Canada PM defends Obama on Chavez

[sabra]

Source: MSNBC

On a conference call this morning with reporters to discuss Iran and the U.N. Human Rights conference, Canada's conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper vigorously defended President Obama's handling of Hugo Chavez at this weekend's summit.

...

"Let me be a bit of a conservative defender of the president in this regard," Harper said. "I was present obviously at all the meetings -- not the meeting between President Obama and the South American leaders, obviously wasn't at that. But I was present at the summit meeting, all of the plenary sessions."

"I thought President Obama did an excellent job of expressing the values, and priorities of the U.S. of America," he added. "I thought that he allowed ... a dialogue to take place in a good spirit to animate the room -- which I thought made the meetings productive. I think (it) made the U.S., took the U.S. to a higher plane than the Venezuelas of the world, and I think was very effective at moving the vast majorities of countries, reaffirming a very centrist position and very progressive position on the things that concern us: democracy, human rights, open markets, trade."

Harper concluded, "I know he got some criticism at home. But, you know, the U.S. is bigger than Venezuela in the end. The U.S. is the U.S., and I thought President Obama led in a way that was very effective at that conference."

Read more: http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/04/20/1900010.aspx

[bemildred]

1. +1 nt

[ClarkUSA]

2. I love it when the compassionate conservative Bush clone from Alberta sucks up.

Considering how much more popular Pres. Obama is in Canada than Harper, I am not surprised.

[madmom]

3. "very progressive position " there in a nutshell is their problem with it.

[Psychic Consortium]

4. Obama teaches us how to be a civil, decent, honorable people.

Even with people we disagree with.

[earth mom]

6. What's with the "we" talk? I don't disagree with Chavez & neither do millions of people

in this country. :eyes:

I don't need Obama to teach me how to be. I'm way ahead of him because I believe in the Constitution 100%.

If I were in Obama's shoes I would do the right and Constitutional thing and prosecute the * & Co criminals among the many other things Obama is playing politics about.

Obama could learn a thing or two from me.

Obama could learn a thing or two from Chavez.

[Psychic Consortium]

7. There will be justice.

That is 100% certain.

[earth mom]

8. Not according to the Obama administration. Wake up and smell the corruption.

Read this thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x5490862

[Psychic Consortium]

10. Obama will bring them down one by one.

This is guaranteed.
And they will never know what hit them.
Obama plays a master chess game.

[irislake]

5. Suck up, suck up, "Steve" !

Try to get a wee bit of Obama limelight to impress the dwindling supply of Harper supporters back home.

[Posteritatis]

9. Ahhh, the sweet sound of Harper losing thousands of Conservative votes.. (nt)