If you’re listening to a report on an Official Enemy like Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez, you expect to hear a litany of misdeeds, real or imagined, about the leader in question. Just check out ABC World News (10/7/12), where anchor David Muir started out with this:
And a fierce enemy of the United States, Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez, faces the toughest election of his life tonight.
It’s hard to know what Chavez has done to earn that label, but moments later Muir put this question to correspondent Jorge Ramos:
MUIR: We all know that President Chavez has almost made it political sport to become friends with our own rivals here in America, but he also controls a significant amount of oil that comes to the United States.
RAMOS: There is a lot at stake for the United States here in Venezuela. On a personal level, we have to remember that President Hugo Chavez has insulted both President Barack Obama and George W. Bush. But going beyond the personal level, we have to remember that Venezuela exports billions of barrels of oil to the United States, and Hugo Chavez can disrupt oil prices just with a phone call. And, also, that Chavez is the most important ally of Iran in the region. And even though President Barack Obama once told me that he does not consider Hugo Chavez to be a threat to national security, many Republicans don’t agree on this with President Barack Obama, David.
So the “personal” insults of American presidents, the ability to disrupt the oil market with a phone call (who would he be calling, exactly?), cozying up to Iran and some Republicans say he’s a national security threat. There’s probably something that Ramos left out, but for one passage in a news broadcast, that’s a pretty efficient use of space.
I am reminded of the scene in Dickens book, where Oliver has had it with the little bastage Noah Claypole:
Here the position of affairs had not at all improved. Sowerberry not yet returned, and Oliver continued to kick, with undiminished vigour, at the cellar-door. The accounts of his ferocity, as related by Mrs. Sowerberry and Charlotte, were of so startling a nature, that Mr. Bumble judged it prudent to parley, before opening the door. With this view he gave a kick at the outside, by way of prelude; and, then, applying his mouth to the keyhole, said, in a deep and impressive tone:
“Oliver!”
“Come; you let me out!” replied Oliver, from the inside.
“Do you know this here voice, Oliver?” said Mr. Bumble.
“Yes,” replied Oliver.
“Ain’t you afraid of it, sir? Ain’t you a-trembling while I speak, sir?” said Mr. Bumble.
“No!” replied Oliver, boldly.
An answer so different from the one he had expected to elicit, and was in the habit of receiving, staggered Mr. Bumble not a little. He stepped back from the keyhole; drew himself up to his full height; and looked from one to another of the three by-standers, in mute astonishment.
“Oh, you know, Mr. Bumble, he must be mad,” said Mrs. Sowerberry. “No boy in half his senses could venture to speak so to you.”
“It’s not Madness, ma’am,” replied Mr. Bumble, after a few moments of deep meditation. “It’s Meat.”
“What?” exclaimed Mrs. Sowerberry.
“Meat, ma’am, meat,” replied Bumble, with stern emphasis. “You’ve over-fed him, ma’am. You’ve raised a artificial soul and spirit in him, ma’am, unbecoming a person of his condition: as the board, Mrs. Sowerberry, who are practical philosophers, will tell you. What have paupers to do with soul or spirit? It’s quite enough that we let ’em have live bodies. If you had kept the boy on gruel, ma’am, this would never have happened.”
“Dear, dear!” ejaculated Mrs. Sowerberry, piously raising her eyes to the kitchen ceiling: “this comes of being liberal!”
“RAMOS: … On a personal level, we have to remember that President Hugo Chavez has insulted both President Barack Obama and George W. Bush.”
Nothing worse you can do to an R or D than criticize them. It’s no wonder they hate Chavez.
This statement by the first Mayor Daley of Chicago sums up the fragility of American leaders, and explains why they so ready to pull out their guns:
“They have vilified me, they have crucified me; yes, they have even criticized me.”
@ “Padre”:
Very, very excellent use of classic literature to illustrate a valid and correct observation. I will use that excerpt in my next debate.
Those Venezuelans who voted for Chavez must think they are entitled to food.
Amazing how impressed you people are with this man.Truly amazing
michael e, please tell us why we shouldn’t be.
…Read Herma Marksman’s works.Her descriptions of his rise into his present position as a fascist dictator are worth reading.She new him well.His confidant,lover,and political sounding board in his early days.She would be the writer to his Mein Kampf in a sense.It is humorous to me that a man so embroiled in decades of intrigue and military coups is forgiven his actions so repugnant to liberals in this country.Forgiven because the ends justifies the means?This is no choir boy TeeeJae.Does he help people?Undoubtably.Mussolini made the trains run on time. Hitler ended Germany’s great depression ,and put his people back to work.But the red and black tide that stormed through Europe during that time, has to many similarities to the” pink tide”he hopes will sweep latin America- to ever make us feel comfortable with this man..Isn’t his last term up soon?Or am I mistaken?Irregardless he will not step down.
Again with the moral relativism.The USA is the real culprit.I overheard a fellow in a diner make a great remark this weekend.He said Ted Bundy is less of a killer than Obama.That logic reminded me of so much I read in the current liberal(yours?)mindset.
Fascist dictator, michael e? Clearly, you don’t know the meaning of either of those words, let alone Venezuela’s form of government.
Are you seriously using Herma Marksman as your source to criticize Chavez? I don’t consider as credible the lunatic rantings of a jilted mistress. But it’s very telling that you do.
“Isn’t his last term up soon? Or am I mistaken?”
How do you not know he just won (by a large margin) his reelection for another 6-year term?
Step down? Why on earth should he do that?
As far as his term I was being sarcastic.Why indeed would anyone step down after clawing and scratching their way to power.Why indeed.And if you mean to demean those who have been the closest to Chavez(and you would have every right ,since it is a long long list of twisted people)do you not wonder how this “saint”has been ensconced since day one- with those people?Yes yes he rose as the one clean hand out of a world of filth?Don’t be so naive.There are people to this day who think Hitler was the puppet…not the puppet master.So it is with this man.As a young man he was damaged by his personal pain over poverty.He realized only a central power,an iron fist could control,bend,and fashion the people into a useful tool of the centralized authority.And who is that authority?Why him of course.Our constitution…..our very DNA as a free people clears all smoke screens and gives us a clear picture of all men who claim this type of power.That is why he is a thorn in our side, and we a piece of grit in his eye.We are not compatible.Fools in our free society actually have enough people in their corner that long for a strong leader who will dictate his wishes(their wishes).Some people will never learn the lessons of history.
“do you not wonder how this “saint”has been ensconced since day one- with those people?”
No, I don’t wonder about it at all. He clearly cares for his people, who in turn care for him.
“There are people to this day who think Hitler was the puppet…not the puppet master.”
It’s funny how you Fox zombies always have to compare everything to Hitler when you have no argument.
“He realized only a central power,an iron fist could control,bend,and fashion the people into a useful tool of the centralized authority.And who is that authority?Why him of course.”
Are you talking about Hitler or Chavez? Must be Hitler because to imply that Chavez has an “iron fist” is just laughable.
“Our constitution…..our very DNA as a free people clears all smoke screens and gives us a clear picture of all men who claim this type of power.”
Oh the irony.
Anyway, nice rant but (as is your standard MO), it lacks any substance whatsoever.
We have to wonder what kind of enemy of the US provides cut-rate heating fuel to poor neighborhoods in US urban areas and offers disaster aid when the US has a hurricane. I guess we could use more enemies like that!
Fotos horribles de Uribana Violación a los derechos humanos !!!! Iris Varela ASESINA!!! http://www.muerachavez.blogspot.ru/2013/01/en-uribana-ya-van-mas-de-50-muertos-y.html …