Look: One of those behind-the-scenes stories about the administration. Will is prove to be endlessly fascinating, or will it be yet again as boring as its subjects? Well, it turns out Hillary Clinton is being used by Obama for advice on Egypt and to represent him on this issue. Almost like she’s Secretary of State Hillary Clinton or something. Anyway, Hillary Clinton is an expert in this because she’s friends with all the players involved. The dictator players, that is; not the ones looking to overthrow him.
Yes, this is a Politico article, so the premise is pretty thin, but this is still fun:
As importantly, she is also providing valuable insights into Mubarak’s behavior, according to officials. Those insights are honed from years of contact with the 82-year-old Egyptian leader and his much younger wife, a relationship that deepened during Clinton’s 1999 trip to Egypt with her daughter Chelsea.
“Hillary knows Mubarak is a dictator and they aren’t close friends,” says a former top U.S. diplomat with ties to Obama. “But she knows him well enough – well enough to know this guy isn’t Saddam Hussein and he’s probably the one who told the army not to fire into the crowd.”
This administration still has no idea what side they’re supporting here. “Yes, she’s really good friends with the man, but she can’t actually be that close to him, because he’s a dictator. But he’s still a really good guy.”
“Mubarak needs to be shown a path out of this, and Hillary’s trying to find a way to do that,” added the official, who says Clinton is also sharing her experience with other Mideast leaders who may be facing similar upheaval. “She knows a lot of these people on a personal level.”
Or maybe we just forget the personal level and let the power-obsessed pig fall? Because he deserves it? HOW CAN THEY STILL BE UNSURE ABOUT WHO TO SUPPORT HERE? Stop coddling the Nazis. Do you really want your stammering brother to have to deliver a war speech?
There are some more quotes about how Hillary Clinton is very well suited to dealing with this issue, as if the glaring conflict of interest is an asset. None of these people feel it fit to just say, “Of course she’s the one dealing with this issue, Politico, she’s the fucking Secretary of State. Idiots.” But whatever.
Here’s the takeaway line, obviously:
But before that happens, Mubarak must go – a fact that Obama and his team, reluctant to let go of a stable ally, have been reluctant to embrace.
They are reluctant because they are reluctant. [Politico]
{ 98 comments }
Another reason to bomb Iran.
Are they friends with benefits?
Newt Gingrich is also advising him, because he identifies with the Much Younger Wife thing. Cradle robbers have to stick together.
But Honsi is cancerous!
Jack, I think you made an error in your comment, "Will is prove to be endlessly fascinating"; it should be "Will is proven to be endlessly fascinating".
Also, which Will? Smith? There is something a little fascinating about a Scientologist closet case married to a closet case lesbian who has now given both his kids franchise remakes I guess.
George Will, was my first guess.
It should have been "Will it prove", I believe…
I am convinced that Stuef now leaves typos in deliberately just to wind us up. Or maybe he's one of those self-righteous church ladies who leave one thing undone to prove their humility.
Because only Allah is perfect.
I'm sure that friendship will come in handy when Mubarak needs a place to crash when he is driven out of the presidential palace by angry mobs. Sucks when your only Egyptian friend is the most hated man in the country,
Maybe Mubarak and the guy from Tunisia can share a seaside estate in Saudi Arabia or some place similar.
Kinda like when Mohammed Reza Pahlavi was Jimmy Carter's only friend in Iran, back in 1979. We know how well that has worked out.
Hosni Mubarak = Blessed Excellence in Arabic.
Boy, his parents misnamed him!
So what is Politico saying here? Hilsbot was one slice of bread in a Hosni Sex Sandwich?
They are blowing one of the most formative moments in the Obama legacy – controlling which way to help tip the domino effect of the power structure of the Middle East. Vietnam was penny ante compared to this, hell, so is Afghanistan. And we lost or are losing both of those. . .
This is a gift (not only to those generations who don't even know what freedom, voting or a livelihood means) to the Administration and they can't even find their pants. Where is the dusty folder with a plan surrounding this eventuality?
Dubya would have known what to do, Napalm the livin' shit outta the protesters! He'd use the response in the region to justify bombing the livin' shit outta the nuke-u-lar stuff in Iran and given a supplimental tax cut to the defense contractors and then hung a medal of freedumb on Hosni's ass for a final flourish. Cheney would be whirring and clicking in the corner in approval.
Well, if history is any guide, Hopey will eventually decide to do whatever David Gergen thinks is a good idea. If the outcome is good for us, he'll take to the podium and accept the thanks of a greatful nation. If the outcome is not good for us, It's Bill and Hilz fault.
“Hillary knows Mubarak is a dictator and they aren’t close friends,” says a former top U.S. diplomat with ties to Obama. “But she knows him well enough ."
My buddies and Hill
Are gettin' real well known.
Yeah, the bad guys know us
And they leave us alone.
She gets aroooouuuund.
It's a good thing we have Politico to sift through all of this complicated political strategery and explain it to us mere mortals outside the village.
I can't really start my day until Politico has won the morning.
“Yes, she’s really good friends with the man, but she can’t actually be that close to him, because he’s a dictator. But he’s still a really good guy.”
I'm confused…are we talking about Bill or Mubarak here? Is this another "stand by your man" moment???
This is America's "stand by your man [Mubarak]" moment.
The only real way we can know for sure is if, and when, Hillary un-friends Mubarak from her Facebook account. Ops. Egypt no longer has the inter-net.
So let me get this straight: this Politico article offered nothing in terms of detail or conjecture beyond the patently obvious?
That statement's kind of redundant; you could have just said "this was a Politico article".
One can only wonder why they're so over-represented on CBS as "news analysts".
Where do I sign up for a subscription?
Let's invade Grenada in honor of Sir Ronnie's 100th! Put Hosni in charge of the nachos.
That entire article sounds like it could have been written in one well-composed sentence. I say "sounds like" because I can't read Politico before breakfast.
"…the 82-year-old Egyptian leader and his much younger wife…"
His "smokin' hott wife". Fixed.
I for one would have an easier time making sense of the events in Egypt, Tunisia, and Jordan if I knew that those Arabic signs were misspelled and incoherent, and if the protesters wore 18th century costumes.
EL pUEbl0: uniD0
hj-aMMAs suRa VENcId0, shEePlE!1!!11
Meanwhile, it has turned into a motherfucking Indiana Jones movie in Cairo, starring Anderson Cooper:
"CAIRO – Several thousand supporters of President Hosni Mubarak, including some riding horses and camels and wielding whips, attacked anti-government protesters Wednesday as Egypt's upheaval took a dangerous new turn. In chaotic scenes, the two sides pelted each other with stones, and protesters dragged attackers off their horses." http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/02/egypt-pr...
"Anderson Cooper and his crew were attacked by supporters of Hosni Mubarak in Cairo on Wednesday. CNN's Steve Brusk tweeted that Cooper was punched in the head ten times." http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/02/anderson...
"Cooper was punched in the head ten times."
This is good news for Shepard Smith.
Are they sure the camel-riding whippers were Mubarak supporters, and not S&M fetishists taking advantage of the situation?
Ali: Hey, baby, wanna try it Dromedary-style?
Fatimah: You infidel pig! What kind of woman do you think I am?
The funny thing is that it had nothing to do with the protests. They just saw Anderson Cooper on the street and punched him in the grill. Wouldn't you?
Wow, did Kathy Griffin go there with him? Kathy Griffin is a Mubarak supporter? I'd have thought she'd just pants him instead of going off on him like that…
Overheard: "Do I come to where you work and knock the dictator out of your mouth?"
Like every complex news event, the Egyptian revolution has its good side.
I volunteer to tongue punch him better.
If Anderson Cooper is the star, then shouldn't he have just pulled out his revolver and shot the swordsman?
Cooper was heard to mutter: "Thank you sir, may I suck another?"
I'll bet he knocked Chelsea up.
I'm not a foreign relations specialist, but I'm pretty sure America is supporting its oil interests in the Arab world.
That is always the way to bet.
You can be sure lots are praying for the Rapture!
I'm going to write an article about how the President signs bills into laws and see if Politico will accept it.
School House Rock it.
No chance. That is way too technical for them.
It's not a real diplomatic mission unless Sinbad is involved.
They beat up Anderson Cooper? Hoooo boy, I know dozens of "non-political" gay men who just picked sides in this massive clusterfuck.
LEAVE ANDERSON ALOOOOOOOOONE!
So now we know who to call at 3:00 a.m.!!!
“Hillary knows Mubarak is a dictator and they aren’t close friends,” says
a former top U.S. diplomat with ties to Obamasome press flak at State who wouldn't let us quote him unless we called him a former top U.S. diplomat.//fixed
My name is Hillary, queen of queens: Look upon my pantsuit, ye Mighty, and despair!
Tomorrow's Politico headline today: Dems in Disarray as Typhoon batters Australia, GOP sees advantage.
Subhead: Obama Administration Woefully Unprepared on the Ground in Australia, GOP Blames Obama's Failure to Provide Tax Cuts to Rich Australian Media Moguls.
“Hillary knows Mubarak is a dictator…"
Capt. Obvious works for Politico? Good for him.
"This administration still has no idea what side they’re supporting here. "
All of them Jack, all of them.
Is firing into the crowd the new litmus test for good guy vs. bad guy? If so, our standards are too damn low.
I got a notice today that someone in "Liberal = Intolerant" is now tracking everythng I post, and after having examined their website, I see that one of their tactics is to click the thumbs down box next to the comments of people that they don't approve of. Just knowing that has driven all of the snark out of me for the day, though I did want to say something about how long it has taken the Obama Administration to start saying good things about people who are trying to overthrow a tyrant. Anyway, Wonkette fans should be aware that this Organization, "Liberals = Intolerance" is trying to intimidate people who post Liberal point-of-view comments.
"people who post Liberal point-of-view comments" Which on this bulletin board is just about everyone. I guess the Hover-rounds can't plow through the snow and there is nothing good on cable.
Buck up Nancy. I'll cancel the wingnut vote with one in the opposite direction. Don't let wingnuts get to you.
Bad news: the algorithm IntenseDebate uses to calculate pee levels weights down-thumbs much more heavily than up-thumbs. They don't say how much more heavily.
The algorithm obviously needs to be reformed. I think it would be appropriate for up-fists to be unweighted, and down-fists to be weighted according to the voter's history on this site. A person whose net fisting votes are negative would have a positive effect instead, proportional to how often they down-fist.
Or we can just go to Liberals=Intolerance and tell them what assholes they are.
How empty does your life have to be to focus so strongly on people you can't stand? It's kinda sad.
If you post with a view toward reward or recognition, you are here for the wrong reasons. I post for myself and my dogs. I don't have ulcers, high blood pressure and I never kick my dogs since I found The Wonkette. The rest of it, including the fabled "p" rating, can kiss my Missouri Ass.
I'm here for the larfs.
You've given me a few, thanks.
I do my best. Comments like that are way better than any P
I support your doing the Wonkette for your dogs. From now on, I too will post for my dog.
A worthy cause.
Woof!
Agreed. While I'm happy if people fist me, I could care less if it happens. And one bad fisting from a 'bagger with no sense of humor is hardly going to put me off my game.
Rise above the whore diamonds and be free!
It would be flattering and satisfying to think I had attracted the attention and ire of a 'tard or two, though.
Amen. I do this for the lulz. If anyone else likes it, that's just a bonus. Also, the image of trolls wasting their lives furiously downfisting this place is pure comedy gold to me.
Downfisting = more innocent livestock unmolested.
Lives? As if!
Amen and Amen!
I figger that the up-thumbing is a good gauge of whether a post was clever or witty or meh. Overall I don't give a rat's ass about p points and all, but it's nice to hit one out of the park every now and then, so you know you made some people laugh.
Good points, I agree.
Yeah, I've got one of those losers stalking me too.
Pretty hilarious to hear them waaaaah about getting the banhammer for some egregiously moronic comment/s when most wingnut sites don't allow ANY comments, & those that do nearly always delete all the inconvenient fact-filled ones.
I sometimes comment at NRO (no abuse, no cuss-words, no spam) & they never post my snark – but it warms my black cinder of a heart to know that some neocon douche read it & had a sad.
Intimidation? More like inspiration.
The tears of sociopathic dipshits = champagne.
I tell people that if they want to punish me, they can meet me face-to-face, man to man. I'm old and crippled-up, but I'm not afraid to defend my honor in person.
It helps that I live far away, it's true. But come to Yunnan Agricultural University, look around for the short fat guy who looks like a Jew and it'll probably be me.
Does this mean no more free abortions on Wonkette?
18th century BCE in that instance, yes.
Does everyone get loincloths and someone has the pharaoh headgear? That would make for good television. Maybe we can get some folks to put on the animal masks and look like the ancient Egyptian gods. Let's see some Hoth, people!
Hills looks like she's been drug through a knothole backwards lately. Never, ever looked good; but this shit is really getting to her. I'd last about 5 minutes in her cankle-stretched booties, though. She's a better man than me.
In related news, Bolton wants to bomb Iran because Bolton wants to bomb Iran. Jesus, how low is our species when ordering your goons NOT to fire on peaceful protesters makes you a good guy?
Of course, Bolton can't even meet that low bar.
"Hillary Clinton plays key role in dance with Hosni Mubarak"
[Somewhere in a bunker just outside Cairo. Clinton and Mubarak sit around a guttering candle while the sound of gunfire draws closer]
Hillary – Ok, Hosni calm down. Calm the fuck down! Now listen. I see a way out of this. You have to win the hearts of the Egyptian people again and I know just the way to do it. You with me? Good. You know how everyone loves those reality shows right? Ready? Dancing with the Dictators! It's a great idea. Even if you lose, you still charm the pants off of everyone. Look at Tom Delay and Bristol Palin. Ok…Tom's a bad example, but still. We can…
Hosni – Please Hillary, stop. I'm leaving now to confront my fate outside. Being riddled with bullets sounds better.
Politico really *is* the US magazine of politics.
"Or maybe we just forget the personal level and let the power-obsessed pig fall?"
Or maybe Hillary can find a way to ease him out the door before too many more people are murdered? I think that the Egyptians might be OK with that, not getting shot.
I'll join in your sneers iff it comes out that Obama and Clinton are trying to prop Mubarak up. But I feel the same here as I did with the Iranian uprising — overt American support for the rebels will make a lot of people in the Middle East think that the rebels are our puppets, and that's not good for them.
How does this fit into the new Caliphate?
Those insights are honed from years of contact with the 82-year-old Egyptian leader and his much younger wife, a relationship that deepened during Clinton’s 1999 trip to Egypt with her daughter Chelsea.
Why do these things always come down to Hillary being a lesbian?
I continue to believe that Politico is really a project of the Yes Men.
At least she hasn't made a complkete idiot out of herself like Blair who came out and said of Murabak yesterday that he's "immensely courageous and a force for good" .
LOL WUT
Getting him to use the GPS in his limo to find directions to the airport is that hard?
I'm sure Mrs Clinton would enjoy 30 years of autocratic power, with torture and jail for anyone who complained.
Anyone who's intimidated by a thumbs-down click….
The one silver lining to electing Obama, Hillary has not become our Mubarak.
In all seriousness, as obviously as he's been a dictator, it'll still be bad to see his body being dragged through Tahrir Square. It's much better if our administration somehow negotiates as graceful an exit as they can for him. A dictator, yes, but there are degrees however disgusting that sounds.
BTW, "As importantly". That doesn't sound right.
True enough. I tried to redeem my p's at the local bar and they threw me out. The nerve!
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