JK in Beirut

[whometense]

Dec. 18: Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, right, speaks with U.S. Senators John Kerry, left, and Christopher Dodd, center, in his house in Beirut, Lebanon.

[blm]

1. oops for Sen. Dodd - in that region, feet should be planted on floor.

They take it as a sign of disrespect when the bottom of foot is raised. I just recently learned that here at DU, myself. But, I'm not acting as a diplomat. ;)

[fedupinBushcountry]

2. More pics here:

http://news.yahoo.com/photos/ss/events/pl/021103kerry&curPhoto=1

[Mass]

3. When the Hartford Courant does its job and the Boston Globe does not.

During these last few days, the coverage of this Iraq trip is an amazing example of how the Boston Globe refuses to inform us of what our senators do.

The Hartford Courant has been an exemplary coverage of the trip and what their senator was doing. Latest example today:

http://www.courant.com/news/politics/hc-doddiraq1218.artdec18,0,2037587.story?coll=hc-headlines-politics-state

http://www.theday.com/re.aspx?re=3e5a362e-fa91-47ae-95c2-738dd2cd2f37 (though the Day seems to ignore Kerry was with Dodd).

In the meantime, the Boston Globe has been basically silent on this trip, with the exception of one article this week-end and of the publication of AP releases about the trip.

Not to speak about the Herald and the Eagle Tribune criticizing Kerry.
http://www.eagletribune.com/opinion/local_story_352094616?keyword=topstory

[MH1]

4. Well, this is interesting (Condi gave Dodd questions to ask)

from the Courant article:

Dodd also said that when he visits Syria Tuesday and Wednesday for an expected meeting with President Bashar Assad, he will be armed with questions from Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Dodd would not say what she wants to ask, only that "I asked for specific questions and she gave them to me. I said I'd call her and tell her the answers to those questions," Dodd said.

Seems like if these Senators were doing something so awful by talking to Assad, she'd hardly be giving them questions to ask him.