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Bush's Pat Robertson Problem

By Matthew Rothschild, The Progressive. Posted August 30, 2005.


Robertson's assassination call not only created a PR headache for Bush, but a policy one: it's now all the more difficult for the administration to take Chávez out.

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Pat Robertson has apologized, sort of, for his outrageous comments encouraging the United States to assassinate Hugo Chávez, the democratically elected president of Venezuela. But those comments still pose a two-fold problem for Bush.

First, he's got to distance himself from this nut, even though Robertson and his bowl of nuts are about the only allies Bush has got left. His latest approval rating is down to 36 percent, the lowest of his presidency, according to the American Research Group.

And second, Robertson's remarks handcuff Bush, making the overthrow of Chávez more difficult to execute. Even before the reverend said, "Thou Shall Kill," Chávez was warning that Bush wanted to off him. So Robertson lent credence to Chávez's claim and burnished Chávez's reputation in Venezuela and beyond as a Latin American David confronting the Goliath up north.

I've believed for a long time that getting rid of Chávez is a priority for Bush and Cheney. After all, they supported the coup attempt against him back in 2002.

Here are some of the underlying issues: Venezuela is a big supplier of oil to the United States, and Chávez has threatened to cut off supplies. He's also seeking back taxes from foreign oil companies, threatening to boot them out if they don't pay up. He is an outspoken critic of Bush and an admirer of Castro. And he has expressed sympathy with guerrillas in Colombia and with the nonviolent movement in Bolivia against globalization.

This year, Bush officials have steadily raised the volume of rhetoric against him.

Condoleezza Rice, in her confirmation hearings as Secretary of State, called him "a negative force." Echoing Henry Kissinger's infamous line about Allende in Chile ("I don't see why we need to stand by and watch a country go communist because of the irresponsibility of its own people)," Rice said that "leaders who do not govern democratically, even if they are democratically elected," need to be held accountable.

CIA Director Porter testified in March that Chávez was "very clearly causing mischief for us."

Rumsfeld denounced him for planning to buy 100,000 assault rifles from Russia.

One of Rumsfeld's aides recently called Chávez "a menace."

And Roger Pardo-Maurer, deputy assistant secretary of defense for Western Hemisphere affairs, accused him of "downright subversion" in Latin America.

In June, the Bush Administration proposed to the Organization of American States a new policy that would have enabled that group to intervene militarily to "promote democracy" in Latin America. But many governments in the OAS balked at this, seeing it as a transparent threat against sovereignty in general and Venezuela, in particular.

Just last week, Rumsfeld, who doesn't have enough to do fighting insurgencies in Iraq and Afghanistan, took time out to go to Latin America to try to isolate Chávez. The New York Times headlined its story on this, "Rumsfeld's Tour of South America Is Directed at Stability," when it may have been more focused on the destabilization of Venezuela.

Given this context, Robertson seems to have just gotten a little ahead of the curve, daring to say in public what Cheney and Rumsfeld and Rice are probably muttering under their breath.

When your crazed friends start getting in the way of your crazed policy, it's a real shame.

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Matthew Rothschild is the editor of The Progressive.

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Thundergod
Posted by: Thundergod on Aug 30, 2005 12:34 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Pat Robertson...

A millionaire preacher who has no connections to any so called recongized regilion declares kill a major supplier of oil to the United States...

Another knife in the back of the bushes that support bush...

I remember 1999 and the cheap gas prices under clinton...

I used to not believe that everything bush touches turns sour but I have now decided that everything bush touches does turn sour...

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Hugo Chavez
Posted by: james on Aug 30, 2005 3:36 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
'Leaders who do not govern democratically, even if democratically elected, should be held accountable.""

Condoleeza Rice on Hugo Chavez.

Is she suggesting we should impeach Bush?

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» bush isn't that good. Posted by: WhatNow?
» Democratically elected? Posted by: LMNOP
» RE: Democratically elected? Posted by: helenwheels
» RE: Hugo Chavez Posted by: betterfuture
a silver lining.
Posted by: WhatNow? on Aug 30, 2005 3:53 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Maybe something good will come from murdersons blathering. I am glad to think it might hinder any bush administration efforts to oust Chavez.

We're a superpower huh? Why are we so afraid of a somewhat socialist president in a small south american country? OK, that was rhetorical in a sense. He's a needle in the side of corporate amerika and globalization(privatization).

I hope he can continue to help the underpriviledged in Venzuela. I think he's at least half decent. I wish we could get a leader that would show as much compassion for the underpriviledged in the US. Our "fearless" leader has no compassion and seems incredibly paranoid. I guess I'd be paranoid too if I was partly responsible for so many death and was so incapable of being honest with my constituents.

Oh and by the way, I am still surprised by bushes approval numbers. I can't believe they are so high. One in three people think this asshole is doing a good job? Shame, shame!

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» RE: a silver lining. Posted by: Schnookums
» RE: a silver lining. Posted by: Skipper
» RE: a silver lining. Posted by: knitter
» RE: a silver lining. Posted by: Jersey Devil
» RE: a silver lining. Posted by: mbpeg7
The Chavez Dilemma
Posted by: Wacre on Aug 30, 2005 3:55 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Hugo Chavez's problem is that he dares to move in an economic direction (aiding the poor of his own country, making oil companies pay for the oil they pump from the ground at a rate that they don't agree with) that the United States does not approve of. To add insult to injury, he actually believes that he can associate with whichever people he wants to, despite what the United States' 'leaders'–and I use that term very loosely–think about them.

And how dare he use Venezuela's oil riches to curry support for his policies and beliefs when everyone knows that if you want to get what you want in this unipolar world you invade first then lie about your reasons for doing so.

The problem with what Pat Robertson has said is indeed that he has tipped the United States' hand, and with all of our rhetoric about terrorism it makes it somewhat difficult to go and 'take him out' (I assume that Pat doesn't mean 'to lunch').

Btw, though our rhetoric goes so far because we only dislike terrorists that threaten us; our tune changes when it involves terrorists that threaten someone we consider an official enemy.

Interesting. The United States actually has to somewhat curb it's violent, militaristic tendencies for a moment (if only because our efforts are focused elsewhere for the moment) and actually negotiate with this man–if only for a little while; an area we clearly are weak in, despite all the billions we spend on weaponry.

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» I'd love to take Chavez out Posted by: WhatNow?
What Bush and Pat Robertson Have In Common
Posted by: rangerjim on Aug 30, 2005 4:30 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
What Pat Robertson and George W. Bush have in common is that both of these disturbed men belong in institutions, one known as the Funny Farm, and the other Fort Leavenworth,KS.
Just look at the numerous acts of official misconduct while in office and one can see why George W. Bush belongs in Leavenworth. So for that matter should the rest of this pathetic administration. One thing else that Bush and Robertson have in common is that neither is playing with a full deck.

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agitator church and state
Posted by: eileenflmng on Aug 30, 2005 5:20 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Robertson spoke how many neo-cons and new-Christian's in this administration-and in church pews- may very well think.

However, the point has been missed that once again it is OIL and many American's gluttonous over-consumption of this non-renewable resource that drives this world view that America must further her empire, dominate and control piplines so as to feed our addiction's to SUV's and Hummers while we drive unpeturbed about global warming and ignoring the dis-ease of 21st century America: Affluenza.

www.wearewideawake.org

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» RE: agitator church and state Posted by: eileenflmng
CHURCH and STATE
Posted by: LMNOP on Aug 30, 2005 5:47 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
The best reason to keep church and state separate is the same reason for keeping all criminals from forming gangs and syndicates.

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» RE: CHURCH and STATE Posted by: dlf
Chavez
Posted by: bobdobbs on Aug 30, 2005 5:57 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Chavez seems to be far more American in principles than the Christian extremists like Robertson and the Bush regime will ever be. It's no wonder they are threatened by his compassion. Chavez mimics Jesus by giving to the less fortunate and they want to kill him for it. I'm guessing that if Jesus were real and the religous right of America were around in those times, they would have brought the cross and nails for Jesus to die on.

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» RE: Chavez Posted by: caliente
» RE: Chavez Posted by: Skipper
USA for Dictators. Screw the people.
Posted by: lc on Aug 30, 2005 6:28 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
American foreign policy almost always supports the Dictator over any people’s party representative. Bush got rid of the Aristede government in Haiti because the elite wanted to take back control but they can’t do it without a Papa Doc figure so Haiti is a big mess, much thanks to the USA.
Bush wants to do the same with Venezuela, put the elite back in power and screw the people. Bush exhibits the same compassion towards the average Venezuelan as he does for the average American: NONE. Money and power are all that matters to Bush. Screw the people, here, there, and everywhere.
Ron Linker

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Fundamentally ill
Posted by: paganloreli on Aug 30, 2005 7:40 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
We're seeing a systematic accrual of power by Robertson and others, whose recent moves show an utter contempt for the teachings of the gentle, tolerant Christ they claim to speak for. More chilling than Robertson's statement itself was his confidence that his grip on both White House policy and the minds of millions of devotees so far outweighs the influence of the Bible they're all supposed to read every day, that *nothing* is too outrageous for him to get away with. He was right, too: even as the spokesperson mumbles "he was expressing his private opinion (just imagine the result if a Grand Poobah of another religion had ordered a murder on nationwide tv)," the Federal "faith-based initiative" payola keeps rollin' right on in.

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He's not taken that seriously
Posted by: InvisiblePimpernil on Aug 30, 2005 8:39 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
He's not anyone's problem. Most people regard him for what his appears to be.

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"WHY DO WE KEEP LISTENING TO BUSH?"
Posted by: monkeywrench on Aug 30, 2005 8:50 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
"[Condoleezza] Rice said that 'leaders who do not govern democratically, even if they are democratically elected,' need to be held accountable." She forgot to add, "IF, they are sitting on a lot of oil." There is genocide going on in Darfur, Sudan, and does BushCo care? Hell, no – they stand by and let it continue, because that genocide paves the way for oil exploration there. If the situation were reversed, and the genocide in Darfur was restricting exploration, they would be in there like a shot, and the duplicious Ms. Rice would be making the same pronouncements about the Sudan government as she has made about Chavez.

No matter what comes out of the rogue's gallery in the White House, treasure and profit are the motivating forces behind EVERYTHING this corrupt administration does. It is overdue for the American sheeple to understand that fact, and to stop listening to the blatherings of our idiot president and the cabal of dopes and thugs that back him up.

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Not Even A Black Eye
Posted by: nakis on Aug 30, 2005 8:54 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
It's true that Pat Robertson, an old family friend, a staunch (and often illegal and immoral action) supporter of the Bushs and other neocon terrorists has once again shown himself to be nearly as bad an egg as the F.U. Kid. But this is hardly a problem for the neocons. Not even a black eye.
They've been gunning for Castro for decades.

Chavez, Aristide, Castro, et all, are all leaders of nations who worked against the neocon (New American Century) globalization/privatization takeovers of poor nations. Aristide was doing wonderful things for the poor. He had great plans to empower the poor to work for themselves but couldn't get a dime from the World Bank, IMF and no help from the WTO. So he worked on doing what he could. And for his trouble we sent in troops that removed him to Africa while the wealthy elite backed Haitians took over the nation. Regime change because they didn't play the crooked ball game that destitutes the poor and enriches the wealthy. Neocolonialization.
South American countries are fighting back. In the lead (was Aristide though Carribean) is Chavez. The danger he represents to the wealthy of America and Europe is that he is showing that it can be done another way. Government controlled resources channelling profits into the welfare of the people makes lives and standard better. Instead of the opposite privatization (neocon globalization) that puts the resources in the hands of the criminally wealthy who destitute the entire nation. Living standards suffer.
It doesn't take a genius to see that Chavez, though maybe he has other motives which doesn't seem the case, is making life better for millions of poor people and less nice for the thousands of wealthy in his nation. Not bad at all.
I guess it depends on your view. Like common people to live better: good. Like the wealthy to have it all: bad.

And Chavez seeking 100,000 rifles from Russia. What are we the most angry about? That he isn't buying our guns? That he sees a nation that spends more on the military than the next several biggest spenders altogether is opening hostile towards him so he's buying some guns? That arms sales in these numbers is really not that unusual considering how much arms we have sold to tyrants/dictatorships.

I don't expect wings to be popping out of Chavez's back anytime soon but I really don't expect to see any Bush/neocon horns popping out his head either.

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» RE: Not Even A Black Eye Posted by: juliasews
» RE: Not Even A Black Eye Posted by: helenwheels
A Fixed Photo Op
Posted by: Riverside on Aug 30, 2005 9:20 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Well they blew the WMD set up so they can't claim that Chavez is secretly assembling them. My guess is they will use high tech video graphics to create a video tape showing Chavez, Castro, and bin Laden shaking hands and grinning.

The news break (on Fox News, of course) will describe a treaty between the three where both Cuba and Venezuela will become new terrorist training centers for El Qaeda.

Rumsfeld will immediately call for the sending of tactical assault forces to both Venezuela and Cuba. However, at the moment, he can not find any forces to send anywhere. However, since the U.S. has lowered the enlistment age from 18 to 14, it won't be too long before there will be a force (?) to send. He and the President justify this lowered age limit on the basis of the new accelerated manhood program which includes youth service in the armed forces.

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» RE: A Fixed Photo Op Posted by: Skipper
put your $$$ to work. .
Posted by: katyaa on Aug 30, 2005 9:25 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
show your support for a man who cares for his people. . . .buy Citgo

show your disapproval for the man who thumbs his nose at his people. . .boycott all others

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» RE: put your $$$ to work. . Posted by: drmeow
Hands Off Venezuela
Posted by: Skipper on Aug 30, 2005 9:44 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Of course the rest of the world is way ahead of Americans in knowing what the US is up to; there's a global organization: www.handsoffvenezuela.com

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» its actually .org Posted by: kenoflife
» RE: its actually .org Posted by: Skipper
Fox Lies
Posted by: Skipper on Aug 30, 2005 10:39 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Just the other night, O'Reilly stated that Jimmy Carter had said Chavez's recall election results were wrong. This could be the biggest lie ever told by O'Reilly.

The fact is, the vote audit was confirmed by both The Organization of American States and The Carter Center, overseen by Jimmy Carter personally, at the table.

Exit polls & vote matched exactly.

At 10 pm, every other country had congratulated Chavez; the US alone (Ari Fleischer) said the results were preliminary.

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» RE: Fox Lies Posted by: Huxley
Robertson could take lessons in Christianity from Chavez
Posted by: Skipper on Aug 30, 2005 10:52 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
CITGO will set aside up to 10% of its refined oil products to be sold directly to organized poor communities, and institutions in the U.S. without intermediaries.

The plan calls for the sale of heating oil and gasoline to hospitals, nursing homes, schools and organized poor communities in U.S. soil, according to Ramirez.

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The Unfeeling President
Posted by: Maryanne on Aug 30, 2005 4:25 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
For another take on George Bush's psychological state and the manner in which this impacts on his pollicies and attitudes, check out the above article by E.L. Doctorow, a noted and award winning writer, on www.commondreams.org. Beautifully written, astute and worth reading.

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Given Enough Rope....
Posted by: Basenjis on Aug 30, 2005 4:30 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
If human lives were not at stake, this whole Robertson farce would be laughable. Of course he felt secure coming out with those ridiculous threats. He's George Bush's best buddy as long as he brings in those votes and he thought he could say whatever he chose to. This is certainly not the first time he's made idiotic comments--he's been doing it for years. Unfortunately half of the people in this country don't know what the heck is going on in the world. A lot of good people are so busy trying to keep heads above water in this economic "boom" that they just turn on the TV for their evening Fox fix or read the headlines and don't stop to question what they are being told.The Robertson incident should have a therapeutic effect on the country's health as the public is being given a little peak at the true mindset of influential Republican political figures. (Nothing is more liberating than truth and, after all, this man once ran for President.) The whole world has become Pat's stage now and we all are witness to the rope he's used to hang himself--his loose lips! Rejoice!

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ugh
Posted by: Markosis on Aug 30, 2005 6:14 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
"""a new policy that would have enabled that group to intervene militarily to "promote democracy" in Latin America"""

Well, since our president's imperialistic crusade to bring democracy to the Middle East has worked out SO well, we might as well try to impose our will on the entire world while we're at it, huh?

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» RE: ugh Posted by: Huxley
A (not so scientific) analysis of the players
Posted by: rue on Aug 30, 2005 8:51 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Robertson: a nutball who is still popular with a few people, and commands enough money to influence the government.

Bush: a nutball who is (unfortunately) still popular with a few people (the same who like Robertson), who also has the key to coffers of money and weapons, if not real intelligence (in both senses of the word).

Chavez: a nutball (have you heard him speak? he's a nutball), but at least he's taking care of his country.

Perhaps this is overly flippant. But, somehow, I feel that the whole world is in serious need of therapy....

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The Facade is Cracking
Posted by: SbgBJ on Sep 3, 2005 4:51 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Speaking of problems, pls see:

http://www.capitolhillblue.com
/artman/publish/printer_7267.shtml

(delete the paragraph break after ".com" , I had to chop it up to conform to the site parameters.
Uh, btw, Alternet...? Your not allowing "long words" is rather an obstacle to effective communication, dontcha think?!?)


Bush's Obscene Tirades Rattle White House Aides
By DOUG THOMPSON
Aug 25, 2005, 06:19


While President George W. Bush travels around the country in a last-ditch effort to sell his Iraq war, White House aides scramble frantically behind the scenes to hide the dark mood of an increasingly angry leader who unleashes obscenity-filled outbursts at anyone who dares disagree with him.

“I’m not meeting again with that goddamned bitch,” Bush screamed at aides who suggested he meet again with Cindy Sheehan, the war-protesting mother whose son died in Iraq. “She can go to hell as far as I’m concerned!”
(...)
-------------

The co-dependent addict's behavior is so clear in this article. I knew W's behavior was ringing a bell, but could not describe it nearly as well as this author.
And btw, where is Dick Cheney? AWOL?
BJ in Salzburg

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Robertson's comments no accident
Posted by: Huxley on Sep 3, 2005 4:53 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Like how Fox News (Fair and Balanced?) makes CNN (The Most Trusted Name in News? God help us.) look like real journalism, Bush and his wacko neo-con cronies benefit from Robertson's remarks by making the President and his administration look more moderate. The most impressive thing about the Bushists, is their ability to take control of the messages of the mainstream media. Robertson and others serve a very useful purpose and it would be naive to believe that this bit of spin is not part of the plan.

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Thanks for the commondreams.com reference, MaryAnn
Posted by: SbgBJ on Sep 3, 2005 5:05 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Since I could not find the author's name anywhere on the site's homepage, I Googled it:

http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0920-13.htm

MaryAnn is right -- it is a well-written piece.
BJ in Salzburg

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Hon Disch Captain USMCR
Posted by: Matt Clarke RocklandME on Jul 22, 2006 12:43 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Whenever Pat Robertson's name is mentioned let it be known that Pat , then known as Marion G Robertson,
1. falsely claimed to be a "Marine combat officer" when he ran for President
2. that he had his father the Senator from VA at the time get him sent to Japan to avoid combat in Korea. The assignment to Japan constituted action to avoid a troop movment, a court-marttial offense but it was committed as a favor by the later Commandant of the USMC General Shepard for his Wm and Mary College pal Senator Willis Robertson.
3. that Pat sued Pete Mc Closky Rep CA who told these facts to the NY Times; that Pat dropped ths suit when he quit running;
4. that during this fight with Mc Closkey the present VA Senator John Warner did a cover up letter for Pat Robertson assisting him to support his lie that he had been in combat.
The whole story including that letter, is in Pete MC Closkey's Memoir which he distributed to the entire class meeting in Re- union in 1999 of the Marine Officers who graduated in the First Special Basic Class of the Korean War, Quantico, October to December 1950.
Only Pat's orders and a few more were changed (to make the cover up seem routine) were sent to Japan, supposedly to re train vets of the Chosin Resevoir, a preposterous assignment for any of us 68 day wonders! Now Sen. John Warner is to be in charge of another Senate Investigation of atrocities in Iraq.
Such are the ways of our leaders when risk is to be shared.

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