NBC: 'Dispirited' Obama to make written statement

[cal04]

http://worldblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/02/10/6027140-nbc-dispirited-obama-to-make-written-statement

Update 6:48 p.m. ET: NBC News' Chuck Todd reports that White House officials say President Barack Obama found Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's speech "extremely dispiriting."

After making upbeat remarks earlier in the day at a speech in Michigan, in which he said the world was watching "history unfold," Obama is now expected only to issue a written statement this evening.

"We've got to work this carefully," a U.S. official told Todd. "We've got to get this just right."

Noting ambiguity arising from differing translations of Mubarak's remarks — which left it unclear just how much power Mubarak had turned over to Vice President Omar Suleiman — Todd said officials at the White House "want to believe that Suleiman is in charge" but can't be 100 percent of that.

[tularetom]

1. Not sure why they think Suleiman is any better than Mubarak

But since this is a Chucky Toad story I have doubts as to what's actually going on.

[Uzybone]

2. he isn't, but who do you have in mind?

someone has to step in

[tularetom]

3. Dude, I'm the LAST person anybody should ask that question of

Which is why President Obama is in the WH and I'm, well, not.

I'm merely questioning (a) why the WH thinks Suleiman, with his background, represents a step towards democracy in Egypt and (b) whether you can believe anything that comes out of the fevered brain of Chucky Toad.

[Arkana]

8. He doesn't, but if Mubarak can't do it then someone

is going to have to serve as President of Egypt until September.

Suleiman struck me as Baghdad Bob v. 2.0 though. It's a choice between shitty and shittier for the Obama administration.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

4. Wael Ghonim, El Baredai, a house plant I have at home

Any of the 3 listed couldn't possibly do any worse than this POS who personally tortures people to death. When you need someone to "step up", you don't call Charlie Manson. It's a rule.

[bread_and_roses]

5. Ask the Egyptian people who and what THEY have in mind (n/t)

[Uzybone]

6. yeah I think someone should do that

Instead of just throwing out the latest names they saw on CNN or whatever.

[pnwmom]

7. And you won't get a clear answer, not now.

Not while they're still living in a police state. Anyone who wanted to position himself as a leader in the past risked imprisonment, or worse.

Potential leaders need to be freed from the fear of arrest; then to be able to campaign for enough time for the voters to decide among them. I would think they would need a few months, at least.

[Arkana]

9. Not to mention the fact that there's like ten different groups

that have allied themselves together in this protest.

All they have in common is that they hate Mubarak and want him gone. When he's gone, what happens?

[Arkana]

10. I don't blame them for being rocked back on their heels.

Mubarak basically went out and trolled the entire world. They have to fall back and figure out what they're going to do next.

[WI_DEM]

11. your headline seems incorrect it isn't a "dispirited" Obama it's says he found

Mubarack's speech "dispiriting."