Two gift-gaffe days in a row for Obama administration
posted at 5:40 pm on March 6, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
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Yesterday, we talked about the incredibly thoughtless snub from the Obamas to British Prime Minister Gordon Brown in the traditional gift exchange in Brown’s first visit to the Obama White House. Today, Hillary makes it a gaffetastic week by proving to the Russians that the State Department can’t translate worth a damn:
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton opened her first extended talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov by giving him a present meant to symbolize the Obama administration’s vow to “press the reset button” on U.S.-Russia relations.
She handed a palm-sized box wrapped with a bow. Lavrov opened it and pulled out the gift: a red button on a black base with a Russian word peregruzka printed on top.
“We worked hard to get the right Russian word. Do you think we got it?” Clinton asked.
“You got it wrong,” Lavrov said.
Instead of “reset,” Lavrov said the word on the box meant “overcharge.”
Clinton and Lavrov laughed.
Yeah, I’m sure Lavrov laughed. Later, he probably told his deputy, “Tell the crypto guys they can take it easy.”
Some will say, Come on, it’s just a light moment, but let’s think about what Hillary was doing here. She was making fun of the previous administration’s diplomacy with her “reset” button, a rather nasty piece of work. I’ll bet the Bush administration and Condi Rice would have gotten the translation correct before making that joke — and I’d bet even more money they wouldn’t have thought to make fun of Hillary’s husband in that fashion in the first place.
Can we get a reset button?
Update: Tommy Christopher makes a point I neglected:
Anyone who remembers a time from the Reagan era on back would know that the last thing you want to give Russia is “the button,” no matter what’s written on it. Why not just give Vietnam a “tripwire of friendship?”
Update II: Closing Velocity notes that the Russians seem inordinately amused at Hillary’s expense. And the Czechs and the Poles aren’t exactly cheering at this development either.
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Awesome! Peace in Our Time! (to repeat bullseye’s, um, bullseye)
malclave on March 6, 2009 at 9:23 PM
athensboy on March 6, 2009 at 9:17 PM
No genius, this scares the crap out of me. I have a family to worry about and our SOS just showed utter incompetence to the Russians..
I have no problem with what ed posted. What I do have a problem with is a moron SOS.
The GOP is out of power because of ACORN election fraud, Millions of dollars in illegal overseas contributions, A press that is a fifth column and someone dumping half a trillion dollars of investments in one hour.
Hey pal when OBamagenius finally gets the market to crush depth we ALL go down, the whole freaking world. Current estimates are that the market will bottom out at about 3500. Crush depth is somewhere in the 2500-2000 range. It wouldn’t take much to get us there.. Then we get anarchy, martial law, food shortages and a complete breakdown in society.. Hint – it won’t be pretty.
bullseye on March 6, 2009 at 9:25 PM
I would bet that some poor translator (and I mean poor as in lousy) is being drawn and quartered at this moment.
conservnut on March 6, 2009 at 9:35 PM
Oh, we are. The Democrats are quite amusing in their bumbling incompetence. It would be even more amusing if your party of incompetents weren’t capable of inflicting so much damage, like a group of psychotics given a no-limit credit card. You’ll be back.
ddrintn on March 6, 2009 at 9:39 PM
How MANY ways can one spell “inept”???
This is what happens when the members of the Executive Branch of our Federal Government DON’T respect their role and place in history.
Gohawgs on March 6, 2009 at 9:42 PM
Seriously, does the DNC pay you or do just spew their talking points out of the goodness of your heart?
terryannonline on March 6, 2009 at 9:47 PM
Reading it again, though:
She’s essentially right, except for the UK and maybe Switzerland. I suppose the diplomatic thing to do though would be to let the French keep on believing they “invented democracy”.
ddrintn on March 6, 2009 at 9:49 PM
Messed that one up, thanks for the catch. And now we can enjoy.
WashJeff on March 6, 2009 at 9:51 PM
Well, words do matter…and this most recent show of US resolve (/s) has caused at least one European government to reconsider what was once thought permanent.
France to rejoin the military part of NATO.
Now why would France do such a thing now? The Cold War is over. No threat of a Nazi re-awakening. Or maybe it is because Sarkozi can see that America is no longer the reliable ally of the West? After all, in the middle of a global economic melt-down, the US promises to give Hamas $900billion. Offers to lighten up on Iran. Is rapidly embracing socialism. Has a leadership that is clueless.
DeGaulle pulled out of the military side of NATO because he wished France to be unfettered in its “rightful” place as a global leader. Told LBJ to get the US military out of France immediately. Set up his own Force de frappe, nuclear armed.
But, Sarkozi sees a chance to have a Europe independent of the pratfalls and proclivities of this Administration, and potentially other like-minded future Administrations.
When you can’t count on others, best to count on yourself.
coldwarrior on March 6, 2009 at 9:57 PM
Smartest woman in the room forgot to consult a real Russian linguist. Makes Obambi look oh so much what….like an idiot for choosing the hag.
larvcom on March 6, 2009 at 9:58 PM
$900billion — should read “$900million”
Long day.
coldwarrior on March 6, 2009 at 10:00 PM
getalife
Wasn’t it just yesterday that you proclaimed NO PARTY affilition? You said, you had no loyalty to any party in particular.
LIAR. We all know whom you work for, so shut up w/the I’m objective BS. You are a liberal hack. Go Away!
JAM on March 6, 2009 at 10:01 PM
If this is all you’ve got, you’re emtier than Obama, and he’s the Cipher in Chief already.
Entelechy on March 6, 2009 at 10:06 PM
S/b “emptier”
Entelechy on March 6, 2009 at 10:06 PM
Also, getalife, are you on duty tonight? Where are your comrades?
Entelechy on March 6, 2009 at 10:07 PM
The Greek, the influence of the Magna Carta…
Entelechy on March 6, 2009 at 10:15 PM
At this point Chauncy Gardner would be a vast improvement over Barry and his administration.
Fed45 on March 6, 2009 at 10:15 PM
Shh! We don’t want to wake them.
terryannonline on March 6, 2009 at 10:15 PM
Also, getalife, are you on duty tonight? Where are your comrades?
Entelechy on March 6, 2009 at 10:07 PM
Gohawgs on March 6, 2009 at 10:15 PM
Yeah…hilarious!
SouthernGent on March 6, 2009 at 10:19 PM
This administration is like a bad skit from Saturday Night Live. Can it get any more worse?
sweet92169 on March 6, 2009 at 10:20 PM
Wasn’t Obama the one complaining about Americans going to Europe and only knowing how to say Maaarcy Bocup? Hmmm… but at least we don’t have those ignorant Bushies. No, now the truly educated philosophes of Hope and Change have come to save America from the tide of ignorance.
Upstater85 on March 6, 2009 at 10:21 PM
getalife, this is a trend we’d like to keep.
Entelechy on March 6, 2009 at 10:23 PM
To paraphrase The One…
“Oh, yes, it can!”
coldwarrior on March 6, 2009 at 10:23 PM
I want to know what tax dodging moron they put in charge of giving gifts to the Foreign Leaders. I mean really, what dolt is in charge of that. Can we fire them, and I don’t know, perhaps hire Martha Stewart? At least she served time for cheating on her taxes.
Snake307 on March 6, 2009 at 10:26 PM
Yeah, that statement by ozero really ticked me off. Hundreds of thousands of english speaking Brits, Aussies, Canadians and Americans spilled their blood so the french wouldn’t have to learn to speak like “Jawhol Mein Fueher. Ich Bin Eine Scheinhund. Take My Daughters Pliss.”
I still remember a family member who lost an eye and a leg storming normandy so the french could speak french and not german. I suppose that is well beyond the pay grade of our jug eared jackass. It is the french who should be saying Merci Beucoup Mon Ami to the English Speaking world.
BTW – apologies to the other english speaking nationalities that fought that I forgot to list.
bullseye on March 6, 2009 at 10:42 PM
Um, this thread is not about me, it is about our great Secretary of State.
She is having fun and doing great work.
Be happy.
getalife on March 6, 2009 at 11:00 PM
In practical terms, I don’t know if that would apply in the modern era, as far as “bragging rights” are concerned. Our particular form here is one of the oldest surviving.
ddrintn on March 6, 2009 at 11:02 PM
You tend to make threads about you by posting absolute chickenshite comments. I am not sure if you are for real or not. Perhaps you are suffering from disease. It is not fun anymore. Please contribute some semblance of substance or do us all a favor and just read.
carbon_footprint on March 6, 2009 at 11:04 PM
I know you were probably in a rush to cash your check from axelrod so I took the liberty of making some minor corrections in the interests of accuracy. IOW, FIFY
bullseye on March 6, 2009 at 11:08 PM
I’m starting to get a tingle go up my leg and no it is not the Matthews kind. It is the kind Custer had at Little Big Horn.
Dire Straits on March 6, 2009 at 11:09 PM
Of course Lavrov will put it on his desk, if only as a reminder as how low the U.S. has fallen.
blamegame on March 6, 2009 at 11:11 PM
~ ~ Karl Marx
~ ~ Karl Marx
Entelechy on March 6, 2009 at 11:12 PM
I wonder if the big three MSM networks covered these gaffes or did we get another Michelle “My Belle” sleveless fashion show?
Dire Straits on March 6, 2009 at 11:22 PM
Do I really see the Secretary of State holding out her box to the Russian Foreign Minister, and is he really rubbing her little cherry button with his middle finger? Mrs. Clinton looks a little overcharged by all the attention.
Kralizec on March 6, 2009 at 11:28 PM
They are not laughing with us………….
…………. they are laughing at us.
Seven Percent Solution on March 6, 2009 at 11:31 PM
Yuckies!
baldilocks on March 7, 2009 at 12:01 AM
Now that was funny!
D2Boston on March 7, 2009 at 12:10 AM
Like I’ve said, this administration thinks Protocol is a movie starring goldie Hawn. What country are they going to insult next?
kingsjester on March 7, 2009 at 12:14 AM
While in Moscow…
do as the Ruskies do.
Saltysam on March 7, 2009 at 12:18 AM
Was this an example of Hilary’s fabulous ‘Smart Power”?
Wow, I’m truly impressed. What a woman. She should have been president.
////////////////////////////////
marge on March 7, 2009 at 12:22 AM
Um, the thread is not about our Secretary of State, it is about our Secretary of State’s gaffe. Is your tendency to tune out specifics getting in the way of your reading comprehension?
RD on March 7, 2009 at 12:25 AM
Actually, we went into Iraq to get rid of Hussein.
-Dave
Dave R. on March 7, 2009 at 12:29 AM
Not going in:
Hussein in place and not ever knowing for sure if he had WMDs.
Going in:
No Hussein and no MDS.
Which one do you prefer? For my part, it’s pretty clear.
Entelechy on March 7, 2009 at 12:35 AM
Alas, WMDs :(
Entelechy on March 7, 2009 at 12:35 AM
True! He probably just thinks he’s launching the missiles.
Kralizec on March 7, 2009 at 12:40 AM
Hillary was heard to whisper, “Is that a Topol-M in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?”
coldwarrior on March 7, 2009 at 12:45 AM
Aww, come on. I just lost my dinner. Bleh.
HornetSting on March 7, 2009 at 12:48 AM
I’m just not getting the feeling that The One is meeting that campaign promise to, how was it, “restore our image in the world”. Let’s see, 1) Piss off our friends, 2) cuddle up to our enemies, and 3) Look like idiots in front of a growing threat. Yeah, that about covers it.
I want our cowboy back!
AZfederalist on March 7, 2009 at 12:48 AM
Seconded.
HornetSting on March 7, 2009 at 12:51 AM
A Tale of Two Idiots.
HornetSting on March 7, 2009 at 12:52 AM
It’s been pointed out to me that the Americans probably also acquired a treasure trove of intelligence from the files and computers of the Iraqi “government” and “officials.” And they completed an encirclement of Saudi Arabia, which allowed them to move their forces off the Arabian Peninsula.
Kralizec on March 7, 2009 at 12:53 AM
Why insult the not-ready-for-prime-time-players? Hell, Chevy Chase playing Gerald Ford, or Dan Ackroyd playing Nixon or Carter would be more competent than Barry.
Fed45 on March 7, 2009 at 12:55 AM
The ozero! Great name for the new currency, the one replacing the dollar after the dollar is dead & buried next year. Brazil has (had?) the cruzeiro, we have the ozero…
Well, love means never having to say your sorry. (Or was that arrogance? Never quite sure when it comes to the French)
RD on March 7, 2009 at 12:56 AM
.
EWW! I just vomited in my mouth
Fed45 on March 7, 2009 at 12:58 AM
LMAO!
HornetSting on March 7, 2009 at 12:59 AM
Oops – your ==> you’re
RD on March 7, 2009 at 1:03 AM
Please be so kind as to back up your statement by specifically listing what “great work” she has done in only 40 some days.
Fed45 on March 7, 2009 at 1:03 AM
Oh come on now. Michelle alone has brought back class and grandeur to the White House just by wearing flats. She got to share a cover with Oprah – OMG!!! Oh, and did I mention, they make such a cute couple (gasp). Plus FINALLY we have a President that will encourage America to get in shape (physically). Don’t come down on our President too hard. It’s only been like a second that he’s been in office. I’m finally proud of my country /sarc
Upstater85 on March 7, 2009 at 1:13 AM
What, the busboy diplomacy getting you down? Already? ;)
RD on March 7, 2009 at 1:13 AM
Don’t forget her ’sleeveless’ ‘classiness’. If I have to see her pits one more time….ugh!
HornetSting on March 7, 2009 at 1:17 AM
Well, for one, she is educating the Europeans on the origins of Democracy and her considered opinions on multiparty styles. Gaffetastic!
I want my cowboy back.
Dusty on March 7, 2009 at 1:28 AM
I won’t tell my 13 year old daughter that you compared the “O” administration to one of her fav movies, High School Musical! LOL!!
Susanboo on March 7, 2009 at 1:34 AM
Hillary and Obama act like children. The country is now being run by the cast of “High School Musical.”
vitaatcaritas on March 6, 2009 at 7:38 PM
(Sorry for the repeat!)
I won’t tell my 13 year old daughter that you compared the “O” administration to one of her fav movies, High School Musical! LOL!!
Susanboo on March 7, 2009 at 1:34 AM
Susanboo on March 7, 2009 at 1:36 AM
Dammit, my brain’s gone Galt on me. Here’s the link for Clinton’s teaching moment.
Dusty on March 7, 2009 at 1:37 AM
вновь устанавливать
unclesmrgol on March 7, 2009 at 1:38 AM
Even by the already low standards of competence in the Obama administration, this is pretty shocking. Wasn’t Hillary close pals with Strobe Talbot, who supposedly knew Russia like the back of his hand? Couldn’t she have rung him up and asked him what he thought of this stupid little button idea? And the insult to the Russians was due to incompetence; the insult to America and the previous President was deliberate. Is there any precedent for this kind of juvenile backbiting? Did G.W. Bush go around giving people gold-plated cigars or stained blue dresses as a symbol of how his administration would put meaning back into the word “is?” Did Reagan hand out little plastic stags to remind people of Jimmy Carter’s stagflation?
It never ceases to amaze how little liberals understand the things they profess to care about. Multiculturalism comes with a breezy contempt for the actual culture and history the liberal professes to adore – as long as the other culture is anti-American, that’s good enough for the liberal, who is absolved of any responsibility to actually learn about it. Environmentalist leftists bring incredible environmental devastation in their wake, setting off huge forest fires by opposing clear-cutting, or turning the food chain into a bloody melee by over-protecting some species at the expense of others. Liberal “economists” feel no burden to learn the first thing about actual economics, pumping out elaborate theories to explain why commonsense ideas like supply-side economics are bad, and you should ignore all the evidence that they worked magnificently – instead, you should accept the liberal’s assurances that yanking entire industries out of the private sector will somehow make the private sector grow, or throwing huge new expenses onto the cost of labor will somehow improve the unemployment situation.
Of course nobody bothered to double-check the translation on that idiotic button. What difference does it make if the word was wrong? We’re the Obama Administration, and all peoples of the world automatically love us! Even our most clumsy, blundering gaffes just make us look laid-back and cool.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll take a little inspiration from Hillary’s brilliant button strategy and head off to Seoul, to hand out photos of Madeline Albright dancing with Kim Jong Il, held together with paper clips in the shape of ground-to-air missiles, at the airport.
Doctor Zero on March 7, 2009 at 1:41 AM
Does that mean ‘Our S.O.S. is a jackass’?
HornetSting on March 7, 2009 at 1:42 AM
unclesmrgol on March 7, 2009 at 1:47 AM
Wow! getalife and athensboy; you are really idiots! If you two hate this site so much, why don’t you go to the Huffington Post or something? NO one will miss you!
Susanboo on March 7, 2009 at 1:49 AM
They’re here for entertainment purposes. They remind us just how stupid Obama voters really are….
HornetSting on March 7, 2009 at 1:51 AM
Yeah, someone’s gonna get their pee pee slapped for embarassing her thighness.
HornetSting on March 7, 2009 at 1:52 AM
So, let me see if I have the whole picture, here:
1) Shrillary decides that proper diplomacy means taking a swipe at the last US administration (for no reason that any normal person can figure out)
2) Shrillary decides to carry out this diplomatic example of “Smart Power” by giving a gift to the Russian Foreign Minister that looks, eerily, like a nuclear launch button.
3) Shrillary is too friggin’ stupid to be able to find someone who knows the Russian translation for the word “reset”, listening to some boob even dumber than she is and putting some Russian version of “overcharge” on, instead.
4) Not content with being the biggest joke of a SecState in as long as anyone can remember (which is quite a feat, given the long list of total incompetents that have held that position) Shrillary pushes her luck by openly inviting Lavrov to correct her idiocy in public, on camera.
“Smart Power”.
What did she do for an encore, go to the bathroom and emerge with toilet paper hanging out of her pants suit? Or did she just skip that and wet herself at dinner?
progressoverpeace on March 7, 2009 at 1:54 AM
What if Clinton used the wrong word on purpose? We just lost Manas AB but the Kyrgs have now said that that deal isn’t closed, the Russians don’t have it, and if you offer us more money and more respect ie more money than you can have it back. What if Hillary is sending a message to the Russians that we are going to make a higher offer on the base and “we won’t let you overcharge us?” ie up your bid?
journeyintothewhirlwind on March 7, 2009 at 1:57 AM
Nikita Khrushchev laughs from beyond the grave.
It’s Khrushchev/Kennedy all over again.
BKennedy on March 7, 2009 at 1:57 AM
What if monkeys fly out of your butt?
TexasDan on March 7, 2009 at 2:00 AM
OMG, progress!! Funny! As a women I can relate to the embarrassment of this type of gaffe!! LOL!!
Susanboo on March 7, 2009 at 2:01 AM
Oh … this is soooooo far beyond that. We have an adminstration with an average IQ of 27. Half of these people can’t even breathe on their own. Historic, indeed.
progressoverpeace on March 7, 2009 at 2:02 AM
She’s probably saving that one for the middle east. No sense wasting any more good embarrassment on Europe and Russia. Shrillary’s clearly made her point, there.
progressoverpeace on March 7, 2009 at 2:04 AM
Going to bed. Maybe I will wake up in the morning and this last 2 months will just have been a very long, very bad dream, (uh, nightmare).
Susanboo on March 7, 2009 at 2:07 AM
Condi was a russian scholar. She wouldn’t have gotten it wrong.
JustTruth101 on March 7, 2009 at 2:08 AM
Progress: LOL! You are funny, I needed the laughs tonight!
Susanboo on March 7, 2009 at 2:09 AM
P.S. This is what happens when the adults leave the kids to fend for themselves. F*ck up after f*ck up after f*ck up ad infinitum. When will America wake up, and will it be too late to save the republic? Maybe.
JustTruth101 on March 7, 2009 at 2:11 AM
So, Putin wants to restore the USSR & is actively enabling our enemies, & the Obama Administration is more concerned about making tired old jokes about President Bush. Need to rethink your priorities, Hill?
Just wait until Obama has to meet Putin. Oy!
youngTXcon on March 7, 2009 at 2:11 AM
Glad to help, Susan. We all need some fun during these very dark times. Before you go to bed, I’ll leave you with the old Shrillary – back when she knew how to kick azz in foreign relations:
Shrillary in Bosnia Under Sniper Fire
progressoverpeace on March 7, 2009 at 2:17 AM
When I get done with him he will wish he had stayed in Chicago still doing that community organizing Oy routine of his.
PootyPoot on March 7, 2009 at 2:18 AM
Be gentle with him. He’s retarded, you know.
progressoverpeace on March 7, 2009 at 2:22 AM
DUMB AND DUMBER. A cheap tacky gift by Obaminable Snowman to the British PM. Why not a Timex watch? Now a “cute joke” with the Russians gone horribly wrong by a mis-translation insult. The entire resources of the Pentagon,State Department, CIA and NSA at her disposal and the Horrible Hag can’t get it right. Lucky it wasn’t the Russian equivalent of F-you.
It’s as if the Beverly Hillbillies descended on the Waldorf Astoria Hotel and built a cooking fire in the lobby.It does point out that we are in just as much trouble internationally as we are domestically. Which will happen first A. A total economic collapse? or B. Unconditional surrender to Tahiti?
MaiDee on March 7, 2009 at 2:23 AM
InkyBinkyBarleyBoo on March 7, 2009 at 2:25 AM
Actually my intelligence service has already informed me of that. In fact my lead agent has told me that he makes Bush look like Albert Einstein’s long lost twin brother.
PootyPoot on March 7, 2009 at 2:30 AM
Unless you’ve worked with State Dept wonks, you don’t know how critical Gravitas is to the world of Diplomacy.
They take it very seriously… words are important… precedent and ceremony is important… because they show respect.
This is like putting a whoopi cushion on the Popes chair… not very smart to make public jokes.
Bush was a Cowboy, and because of that was fairly predictable to world governments… Obama and Shrillary are more like Abbot and Costello… and a time of international crises is not the time to send in the clowns…
Romeo13 on March 7, 2009 at 2:30 AM
27, progress…I think you’re being kind. I heard it was a negative number. Remember, Gibbs is in the mix.
HornetSting on March 7, 2009 at 2:32 AM
I bet Sarah Power had that translated.
misslizzi on March 7, 2009 at 2:34 AM
They are all nothing but a pack of cards!
Cheshire Cat on March 7, 2009 at 2:34 AM
LOL.
progressoverpeace on March 7, 2009 at 2:34 AM
I think they should all just say Ahoy, and other nautical expressions.
Cheshire Cat on March 7, 2009 at 2:41 AM
Heh. That’s still a little advanced for them. Fore, aft, port, starboard … these folks still wrestle getting their shoes on the correct feet.
progressoverpeace on March 7, 2009 at 2:55 AM
I’m sure the average will rise some. Obama hasn’t filled all the positions and it’s a fact of life that one can’t scrape the bottom of the barrel forever. I put the over/under at 32.
Dusty on March 7, 2009 at 3:08 AM
I kinda feel sorry for the stooge. They better be on a Grayhound headed for the middle of nowhere with a fake ID, ’cause if SHE catches up to them, there won’t be anything left but some tufts of hair and a red stain.
El Cazador on March 7, 2009 at 3:23 AM
What does this remind me of….
… Oh yeah, Hope and Cringe
Kini on March 7, 2009 at 4:34 AM
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