President Obama still hasn’t learned the hard lesson taught to him by Russia’s President Vladimir Putin.
In a yet another display of hubris built upon failure, Obama chastised Republican presidential candidates who say “Obama’s weak” on Putin.
“[I]t turns out they can’t handle a bunch of CNBC moderators,” Obama joked. “If you can’t handle those guys, then I don’t think the Chinese and the Russians are going to be too worried about you.”
He laughed, his supporters laughed and the informed shook their heads in disbelief.
On Putin, it was Sarah Palin who said way back in 2008, “After the Russian Army invaded the nation of Georgia, Senator Obama’s reaction was one of indecision and moral equivalence, the kind of response that would only encourage Russia’s Putin to invade Ukraine next.”
Liberals mocked the Republican candidate for vice-president, calling her crazy and her notion “strange.”
Russia invaded.
Obama allowed Putin to draw him into his long game, beginning with Ukraine, and is now in a position where Russia slaughters American allies in Syria with impunity. All the President seems to be able to do is watch.
We all remember Obama’s arrogant ignorance while debating Mitt Romney during the 2012 campaign, when Romney accurately described Russia as America’s biggest “geopolitical foe.”
Obama claimed it was al Qaeda, laughing that the 1980s wanted their foreign policy back.
Conservative analysts discussed warning Putin he’d face potential economic sanctions if he made any military moves against Ukraine.
Obama preached “no preconditions” and Hillary presented the Russians with a big, red plastic button that read, “Overcharged.”
When Putin invaded (as Republicans predicted), Obama secured the Republican-suggested sanctions from the G-7 countries and the International Monetary Fund.
Another example of those silly Republicans who Obama believes don’t know how to face Putin.
Obama was also wrong about CNBC, where the liberal moderators were spinning so out of control that the Republican candidates DID handle them.
The debate was billed as being economy-centered, titled, “Your Money, Your Vote.”
John Kasich did the best job answering the first of many vapid questions that had nothing to do with the economy, “What’s your greatest weakness?”
“Good question, but I want to tell you, my great concern is that we are on the verge, perhaps, of picking someone who cannot do this job,” Kasich said. “We need somebody who can lead. We need somebody who can balance budgets, cut taxes…”
As the CNBC moderators continued, Ted Cruz launched into his now-historic take-down of the Three Biased Amigos.
“The questions that have been asked so far in this debate illustrate why the American people don’t trust the media,” Cruz said to rousing applause from the audience. “How about talking about the substantive issues the people care about?”
Now, NBC is negotiating with campaigns to bring some honesty and, perhaps, journalism to debates.
President Obama doesn’t recognize this is how one “handles” negotiable problems, not by trading five Taliban leaders for a deserter.
In future debates, Republicans need to ignore the banal, partisan “attack” narratives from left-wing moderators and confidently state their goals, policies and plans.
When disgruntled partisan moderators complain the candidates haven’t answered their ridiculous questions, Republicans should simply smile and say, “You are correct.”
Rick Jensen is Delaware’s award-winning conservative talk show host on WDEL.