Salon: Right-wing pundits attack Obama for Brazil trip

[pampango]

http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2011/03/19/obama_brazil_trip_vacation/

President Obama is in Brazil this weekend as part of a five-day tour through South America. While the focus of the trip is to encourage stronger trade relations between the two countries, conservative critics are painting it as a "Rio vacation." This after a week in which the president sustained significant right-wing blowback for filling out an NCAA bracket on ESPN and playing golf as turmoil escalated in Libya and Japan.

In particular, Newt Gingrich and Sean Hannity hammered the president over the trip, while New York Daily News columnist Andrea Tantaros said Obama has "priority issues" during an appearance on "The O'Reilly Factor."

The Daily Beast's Mac Margolis comes to the president's defense, pointing out that Latin America -- and Brazil, in particular -- is a strategically important region that's vital to the United State's economic well-being, both now and in the long-term:

At a time when global markets are still struggling, Latin America may be one of the few sources of good news for recovering U.S. economy and a rare opportunity to tap new alliances... Critics fault Obama for a trip that will produce no new treaty and no bold policy initiative for the region... But in a way, his visit is confirmation of a region on the rise.

[CJCRANE]

1. If I ever see the headline "Right-Wing pundits unanimously praise Obama"

I'll know it's from the Onion.

[KharmaTrain]

2. Yawn...

As if what the Gnewtster has to say has any real credibility...or any of those "pundits". That is other than the corporate media who need them to play their false equivelency games. It also shows the typical myopia of the great unhinged who forget that there's more than the U.S. in the Western Hemisphere...other than it's full of smelly dark-skinned people.

[hobbit709]

3. If Obama walked on water, right wing pundits would say it's because he can't swim.

[underpants]

5. LOL great line. I could re-read that about a BRAZILLIAN times

:rofl:

[66 dmhlt]

12. Dubya: "I forgot ... exactly how many is a Brazilian?"

[joshcryer]

4. There are plenty of left wingers bashing him over it too.

[underpants]

6. You see we have new fangled telEphone thingies and up in the air satellites

which makes talking to people a whole lot easier.

:eyes:

[no_hypocrisy]

7. And they'd criticize him for "hiding in the White House like Carter" if he stayed in D.C.

[TomClash]

8. Daft

After the US, Brazil is probably the most important country in the western hemisphere.

[SoCalDem]

9. Presidents no longer get to "president". The instant they are inaugurated, the people they defeated

set out to destroy them and their presidency. The recent difference is that our corporatist 24-7 media magnifies it.

The elite DC/NYC media vilified Carter because he was "a bumpkin" who refused to ingratiate himself to them & attend their parties..

That same media bolstered Reagan's presidency far beyond what it really was.. and set the new default position for the country.. a HARD "R"..anything less would never again be tolerated.

Clinton was demonized from the beginning, and of course Obama will get no slack (and has not).

The sad thing is that is show the rest of the world that no matter who is president, he/(she someday) will not be respected in the US, no matter how well thought of internationally they are.

Republicans FEAR democrats because when democrats are elected, it;s because people expect big things to be done, and every republican worth his.her salt, knows that big things cost big money, and even though they and theirs would share in the benefits, it also means that money they want to hand out to their buddies, might be in short supply, and those same buddies might just get asked to PAY their share.

[EV_Ares]

10. You would think that people would see these people for what they are with how they have

acted ever since he took his seat in the Oval Office. I mean sure we were critical of Bush and yes, I am biased but I still honestly believe that the biggest part of the criticism from us was done in a legitimate manner the biggest part of the time. Of course we had fun with him when he couldn't find his way out of some leaders conference & the door wouldn't open, when he had his bike accidents, etc. His speech gaffes, sure but I again, honestly he ever did the hate thing like these people.

The dems constantly including hosts like Matthews always let them off of the hook when they use "but look at how Bush was treated" or the other side does it.

It simply is not true.

[mrcheerful]

11. The wing nut's today are just repeating what they heard the left say about Bush

mainly in their small little minds they can't comprehend that Obama is not a complete failure like Bush was nor has Obama made the power grabs Bush made. Where as the left had facts to show Bush for what he was the right just make crap up and repeat it until it is fact in their minds, like the birthers. There is a big difference between what the left were doing and what the right are now doing, which is done mainly out of hate and spite over losing an election. Notice the same people are all standing behind Walker and the rest of the union busting Governors without a care on how they are killing their own working rights, they are small pity little tyrants who have inflated self worth egos.

[EV_Ares]

13. You said it best, and yes very, very small minds.