The Obama Campaign: Consent of, or Contempt for, the People

Senator Obama's ill-conceived remarks likening small town Americans to embittered guns-and-God bigots have triggered a justifiable furor. Not only are the remarks insulting, but also factually incorrect.

As it happens, at the same event in San Francisco, Senator Obama made other remarks, equally startling, insulting our Foreign Service, Intelligence Officers, members of Congress who provide oversight, and friendly governments. Like his comments about small town Americans, Obama demonstrated a cavalier disregard for Americans who every day get up determined to make this a better country, whether running the general store in a small town, or representing our national security interests in a foreign country.

This is what Obama said:

Experience in Washington in not knowledge of the world. This I know. When Senator Clinton brags, 'I've met leaders from 80 countries,' I know what those trips are like. I've been on them. You go from the airport to the embassy. There's a group of children who do a native dance. You meet with the C.I.A. station chief and the embassy and they give you a briefing. You go take a tour of a plant that with the assistance of USAID has started something. And then you go.

Obama's arrogance and contempt for career professionals in the national security community is palpable. His contempt reminds me of something Bill Kristol, the editor of the right wing war mongering Weekly Standard, said in a debate with me shortly after the launching of the Iraq War in 2003. We were in Midland, Texas, Laura Bush's home town, and Kristol was asked if he had ever spent time in the Middle East region, to which he responded "I've always believed on the ground experience is highly overrated." That callous disregard for professional expertise and experience is, of course, one of the reasons we so badly miscalculated the consequences of our actions in Iraq. That arrogance is no less offensive coming from Senator Obama. And it is no less wrongheaded.

Foreign Service Officers, Intelligence operatives, and USAID development experts carry out the mandate of our government to represent the interests of the United States, to understand the dynamics in a foreign society so as to better advise our own government on policies to be pursued, and work to improve relations between the United States and the country in question. The world is a dangerous and precarious place, and there are serious issues that constantly need to be engaged with foreign governments. It requires hard work and diligence. We ignore or denigrate that work at our peril.

Senator Obama should know better. After all, in his professional capacity as Chairman of the Senate subcommittee responsible for Europe and NATO, he was in charge of ensuring Congressional oversight of the administration's efforts to generate greater NATO support for operations in Afghanistan. The fact that, by his own admission, he was too busy running for president to convene a single meeting of that subcommittee, should not absolve him of responsibility for acquiring at least some understanding of and respect for the work of career professionals who dedicate their lives to the service of their country.

I was one of those public servants for twenty-three years. My colleagues and I, whether in the Foreign Service, the Military or the Central Intelligence Agency, were and are motivated by a commitment to serve the values that have made this country free and secure, values that are enshrined in our founding documents, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. In exercising our responsibilities, we were careful to ensure that members of Congress were kept abreast and made partners in our efforts to keep America safe. When they visited our posts, we went out of our way to provide substantive briefings, meetings with senior host government officials, trips to USAID projects so elected representatives could see for themselves what the United States was doing to assist citizens of the recipient country improve their lot in life. And yes, there were cultural events, to broaden the perspectives of the visitors and to show respect for the indigenous culture they were being introduced to. Our goal in this was to ensure that those who represent the American people in Congress better understood what we were doing because more knowledge leads to better decisions. Judgment is not intuitive, as Senator Obama asserts; from my hard-won experience as a Foreign Service Officer, that judgment is learned.

Obama has made plain that he is not bothered in the slightest about belittling the work of Foreign Service and CIA Officers serving overseas, often in dangerous circumstances, any more than he is about denigrating Americans from small towns or blaming democrats in Congress, and especially Hillary Clinton, for George W. Bush's war in Iraq. It was not ironic that he made both comments at the same fundraiser in San Francisco. The contempt is consistent.

Trashing Congress, small town Americans, and career national security professionals, while befriending Jeremiah Wright and Weather Underground terrorist Bill Ayers may be a winning electoral strategy. Who knows? Time will tell. But I suspect that many small town Americans are as offended as my professional colleagues and I by this display of contempt from one who seeks our consent to govern.

Comments

[SethBLiNK]

If Hillary wants a running mate, Wilson can twist an opponants words with the best of them. Hillary was never in the foreign service. She was the President's wife and she visited these countries and interacted with people in the foreign service. To take Obama's remark, which devalues the visits of a first lady, and twist that into an insult to the foreign service is a purposeful act of mis-hearing what he said. He never put down "the ground experience" as Kristol did. He put down the value of quicky photo-op visits.

Wilson is so in the tank for Hillary.

[Northshorewoman]

Hopefully I will be able to get through reading all of the posts over the weekend, but after go through Page 1, all I can say is, YUK! Mr. Wilson, I am grateful for your courage in Speaking Truth to Power. It is not just the initial commentary, in each case, that is important but, as a by-product, it is all the response to that initial commentary that is important. When any speaks their own truth, we also get the opportunity to hear what and how many Americans think -- and I believe we need to know that so we are as aware of what we are dealing with in our own country as we should be aware of what we are dealing with in others. I am a total supporter of the concept that Patriotism does not just like in our military, but in all of our public servants and in all of our informed participants in our Democracy, too. I thank you for your service and I hope I will have the privilege of hearing you speaking on the road on behalf of the best candidate for the job -- HRC -- one day!

[ErinG]

Ugh!

[magen]

Mr. Wilson-

Respectfully-What Obama said is TRUE, bro!

Are you trying to say that experience in Washington IS knowledge of the world??????

That's kinda funny.

Washington is the most surreal place in this world nowadays.

You guys with all that experience are doing a "heckuva job" by the way.

[rainbowblue]

Really? You think that you can do better? Prove it, apply to be a Foreign Service officer! All of you Obama bots put feet where mouth is and make the government a better place by joining it. Change can only come from within. Insulting the hard working officers of the State Department and the Intelligentence agencies is beyond reason. Oh wait, I forgot we don't need a diplomatic corps since Obama will be meeting everyone in person in his first month. Before you insult a career governmental employee, try doing their job and living their life.

[LesHamilton]

I must admit Mr. Wilson, I have started to read several of your blogs where you take a particularly aggressive stance on Senator Obama and find myself recoiling. I don’t get it. Did he piss on your carpet? You must know something about him that we don’t in order to take the tone you do.
You speak of Obama’s arrogance and contempt. If there are two negative characteristics that describe Obama, I might say he’s a bit cautious and has shown that he is a bit unseasoned but not arrogant and contemptuous. I know your battle with the Bush administration has left scars but you’re not fighting the dark side here.

[tgood]

Obama supporters say he will bring the people together. The people he has brought together at HuffPo for the most part are more like a lynch mob , ready to attack anyone who doesn't agree with their views, regardless of whether they're valid or not. Anybody who thinks this mob mentality is a sign of unity are fooling themselves.

[Blake Fleetwood - Huffpost Blogger]

Joe,

You are brave to take on this Obama mob. But if you took on the Bush administration, then I guess you are tough enough.

good luck

[Ginko]

tgood

Well said. They seem to have the same disdain for our brave govt. foreign service people who ARE our "foreign policy" they are the living, breathing action of those policies. My family and many assorted friends have devoted their lives to this type of service and I know they are truly the "face of America" all over the world. Our President looks to them for information "on the ground" and without them we truly fail.
Anyone who would put them down like Obama so blithely does when he is criticizing Hillary, who actually was IN A COMBAT ZONE by acting as if USAID workers do nothing more than give tours proves his arrogance once again.
His whining about the debate being difficult and blaming others for his poor performance shows he can't take any heat. I can not imagine him faced with a hostile leader of a foreign country. He'd probably start crying and run from the room.

[spencer628]

it is embaressing to read some of these posts... how can you read huffingtonpost.com and then write this stuff.

also...

25+ years of a clinton or bush in the WH.... now that sounds more like a cult to me.

[marika]

I find it surprising that Mr. Wilson who received the full brunt of the Bush slime machine espouse the the more than questionable talking points of the Clinton's Rove tactics. That he support Hillary Clinton is his right but this is the second article based on the "kitchen sink" policy that supposes we are all chumps, low on the evolution ladder.

[DLSteinhardt]

Mrs. Wilson was most likely outed NOT to punish her for her husband's words, but because her CIA front, Brewster Jennings, was getting too close to uncovering the criminal activities of the Bush AND Clinton administrations in covering up spies infiltrating the US Govt, influencing policy toward Turkey and Pakistan, among others.

This, according to Sibel Edmonds, the fired FBI translator who alleges the #3 in the State Dept., Marc Grossman, was recorded discussing a $15,000 payment he received from the Turkish Embassy.

Ms. Edmonds is under a federal gag order, but the Times of London has reported this story pretty well. Google "Sibel Edmonds" and you'll be off and running.

Mr. Wilson's post here, of course, is simply despicable.

[ntmessage]

Truth be told, Obama is as far left as Bush is far right so it is easy to make accurate comparisons about their respective behaviors.

The country desperately needs a more centered President.

[Goddatunda]

I won't say I've lost all respect for Mr. Wilson, after all he's been through in standing up for his wife and his country against the administration, but this post smacks of the same BS that was used against his wife, himself, and any politician who has run against the Bush/Cheney/Rove smear machine.

There was nothing offensive in the quote at the beginning of the post from Obama, in fact, it's almost entirely a Hillary quote! The ony thing I can agree with is that none of the candidates has been doing their job for almost 2 years now. They're U.S. Senators, for God's sake!

I don't think they should be allowed to start campaigning until the primaries - declare a few months before, take the public financing, and don't start campaigning until the election year begins.

Until then - do the job you were elected to do - maybe then Hillary and Obama might have some actual accomplishments to run on . . . that said, either one is a better choice than McCain. I've said it over and over, we Democrats need to get over the nastiness and just say that we'll vote for whoever gets the nomination, and we'll win by a landslide, in the polls and in the election.

[schatsie]

I have to agree with you about the elections, why does it take billions of dollars? We spend more on our elections than all the other democracies put together and they actuallly count the votes...

This is a travesty including that inane debate last night, Charlie Gibson and George St should be ashamed to show their heads in public.....Why didn't they ask if Anna Nicole committed suicide, I mean really the depths of stupidity...

We need to have a NEW DEAL again and that took 16 years so we need both HIllary and Obama....with Hillary for the next 4 years, Obama can breathe down her neck and run in 4 years against her....If Obama wins this time, who knows if we will get more than 4 years in power....

The Republican slime machine has been brainwashing people for the last 40 years and what does the working class have to show for it? We have given up our middle class at this point.

[bobwalters]

I am, likewise, disappointed by Ambassador Wilson's post...not only does it smack of the same Rovian/Cheney smear tactics employed against him and his wife, it clearly misconstrues -- for the purposes of constructing a straw man argument -- both the clear meaning and obvious intent of Senator Obama's remarks.

[nyboomer]

I enjoyed the quote about Bill Kristol opining that experience on the ground is over rated. This in large measure explains why an administration of chickenhawks considers anyone with combat experience as being incapable of understanding the essence of war. The guys whose war experience was gained in movie theaters or in front of their TV sets trust that they know all they will ever need to know about the business of war, death and destruction. The jerks who risked their lives in combat are obviously incompetent to make the important decisions needed in wartime.

[ntmessage]

Yes, but they influenced and even controlled the elected officials who control policy.

[mingftsai]

Mr. Wilson was considered an enlightened patriot in his exposure of George Bush's lies. However, his biased concealed slander of Obama shows his dark side of a Clinton supporter. Even I understand that Obama did not trash Washington or belittle professional civic servants, like Mr. Wilson himself. Mr. Obama just wants to make a point that judgment is more important than experience. Mr. Wilson should not be so offended and make such venomous attack. He just loses my respect for him.

[AlphaDoc]

Hey, give Joe credit. At least this piece isn't the same old "Obama lacks experience" crap he's been posting here on a regular basis for the past few months. It's just as idiotic and annoying, true, but at least Hillary's chief Quiznos sponge monkey is singing a different tune.

[Cyndee1113]

Mr. Wilson, I hope your post has made you happy.

[MrWinky]

Hillary is the second coming and Obama has done more damage to Western Civilization than bubonic plague. As always Joe, thanks for the analysis, it is always so productive and helpful.

The only ones who should be insulted in the foreign community are those who would sell their soul, credibility and any scrap of integrity for another tax payer funded trip abroad. You know, guys such as yourself. Obama said that photo-op trips abroad are not experience, and I believe he is right. There may be some value in travelling to Bosnia to hear the poetry of 8 year olds, but I wouldn't put it down on a resume. I visited an auto plant one time, doesn't mean I know how to build a car.

As for Obama's committee, Joe, you know that is a straight up lie. You know that subcommittees only hear that which is farmed out to them by the main committee, and it was the main committee which held those hearings on Afghanistan. This dishonesty is doing no one any good, and you are wasting people's time for your pending ambassadorship. Hillary's Armed Service Committee held three hearings on Afghanistan, which you and I both agree are important. Hillary did not attend one of them.

Joe, you have become such an unmitigated liar, I am now starting to wonder if Nigeria did sell yellow cake to Iraq. Because it is getting harder to believe that anything which comes out of your mouth could be honest.

[Selbourne]

YOUR VERY QUOTES SHOW OBAMA WAS TALKING ABOUT THE BRIEF FACT FINDING JUNKETS OF POLITICIANS.
He said that he had been on some of these junkets. How the hell does that relate to professional foreign service officers.
One thing proves to me the strength of Obama's candidacy. The attackers nearly always have to first distort the original statement before attacking it. Only an idiot believes Obama was saying that the fact gathering and analysis by diplomatic professionals was over rated. It is obvious from many speeches that he plans to run a fact based decision system. How else will he gather information. I don't think he will have much time for idealogues and spinners but the real professionals will be heard. "especially if they disagree with me".
Here is a Senator who earned three million dollars last year and still attends the same church he joined as a penniless community organizer more than twenty years ago. He supports this poor community on the tough South side of Chicago by example and money. When he talks about lifting up the poor, he is the only candidate who also walks the walk. Yet elitists like Mr. Wilson who probably do know a single poor person socially keep trying to brand him as an arrogant elitist.
Let's stop the spinning and get real.

[bowseat93]

"One thing proves to me the strength of Obama's candidacy. The attackers nearly always have to first distort the original statement before attacking it."

Well said!

[gulopartisan]

"The attackers nearly always have to first distort the original statement before attacking it. "

And that is the easiest way to identify the propaganda flaks. Let's not forget that "patriot" WIlson worked for the Bush junta. So now it's the Clinton junta. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

[AlejandroK]

Wilson has all the right in the world to question Obama in the BitterGate and now that Obama worked for terrorist William Ayers. He said he was 8 when Ayers bombed New York. Nice try Obama. You were 30something when you worked for him at the Woods Project. You as an adult made the decision to work for a terrorist. This is a legitimate issue, the judgment and associations of the possible nominee. Its goes straight to the reason why democrats have lost the last two elections. It is fair to argue Obama’s condescension to the small town folk because it goes directly to issues like religion, xenophobia, gun ownership and culture. And his associations with Farrahkan, Wright, Ayers and Refko should be fully vetted.

[MrWinky]

Then where are the articles on Hillary and Rezko's co-defendant's? Norman Hsu? Peter Paul? Your attempts are truly pathetic. How many times does Obama have to reject or denounce Farakan for you to get it into your skull?

The main point is that every candiate encounters a wide variety and massive amount of people in their paths for candidacy, Hillary has got them as well as Obama. Are we going to sit there and hold each one out and make the candidate denounce them? Are you really another genius suggesting that Obama is a terrorist b/c he knew someone who was involved with the Weather Underground? No, you just want to slime him by inferring it.

As to these issues being fully vetted, uh, I don't know where you have been, but they were covered on a 24 loop by the media. They finally had to stop when it was found that there was actually no story there. Just say you don't like Obama and be done with it. Stop trying to clothe whatever problem you have as being Obama's rather than your own. So you support someone else, fine, but that doesn't mean that Obama is a criminal, a bad person, or corrupt.