Brazil to Obama: We’re not coming to dinner

[unhappycamper]

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2013/09/17/202443/brazil-to-obama-were-not-coming.html



Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff

Brazil to Obama: We’re not coming to dinner
By Lesley Clark and Vinod Sreeharsha | McClatchy Washington Bureau
Posted on Tuesday, September 17, 2013

WASHINGTON — Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff has scrapped a scheduled state visit to the White House amid Brazilian outrage over news that the U.S. spied on her and a Brazilian oil company.

The cancellation of the Oct. 23 visit is the first public diplomatic fallout prompted by the revelations of National Security Agency spying and represents a serious rift between the two economic powerhouses and trading partners.

Obama has sought repeatedly to allay Brazil’s concerns, meeting privately with Rousseff at an economic summit in St. Petersburg, and dispatching several top members of his administration to speak to the Brazilians. Obama spoke with Rousseff by phone Monday, and White House spokesman Jay Carney said they agreed to postpone the state visit – which would have been the first of Obama’s second term.

Carney said the two presidents believed the visit "should not be overshadowed by a single bilateral issue, no matter how important or challenging the issue may be."

[Pholus]

1. Had a roommate use that last line with his soon-to-be ex once.

He found out that sleeping with her best friend was a bilateral issue that overshadowed pretty much everything...

[unhappycamper]

2. Ir is difficult to make others believe in our fascism.

Hell, it's difficult (for me at least) to believe that my Nobel Peace Laureate President has gone down the dark path of war and spying.

[Pholus]

3. I know. Trying to be positive I tell myself I don't know the whole deal, but...

then the next story comes out and the abuses are worse than the last one.

Sigh.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

4. There are no abuses. Patriotic DUers have assured me that is all

a far leftist fantasy. So there.

[frylock]

5. and everybody already knew about that far leftist fantasy back in 2006 anyway.