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.
Loading comments…
Want to reply to a comment? Hint: Click "Reply" at the bottom of the comment; after being approved your comment will appear directly underneath the comment you replied to
This is good news. It shows how frightened they are. Obama is a phenom and they have no idea of how to grapple with the challenge Obama presents to them. Ham fisted reactions like this will only hurt Bush, McCain and the Republicans.
Hey Mr. Bush! Germany is one "DEMOCRATIC" country, our ally on the war on "TERROR" didn't you get that memo too? You know the country you are anxious to keep their troops in Iraq/Afganistan, the Christian Democratic Union leader Angela Merkel whom you gave a shoulder rub to... yeh that one that country and the last time i checked Barak Obama was/is a United States Senator, your country man a future Commander in Chief... you know like yourself.
hopefully nothing like him
G.W.Bush was never elected by the American voters, REMEMBER FL2000 & Bush v. Gore?
He is our country's 1st court appointed President, coincidentally the (trust-fund-child) of a very politically connected (&rich!) American family, and the SON OF A PRIOR PRESIDENT. He is another example of how the GOP cannot get elected in this country. ANOTHER SELECTED AMERICAN PRESIDENT WAS ANOTHER GOPer, Gerald Ford, selected by another criminal republican
NEVER FORGET....
it seems that the current ambassador to germany isn't terribly interested in keeping his job after obama takes the whitehouse. how much you wanna bet he'll be restationed to some place like angola or slovakia.
Or the non-existent Czechoslovakia.
He will be on border patrol ..........
Why can't this political lackey be kicked out ? After all, he is a political appointee not a career diplomat.
Ambassador Robert Timken is a political appointment, not a career official. He's in the position he bought and he'd never agree to serve anywhere he considered beneath him.
The interesting point is, why would a career official like Patrick F. Kennedy impose such a restriction? Is he the instigator or is he the cat's paw in this affair?
Merely attending an event to watch is not partisan political activity. Actually working on behalf of a candidate is. There is a difference and it is shameful that this is being ignored by our own State Department.
Have any Foreign Service personnel been officially forbidden to attend any event by John McCain? This edict is itself a partisan act and will be seen as such in Germany, here at home and in the rest of the world.
Once more, the Bush administration is operating out of fear. Our nation was built on a fearless willingness to preserve and promote individual rights and freedoms. Sadly, these notions have been trampled upon during the last 8 years.
WOW! First Condi sending out her "memo" and now this?
My, how petty the Bush admin has become. First Condi telling staff not to assist visitors, now this, not surprising considering the junior high mentality of the bush admin.
Declare sick day or personal day and attend Obama rally.
EVERYONE just go!! you cannot be told what to do like this,For God's sake ,I am as mad as h ell over this,...Go
How dare they......
Seriously, this is the last straw.....
If I was an Embassy worker told that, my language would consist of a few well chosen Anglo Saxon words , some Finger Visuals, and a march out the door in my highest heels.
I would be like Mel Gibson charging down the Hill in Braveheart , hair flying, teeth bared screaming "FREEDOOMMMM" at the top of my voice.....
Pouring a Scotch to calm down in time to enjoy MR.O., when no doubt I will pour another, ..... and another...
Bye Chaps..
Will the State Department Officials be banned from watching Obama on TV too? I bet the'll all be fired if they vote for Obama in November. Nothing like the George W. Bush Administration to take away our freedoms there so's we lose them here.
I have just seen on CBC a shot of the venue where the Senator is expected to speak at 1.00 PM, the crowd is massive, approaching 100,000 by some estimates. There are live bands playing!! This is incredible.
frankly the whole world can't wait for the Bush Administration to pack up and get out of the white house.
IMPEACH NANCY PELOSI! PUT IT ON THE TABLE!
Calm down now.
Agreed, IMPEACH PELOSI, then convict her for violating her oath of office. Cancel her pension too!
What sad irony: Us State Department being fascists in Germany!
Exactly!!! but unlike irony it is not funny.....
Germany was definitely a bad call for this one.
They cannot tell government employees what they can and cannot do on their own time. It doesn't matter where you are or who you work for. When you are off the clock you are off the clock, period.
They can and they did.
Of course, those employees still have choice.
They could go anyway and risk being designated as en emy comb@tants.
They certainly can tell them. They can tell them the sky is green, if they like. But the sky will remain un-green and the staff will be able to do as they please on their own time.
Telling someone to do something does not mean anyone has the authority to punish those who disobey. This silly edict is straight out of "The Little Prince."
Europe is a big place ...... and Europeans would look after them in these circumstan
Would they want to go home to a US ruled like this.This is why MR.O. is so important.
Please.ple
Wrong. The government certainly can place limits on what employees can do on their own time. Check your history. That power exists for a valid reason, though it's being twisted, as usual, by this administration.
What is this? This man is a sitting United States Senator. Bush acts if though there is some conflict of interest here or something. I really don't get this at all. They should be able to attend the rally on their off time if they want to. Come on now, there is assertion and there is assertion.
Is the Bush administration now saying that the rights we enjoy as Americans, go out the window whenever we are in another country?
Americans are being BANNED from going to an event where a fellow AMERICAN is speaking, just because the event is NOT happening on US soil?
Bush and the Republicans claim that that they are in Iraq to bring about DEMOCRACY and to restore BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS ..........
Does this NEW RULE apply to servicemen stationed in Germany as well?
Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought the WALL came down years ago and EAST Germany (previously COMMUNIST) NO LONGER EXISTS....
So why is the Bush adminisration restricting the rights of the AMERICAN embassy staff? ..........
Hey, Jake. It happens at all levels of state and federal government. You can't take your taxpayer supported time and be part of a campaign. Now, if you want to take leave time, that's up to you.
Would you suggest that if BO becomes president, republicans could take public paid time to attend republican rallys?
I'm sure most state department employees don't have to punch a clock, and if they'd take a bit of time out to see Obama, they'd still get their work done. As I recall, the embassy officials were forbidden to attend any events with Obama in Baghdad, but they ignored Secretary Rice.
Working for the government is supposed to be a twenty-four hour job. Typically government employees are not expected to be politically active . Saying all that, it is still petty to direct them not to attend a speech by an American senator , petty is a good description, did any one expect anything else from this administration?.
The speech is at 7 PM local time. That is after working hours for most State Dept. employees.
Nice try.
They not only would, they already are. Many State staff are in foreign countries to do exactly that: attend public events. The fact that they had to be told to not attend should make that clear to you even if you actually do not understand the responsibilities of State (in which case, you might want to read a bit more before posting such hostile rhetoric).
The article does not say that they can't go during "taxpayer supported time;" it says that going at all would unacceptably taint them.
I agree as to getting paid for the time. Two "howevers" come to mind, though.
1. The US Embassy should welcome either candidate in its official, supposedly nonpolitical, capacity. This doesn't constitute endorsing either one.
2. I didn't get the sense from the story that employees could use vacation time. I got the sense that they were not allowed to be seen there, period.
If it weren't so disgustingly petty, it would be funny.
This administration, thankfully on it's deathbed, has proven itself as the most craven and politicall
I would like to point out that because of the intelligence and spirit of everyday Americans, the stain left by this malfeasance shall not be forgotten for at least a generation.
Bush/Rove/
The more you govern, the more votes you lose.
Keep up the good work.
You must be logged in to comment. Log in or connect with
