Hypocrisy Alert: Bush Condemns Leaders Who Pose for Photos With "Tyrants"

Posted by Amanda Terkel, Think Progress at 3:06 PM on February 29, 2008.

In yesterday's news conference, President Bush sharply attacked Sen. Barack Obama's (D-IL) argument that the president "should never fear to negotiate" with America's enemies. Bush told reporters:

It 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. [...]

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.

Perhaps Bush forgot all the times that he sat down and had his picture taken with leaders of questionable human rights credentials:


(click for larger version)

(HT: Ezra Klein, The Body Politik, and Cogitamus)

Tagged as: bush, obama

Amanda Terkel is Deputy Research Director at the Center for American Progress and serves as Deputy Editor for The Progress Report and ThinkProgress.org at the Center for American Progress.