Krauthammer Questions Obama’s Need To Make Ambiguous Public Statements On Egypt

Video

by Matt Schneider | 8:01 pm, February 1st, 2011

» 32 comments

Earlier President Obama spoke on the transition of power in Egypt, and Fox News commentator Charles Krauthammer happened to be on the air to provide immediate analysis. Apparently tired of seeing Obama on television, Krauthammer wondered what Obama’s speech actually accomplished and if nothing, then why even give it?

Although Krauthammer did praise the strategy of being ambiguous in public and specific in private, he still thought it was not advisable for Obama to be injecting himself into the story and questioned “why does he pop up on television right after the President of Egypt speaks? He did that on Friday and he does it again today.” Expressing general solidarity with people in the streets is fine, but Krauthammer feared “it looks as if it was our decision, our pressure, and I’m not sure that we want a direct connection between our President and Egypt.”

Watch the clip from Fox News below:

charles krauthammer, fox news, President Obama, Special Report

http://www.zazzle.com/talkingpoints NORBIT Jr.

I thought the speech was fine, and was just about the right thing to say at this point.

With regard to Mubarak, you don’t want to Van Jones the guy, because there’s a real chance that a cataclysmic series of events will unfold should a Muslim Brotherhood-type mentality permeate a new government.
Color Me Badd

Krauthammer would question Obama if he came out tomorrow and announced he was defecting to the Tea Party and giving the Presidency to Pamela Gellar.
http://www.zazzle.com/talkingpoints NORBIT Jr.

This is too timely.

As I’m posting above, Spitzer – sans Parker – has some radical Muslim cleric named Imam AnjemChoudary saying that what we’re witnessing will be a massive Islamic takeover movement.
Color Me Badd

If Obama came out and said that Frank Gaffney was now the King of the World and everyone should worship Newt Gingrich as a god, Krauthammer would have a problem with it.
http://www.zazzle.com/talkingpoints NORBIT Jr.

Color Me Badd said:
If Obama came out and said that Frank Gaffney was now the King of the World and everyone should worship Newt Gingrich as a god, Krauthammer would have a problem with it.

Now you’re getting me excited!
Judge Mental

Color Me Badd said:
Krauthammer would question Obama if he came out tomorrow and announced he was defecting to the Tea Party and giving the Presidency to Pamela Gellar.

Color Me Badd said:
If Obama came out and said that Frank Gaffney was now the King of the World and everyone should worship Newt Gingrich as a god, Krauthammer would have a problem with it.

I would hope so.
Gasket

Chucky, he has to make statements or else your buddies will say he’s sleeping on the job. I mean…wingnuts are already proclaiming “Obama – The POTUS Who Lost Egypt” even though he has/had nothing to do with what’s transpiring over there. It’s naivete to ignore the political implications. The situation in Egypt is dicey. We have a despotic leader who is our ally who’s on the cusp of being overthrown by forces that may be bellicose and or apathetic towards US interests. Trust me, it’s not a good situation to be in for a US POTUS.
nice_thought

I’m with Charles in this. Why the Eff should The Prez be acting like he just ate a goat tail? He needs some help in the Aides’ section.
ndanielson

0BAMA:

“After his speech tonight, I spoke directly to president Mubarak. He recognizes that the status quo is not sustainable and that a change must take place. Indeed all of us who are privileged to serve in political positions of power do so at the will of our people. Through thousands of years Egypt has known many moments of transformation. The voices of the Egyptian people tell us this is one of those moments; this is one of those times…

To the people of Egypt, particularly the young people of Egypt, I want to be clear. We hear your voices. I have an unyielding belief that you will determine your own destiny and seize the promise of a better future for your children and your grandchildren.”

At least he wanted to be clear as he said nothing. And as long as he’s flapping his gums, his sheep will think he is actually saying something. What a courageous leader. He could have at least warned the Muslim Brotherhood that they should not expect to have the support of the American people. After all the billions of dollars American tax payers have sent Mubarack to hold the fascists at bay, Hosni still let the barbarians sit at the table. Proving once again that “pleasing your enemies does not turn them into friends”.
ndanielson

Gasket said:
Chucky, he has to make statements or else your buddies will say he’s sleeping on the job. I mean…wingnuts are already proclaiming “Obama – The POTUS Who Lost Egypt” even though he has/had nothing to do with what’s transpiring over there. It’s naivete to ignore the political implications. The situation in Egypt is dicey. We have a despotic leader who is our ally who’s on the cusp of being overthrown by forces that may be bellicose and or apathetic towards US interests. Trust me, it’s not a good situation to be in for a US POTUS.

So just flap your gums, 0bama, and the sheep will be pleased. Punting is all he knows.
Gasket

ndanielson said:
So just flap your gums, 0bama, and the sheep will be pleased. Punting is all he knows.

What has the GOP said again? Not even they had shit to say….for DAYS. Mittens burrowed out of his winter nest to offer similar statements. Being ambivalent or even nuanced is the proper position to take when you are not sure of the outcome of a perilous situation. How about YOU tell us what you think should be done instead of flapping your gums.
Gasket

BTW, if it wasn’t for Obama “flapping his guns” Mubarak would not have made any concessions. The guy knows he doesn’t have 100% backing from the US (his only real ally) so he is not saber rattling with the protesters.
Gasket

*gums. (Gotta watch for that violence imagery) LOL.
ndanielson

Gasket said:
What has the GOP said again? Not even they had shit to say….for DAYS. Mittens burrowed out of his winter nest to offer similar statements. Being ambivalent or even nuanced is the proper position to take when you are not sure of the outcome of a perilous situation. How about YOU tell us what you think should be done instead of flapping your gums.

Only your boy is in a position to speak on America’s behalf, sweet pea, you elected him for that 3am call, or did you miss that lesson on foreign policy and diplomacy?

I told you what I would have said. If you could read, ignorance wouldn’t continue to be your strong suit.
screwauger

Gasket said:
Chucky, he has to make statements or else your buddies will say he’s sleeping on the job. I mean…wingnuts are already proclaiming “Obama – The POTUS Who Lost Egypt” even though he has/had nothing to do with what’s transpiring over there. It’s naivete to ignore the political implications. The situation in Egypt is dicey. We have a despotic leader who is our ally who’s on the cusp of being overthrown by forces that may be bellicose and or apathetic towards US interests. Trust me, it’s not a good situation to be in for a US POTUS.

your claims sound impressive but lets ask bebe if Obowmao could have done/not done more to prevent this
Grammie

Gasket said:
BTW, if it wasn’t for Obama “flapping his guns” Mubarak would not have made any concessions.

.
And your proof is……….
screwauger

Gasket said:
BTW, if it wasn’t for Obama “flapping his guns” Mubarak would not have made any concessions. The guy knows he doesn’t have 100% backing from the US (his only real ally) so he is not saber rattling with the protesters.

i think you’ve blown a gasket. Hussein Obowmao will go down in history as the biggest mistake this country and the world ever made. Might be over stated a tad but you get the drift. He’s befriended and enabled our enemies and alienated our allies. And before he is done, the history markers will be abundant starting with the most amateurish administration in our nations history.
Gasket

ndanielson said:
Only your boy is in a position to speak on America’s behalf, sweet pea, you elected him for that 3am call, or did you miss that lesson on foreign policy and diplomacy?

I told you what I would have said. If you could read, ignorance wouldn’t continue to be your strong suit.

Honestly, I don’t read 90% of your posts unless they quote my posts.

*Reads your actual post*

Ok…nothing of substance like I suspected. Meaningless platitudes. BTW, the Egyptian crisis is not a “3AM” scenario. N. Korea invading the south would be a 3AM scenario. The Cuban missile crisis was a 3AM scenario. 9-11 was a 3AM scenario. Don’t be ignorant.

screwauger said:
your claims sound impressive but lets ask bebe if Obowmao could have done/not done more to prevent this

That’s what I keep asking. What could he have done? The US friendship with Mubarak was not an ideal one, but one born out of necessity. Sometimes you have to let the chips fall and pickup after the fact. If the middle east “problem” was an easy one to solve — it would not still exist. Many POTUSs (yeah…including Republican ones) have been unsuccessful. Obama will not solve it and neither will his successor.
Gasket

screwauger said:
i think you’ve blown a gasket. Hussein Obowmao will go down in history as the biggest mistake this country and the world ever made. Might be over stated a tad but you get the drift. He’s befriended and enabled our enemies and alienated our allies. And before he is done, the history markers will be abundant starting with the most amateurish administration in our nations history.

Which “enemies” has he befriended? Friend(S) he has alienated? Israel has never been warm to Obama because he doesn’t kiss their butt (and not a neocon like Bibi). Despite this he has big support from American Jews. Highest of any religious group by the way. It was the same with the elder Bush. Now, maybe you can tell me of the other “friends” Obama has alienated. I mean, that should be an impressive populous list. Go!
Gasket

Grammie said:
.
And your proof is……….

Timeline of events.
Pablo

Gasket said:
BTW, if it wasn’t for Obama “flapping his guns” Mubarak would not have made any concessions. The guy knows he doesn’t have 100% backing from the US (his only real ally) so he is not saber rattling with the protesters.

Pay no attention to the week of angry mobs….
ndanielson

Gasket said:
Honestly, I don’t read 90% of your posts unless they quote my posts.

*Reads your actual post*

Ok…nothing of substance like I suspected. Meaningless platitudes. BTW, the Egyptian crisis is not a “3AM” scenario. N. Korea invading the south would be a 3AM scenario. The Cuban missile crisis was a 3AM scenario. 9-11 was a 3AM scenario. Don’t be ignorant.

That’s what I keep asking. What could he have done? The US friendship with Mubarak was not an ideal one, but one born out of necessity. Sometimes you have to let the chips fall and pickup after the fact. If the middle east “problem” was an easy one to solve — it would not still exist. Many POTUSs (yeah…including Republican ones) have been unsuccessful. Obama will not solve it and neither will his successor.

An Arab country in complete turmoil, and threatening an American ally (Israel) an peace in region is not a 3am call? Who knew?

He could have spoke to the Muslim Brotherhood and said: “the American people do not support the Muslim Brotherhood. We will support those that stand in opposition to you”.

How’s that sweetpea?
turk281

Color Me Badd said:
If Obama came out and said that Frank Gaffney was now the King of the World and everyone should worship Newt Gingrich as a god, Krauthammer would have a problem with it.

Being that conservatives aren’t so fond of kings and Krauthammer happens to be an atheist………..
StewartIII

Hot Air| Video: Obama somehow manages to say nothing meaningful in Egypt statement
http://hotair.com/archives/2011/02/01/video-obama-somehow-manages-to-say-nothing-meaningful-in-egypt-statement
Nacho

Obama is learning on the job. His second term is going to be Historic.
Gasket

Pablo said:
Pay no attention to the week of angry mobs….

I could agree that there’s no concrete bulletproof evidence of causation, or evidence for the contrary. Some would say it’s a post hoc argument, but, it’s circumstantial if you know the relationship between the two countries. Put 2 and 2 together and come up with your own conclusion. It seems rational to me that Hosni would give a shit about the USA’s opinion on the matter. After all, it’s he who is in the frying pan.

StewartIII said:
Hot Air| Video: Obama somehow manages to say nothing meaningful in Egypt statement
http://hotair.com/archives/2011/02/01/video-obama-somehow-manages-to-say-nothing-meaningful-in-egypt-statement

Nah…they just want(ed) him to say something incendiary or controversial so they can BLAME him after shit goes down. I will go for the “non-meaningful” critique any day. Obama is not an oracle. Egypt intel is beyond our scope. Caution is preferable.

ndanielson said:
An Arab country in complete turmoil, and threatening an American ally (Israel) an peace in region is not a 3am call? Who knew?

He could have spoke to the Muslim Brotherhood and said: “the American people do not support the Muslim Brotherhood. We will support those that stand in opposition to you”.

How’s that sweetpea?

The Muslim Brotherhood supports terrorists or has sympathies for them in the middle east. It’s a well known fact that the US will support and defend Israel against any aggression, and also, does not support terrorists or terrorism. These are already well known facts (that have never changed) that do not need to be reinforced. They are assumed to be true. Like I said, platitudes that are meaningless. I’m more interested in your specific policy than feel good soundbites.
Color Me Badd

turk281 said:
Being that conservatives aren’t so fond of kings and Krauthammer happens to be an atheist………..

Conservatives aren’t fond of kings? Tee Hee.
The Lantern of Truth

RRKING on fashion watch . Dr. K . is always well dressed . I wish Armando was . He insists on wearing my old zoot suits with flip flops . He can carry it off , though .
lane

While I agree with Mara here, but Krauthammer’s points are valid and interesting. Chaos in Egypt is a terrible outcome, but the US needs to show solidarity with the aspirations of Egyptians for more liberty and economic opportunities. Egypt is a key ‘moderate’ state in the unstable region. There are no easy answers here since the US has to both support the transition but to not be seen as a key player.

Obama started off too hands off again, as in the Iranian protests, but needs to forcefully support the concepts of greater liberty and opportunity in Egypt. The long-term strategy is key here, and it’s tough either way. Looks like behind the scenes is being handled well, which is a good sign.

Btw, Krauthammer is a tremendous analyst in general. The optics of Obama’s announcements are key to the process, if we’re seen as the ‘puppets’, then it’s the Shah all over again.
ChrisNH

Obama reminds me of Tom Hanks in ‘Cast Away.’ “See!!!! I Made Fire! Look! Fire!!” The jerk just has to create the appearance that everything bad is someone else’s fault while trying to take credit for anything good. No wonder people got tired of Obama LONG ago.
http://www.zazzle.com/talkingpoints NORBIT Jr.

The streets of Cairo are devolving into chaos.

It’s Mubarak’s stability-supporters vs. the people’s freedom-fighters!

Obama is staying clear, except to say he hopes for a peaceful resolution, and that the next government will have “Brotherhood” somewhere in their name! lol
huntingtonboy

Why do Fox viewers hang on the every word of Krauthammer an ex-pat Canadian.