is widely reviled in Germany for his ignorance of foreign affairs, has instructed officials not to attend the rally. The American Foreign Service Association has complained about the edict but there's not enough time to dispute it. Funny that.

The truth is that there would probably be few better opportunities for embassy officials to get a feel for the views of the Germans by mixing with them during the rally. Of course, the sentiments expressed by Germans, who worship Obama as much as they loathe George W. Bush, might not be ones that the administration is eager to hear.

Indeed, the administration has a long and tawdry record of trying to browbeat government agencies into submission, whether it's the CIA or the Centers for Disease Control. The State Department is perhaps highest on the list of conservatives and neocons who see it as the center of disloyalty and treachery. But this latest action represents a new low. If it's going to these lengths, the Bush administration must be really worried about Sen. John McCain's prospects.

Comments

[Rosey]

Aaaiiiiiiieeeeerrrrrgggghhhh! Regime change cannot come soon enough!

[geaaronson]

It would have been more interesting had Arianna mentioned how unusual this edict is. What have been other administration`s play on the neutrality of State Department officials.
Considering that there will be a change of administration in only 6 months, praised be the Lord, sardonic tone intended, who would give a flying fart as to what the current administration says.

[Darnamell]

Considering my brother's unit was tasked in Iraq to guard some GOP shiny happy types as they passed out camouflage Bush/Cheney '04 bumper stickers in Iraq, this is the height of hypocrisy.

I call bullshit.

[Passenger57]

Sorry,Darnamell...
So many people around the world have called Bullshit on the Bush administration so much since 2000 that he's changed his number several times,shut down his website,and rarely leaves home...

[inkroom]

It is mean-spirited and small-minded authoritarian edicts like this that make Germany and the rest of the world shake their heads in disbelief about this administration -- and tangentially, America. This just confirms to the world how absolutely clueless and out to lunch this bunch of ideological nitwits really are. Bush & Co. couldn't have picked a time more likely to have the whole world watching, which merely reinforces to one and all their world-class bumpkin status. Their stupidity would be funny if it weren't so frightening.

[trendy]

I alway thought the state dept belonged to the american people.

[pattio66]

me too

[pggift]

I think it is a blatant violation of the Hatch Act! State Department employees need to ignore this directive and appeal any disciplinary action that may be taken against them. I feel confident they would win!

[gtalkspolitics]

Pres. Bush should be Upset only with John McCain it was his campaign the PUSH and taughted for Sen. Obama to go over seas.

[readytsf]

Could't have said it better. The State Dept IS the center of disloyalty and treachery. They're also the same cowards that want to serve in Germany but not in Iraq or Afghanistan. Trust me when I tell you they are the perfect examples of do-nothing govt bureaucrats........Making the world safe for cocktail parties.....

[Darnamell]

Says the pot to the kettle from his Barcalounger....

[readytsf]

Been in Afghanistan for 4 tours..........You? Yeah, that's what I thought..........

[kingshmoopy]

I should leave this alone because you have no idea what you are talking about but . . .

I could go into details about how my husband joined the Dept. after 9/11 because he wanted to serve our country, about how our first post (Guinea) was an incredibly difficult place to live in but also gave us some amazing experiences, about how we move our children every 2-3 years (which, believe me, is not easy), about how my husband volunteered to go to Iraq (which will mean a year away from hs family, belittle that all you like but then please explain how easy it will be to our 3 young chidlren) even though we have never agreed with this war and he did so, in part, because he didn't think it was fair for his fellow FSOs to have to hold that burden alone.

About how I had to drag my children to the floor time and again during the "civil unrest" in Guinea because of the gunshots, about how they had to stop playing outside because of the spent ammunition we were finding in our yard and about how, in the final steps, I had to sheild their eyes as we drove through what looked very much like a war zone when we had to evacuate--another 4-month separation from their father.

You are obviously a lost cause with no concept about what FSOs do for our country, I'm glad you seem to be in the minority.

[readytsf]

There are always exceptions and you are obviously one of them. Thanks for your service. I have been serving overseas for 16 years and stand by my statement. I think I've earned the right to make that observation. I'm not the typical Huffpo blogger that's never left Berkeley..........

[roneckley16823]

So much for democracy, free country and freedom of speech. King George is still handing down the ultimatums. You gotta love him. LOL.

[Pandorasbox]

Lemme get this straight... State Department employees can't even go to see this speech on their own time? Since when does restricting the free time of employees working within a friendly nation ever make sense to a free society? Besides inciting hatred for their collective employer, and by virtue of that, the man at the top who effectively signs their checks, what precisely is that order intended to achieve?

It's absurd, and anyone who cannot see this edict that's been handed down as an overtly malicious, precision-timed attack on part of our democratic process ought to have their head examined. If nothing more, the embassy officials and other workers have a unique opportunity to view something with their own eyes instead of having to receive it second-hand from broadcast media like the rest of us; talk about an opportunity. But I'm sure the State Department is threatening their jobs if they are still tempted to go. It's repulsive the lengths to which this administration will go to silence citizen (and civil servants are still citizens last I checked) participation in the larger democratic process. It's shameful.

[Devver]

What happens if they go anyway? Do they get fired? Or are just their wives outed? (as with Valerie Plame....)

[Tommygun264]

Once again, the Bush/Cheney Crime Organization scoffs at the law. I certainly hope that some of those State Departmet officials show Bush the same respect - if their overlords dare to retaliate the media and public outcry would be overwhelming.

[jfor]

President Bush has given Americans all over the world freedom....only as long as you do not wish to practice it.

[benalbanach]

"Every-time you hear the word "Freedom" it is accompanied by the rattle of chains."
Bush should be dealt with...not allowed to simply vanish into the rich darkness of his library.

[nomorebombs]

amen..

[gevan]

If listening to someone is an overt political act and not listening to someone is also a political act, then what does a State Department exist for anyway? Certainly not for any political purpose, right?

[claudiam]

These Repubs are pitiful. No wonder our country is in crisis. What ever happened to our freedoms? This indicates to me how desperate the Repubs are. I truly hope that the country is watching and steps up to the plate in November and votes these guys out.

[claudiam]

These Repubs are absolutely pitiful. No wonder our country is in crisis. They are hateful and are acting very childish. They are desperate.

[BoulderSue]

I can't believe this restriction on State Dept. employees! Can't say I'm surprised, though. Wonder what will happen if John McCain decides to make any overseas trip..... Maybe Georgie boy should have tried to ban all those American troops from seeing Obama, too. This is a question that came up fairly early in my working life, since I spent a good deal of it working for a federally mandated and mostly federally funded program for Senior Citizens. I asked my supervisor about the guidelines as soon as I started the job, and was told as long as I kept my politics off the clock, what I did on my own time, as long as I in no way represented my views as representative of the organization I worked for, it was strictly my business. I wonder what they might do to the brave State Dept. worker who might try to sneak down to see the speach on his own time? Waterboard him/her to see whether he/she got "brainwashed" by the "un-American rock star"? Does watching on TV count? Or on-line(they can check on that one, I believe)? RIDICULOUS!

[BlueZoo]

If just listening to a candidate speaking is prohibited, I suspect that our largest employer in the US, the Federal government, means that these employees can no longer watch television either! This is outrageous! What happened to: "Sticks & stones can break my bones but WORDS can never hurt me!"