Hillary competes with Geithner for competence nadir
posted at 9:16 am on March 7, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
What Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner does for the markets, Hillary Clinton does for diplomacy. Maybe Hillary should have kept the “overcharge” button instead of giving it to Sergei Lavrov, since whatever she’s getting paid as Secretary of State outstrips her value. Even Reuters can’t hide the embarrassment of Hillary On Parade.
Forget the fact that State can’t translate Russian. Hillary doesn’t understand history. She dropped this little gem on the European Parliament:
“I have never understood multiparty democracy.
“It is hard enough with two parties to come to any resolution, and I say this very respectfully, because I feel the same way about our own democracy, which has been around a lot longer than European democracy.”
The Greeks might beg to differ, and they’d have a point — since they invented the term democracy more than two thousand years ago. The Dutch had a republic before we did. And do diplomats regularly go to other countries to disparage the political systems of their hosts? In other words, Hillary managed to screw up history while insulting the Europeans on her first visit as our official top diplomat.
And how difficult is it to understand multiparty democracy, anyway? We have one on our northern border, for Pete’s sake, and they’ve been doing pretty well for as long as we have. I thought Hillary was supposed to be experienced at foreign affairs.
But Hillary wasn’t finished. Someone needs to get her some flashcards, stat:
One working lunch later with EU leaders, Clinton raised more eyebrows when she referred to EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, who stood beside her, as “High Representative Solano.”
She also dubbed European Commission External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner as “Benito.”
I’ve been calling the Obama administration “amateur hour”, but that’s too kind. It’s the Gong Show, only with the media as the panelists, we keep seeing 10s instead of mallets hitting the gong. At least the Gong Show had a sick, train-wreck entertainment quality along with its embarrassing incompetence, and it was blessedly over in 30 minutes.
Blowback
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No body messes with Joe, he’s the sheriff! Of course only when he is not wandering the isles of Home Depot or conversing with American Indians in 7-11 stores.
trs on March 7, 2009 at 10:16 AM
Wait…wasn’t The Gong Show just a cover for Chuck Barris’ CIA operative career?
Is Hillary an assasin?
ornery_independent on March 7, 2009 at 10:17 AM
Dr. Zero,
Dude! I would really like to have a few beers with you someday! Outstanding commentary! If you’re ever in Central Oregon I will gladly hook you up with great microbrews.
AOTC
Agent of the Cross on March 7, 2009 at 10:18 AM
The good Lord wouldn’t have given us reflexes if he didn’t want us to use them. They are part of the natural survival mechanism, as opposed to psuedointellectual dialogue.
a capella on March 7, 2009 at 10:20 AM
Humor would have been if she presented a box of cigars. In this case, it was incompetence. These days that’s not so funny.
sherry on March 7, 2009 at 10:20 AM
Don’t forget the locally-owned restaurant he frequents that, uh, went out of business a decade ago.
jgapinoy on March 7, 2009 at 10:21 AM
Also, the historical FDR address on TV before it was available.
a capella on March 7, 2009 at 10:25 AM
Oh that it were true of the Obama administration. Maybe we could fill the rest of the four years with commercials to sell stocks again…
petunia on March 7, 2009 at 10:26 AM
I’ve taken to calling the Messiah “Incompetent-in-Chief.”
And just what is Hillary’s message? That a one party system suits her better?
2010 cannot come soon enough.
n0doz on March 7, 2009 at 10:27 AM
Insofar as our new Socialist Regime is a huge joke you could be right, but with America being the defacto leader of human rights, and democracy, that joke would be a pretty sick one.
I guess compentency is now politically incorrect.
DannoJyd on March 7, 2009 at 10:28 AM
Insecurity. Oh well, all they have at their command are their usual guttersnipe tactics. If they start presenting logical arguments, you’ll know the end is near.
Anyway, weren’t some of us saying that Hillary would be thrilled with the chance to sabotage Obama?
ddrintn on March 7, 2009 at 10:29 AM
CJ, your subtle self-promotion is laudable…I’m all for small biz’s getting the word out any way they can, but you may be wasting your time here. Few, if any, of us buy your schtick.
ornery_independent on March 7, 2009 at 10:30 AM
So, who’s on deck?
If Hill is thrown under the bus, where do the Clintons go, what power do they have politically and what’s the future fallout for Chelsea?
Why wouldn’t Obama shove her off the curb?
Speakup on March 7, 2009 at 10:30 AM
The SOS will reach great heights. She was named after Sir Edmund Hillary.
BHO Jonestown on March 7, 2009 at 10:31 AM
ddrintn on March 7, 2009 at 10:29 AM
I really don’t mind if she sabotages Mr. President, but not while endangering our country.
By the way, is Bubba with her? Or if he here fulfilling his…uh…social engagements while she’s gone?
kingsjester on March 7, 2009 at 10:33 AM
theres only one way to respond to this, and thats with
:facepalm:
ernesto on March 7, 2009 at 10:35 AM
Hey, Shrillary – we have a no party system. Try reading the US Constitution, you blithering idiot. The individual is the fundamental political entity in our system, unlike Euro parliamentary systems which have the party as the fundamental political entity.
And this buffoon was almost President, instead of the mazing dunce we now have as Precedent … There was to be no escape for the US this last election, no matter what. G-d is punishing us.
progressoverpeace on March 7, 2009 at 10:36 AM
My knees haven’t stopped jerking for weeks now.
petunia on March 7, 2009 at 10:38 AM
Or preparing the way for something better next time. Someone who knows how to fix broken businesses maybe?
petunia on March 7, 2009 at 10:39 AM
Oddly enough, you have to have a higher than normal level of testosterone in your system to grow guns like that.
anniekc on March 7, 2009 at 10:45 AM
Draws attention away from the face.
Sorry, don’t usually get into personal attacks, but after 8 years of BDS…
ddrintn on March 7, 2009 at 10:48 AM
Mark McGuire and Jose Conseco had big arms.
a capella on March 7, 2009 at 10:48 AM
Best Writing In Months Award.
scenebooster on March 7, 2009 at 10:49 AM
She’s a
laughgaffe a minute, isn’t she. Hillary Hilarity.petefrt on March 7, 2009 at 10:49 AM
I often wondered how the “F— Bush!” movement would govern once it came to power on the strength of its hatred.
Now we know.
Obama’s been Bush-whacking since he moved into the White House and will doubtless still be doing it when he leaves in four or eight years. His minions have all joined in, of course.
We’ve discovered that “F— Bush!” is not a very effective strategy for fixing our nation’s economy.
“F— Bush!” is not a very cohesive national defense strategy, either.
And since we unleashed Hillary on the world, we’ve discovered that while she’s screaming “F— Bush!” in her diplomatic dealings, it translates into Russian, Chinese, etc. as “F— America!”
No, Hillary, they’re not laughing with you. They’re laughing at you, and at us all.
President B.O. stinks.
cackcon on March 7, 2009 at 10:58 AM
Could you answer a few questions then?
Start with, should the SoS understand the difference between a democracy and a constitutional republic? should any of her handlers/speechwriters?
Should she be aware that Switzerland has had a functional democracy for 900 years give or take? Could she do the simple math a determine that 900 is greater than 233?
Nobody would expect perfection out of the gate. But could she at least listen to her protocol officers, before she manages to alienate any more allies?
Canadian Imperialist Running Dog on March 7, 2009 at 11:00 AM
How is stating what has taken place an attack? Unlike what is usually done to the Republicans by taking things out of context and twisting them, to make something up so the Libs can feel good. Conservatives don’t have to do that, Libs screw up all by them selves. We don’t have to take anything out of context and twist it. Lib are so much fun to talk about, after you get angry at their stupidity, you can have a good laugh about them, dig out your wallet and pay for their mistakes.
N4646W on March 7, 2009 at 11:07 AM
I don’t recall Condoleeza Rice humiliating the U.S. “right out of the hatch”
And “hatch” is soooo appropriate for Hillary. The old crow.
anniekc on March 7, 2009 at 11:08 AM
It’s the old magician’s trick, draw your attention from the obvious.
N4646W on March 7, 2009 at 11:11 AM
What Hillary is talking about is how she doesn’t understand why there should be any party other than socialist party in office. That is the “non partisanship” that the democraps espouse.
eaglewingz08 on March 7, 2009 at 11:14 AM
awesome! best comment thus far!
ladyhawke53 on March 7, 2009 at 11:15 AM
It’s been so long ago that I joined Captain’s Quarters/Hot Air that I have forgotten some of the sign-up rules. Please tell me where it says we are required “to listen” to the opinions here.
I’m pretty sure you are allowed to leave anytime you desire, and are not required to come back and be forced to listen to the opinions in here.
Another point: how do you get to listen to the points when I am forced to read them?
I have a hunch you are as much a dolt as SOS Hillary Clinton, both thinking much more of themselves than is borne out by the facts.
Yoop on March 7, 2009 at 11:19 AM
You wrote a book? Sorry I haven’t seen or heard of it, but then a little too old for fairy tales, bad enough having to live in one.
N4646W on March 7, 2009 at 11:27 AM
Good tactic. Focusing on the arms keeps the attention south of the neck and north of the butt.
They still have BDS. Obviously it is incurable.
Yoop on March 7, 2009 at 11:27 AM
LOL
I just got back from working in the yard. Had to cool off under the a\c for a spell.
carbon_footprint on March 7, 2009 at 11:28 AM
We’uns got us a really smart new ‘ministration. Not that there cowboy we used to have. These here Demecrats is the eeelite. All them Europeans is gonna LOVE US now.
God help us.
GarandFan on March 7, 2009 at 11:30 AM
And very humble evidently.
carbon_footprint on March 7, 2009 at 11:30 AM
I took a moment to read your wisdom that you have posted on CJ political report. You really should take a moment to realize that not only is this administration incompetant in Isreali – Hamas relations, but they are complete moonbats in all their forign policy endeavors.Mrs Clinton just exascerbates the policy problems by looking like a complete MORON! Michelle Obama’s handlers cant even get it right, they presented cheap plastic toys to the children of Heads of State, while the Obama girls were lavished over with things that have actual value.
I can hardly wait to see what Joe Biden brings to this, somebody must have found the duct tape cause Joe doesn’t have much to say.
UNREPENTANT CONSERVATIVE CAPITOLIST on March 7, 2009 at 11:34 AM
If Hillary or Geithner were the pilot of a plane and a wing suddenly fell off, would either even know?
We have two one winged airplanes performing here. Joe Biden is in the wings waiting to take over.
tarpon on March 7, 2009 at 11:47 AM
What, I thought she was ready to lead on day one? How many mulligans does she get? DU is looking for a few more sycophants, and you definitely qualified.
mossberg500 on March 7, 2009 at 11:56 AM
Just had to make that correction.
Well, at least someone in the White House has some.
CarolynM on March 7, 2009 at 12:15 PM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wU_KGQy6M8&feature=related
RealDemocrat on March 7, 2009 at 12:21 PM
qualified=qualify
Arrgh!
mossberg500 on March 7, 2009 at 12:22 PM
Ed,
I think this is the best piece your’ve. Great job. You hit it out of the park on this one.
woodman on March 7, 2009 at 12:27 PM
Kinda takes the edge off the Couric interview… Palin should send Hill Baby roses… Dead ones of course.
RalphyBoy on March 7, 2009 at 12:34 PM
***
GO DOCTOR ZERO @0957 AM! You think just like this old white conservative retired engineer! Great post.
***
It’s really good that we replaced the inept, inexperienced, and untalented Condi Rice as Secretary of State with the brilliant Hillary Clinton instead. Her real honesty, intellect, and experience really stood out on her trip.
***
Our country’s enemies are quite pleased with La Clinton’s and President O’Bummer’s performances. They want clowns they can roll easily–and they know them when they see them.
***
When will Hil return the silver set she stole from the White House when the Clinton’s left?
***
John Bibb
***
rocketman on March 7, 2009 at 12:48 PM
I’m beginning to think that Obama is a Rovian plant to destroy the Democratic Party.
Dusty on March 7, 2009 at 1:01 PM
Mark my words, the time is rapidly approaching when a fissure will form in the pantsuit and out from its polyester chrysalis will pop a cackling alien larva spewing mindless slogans and historically inaccurate tidbits from an imaginary place and a nonexistent time in a parallel universe…
Wait…What day is this?
whitetop on March 7, 2009 at 1:16 PM
God how I love that this woman is Secty of state. Wasn’t she supposed to be ready to go on day one? Also isn’t she and of course her boss supposed to be OH so much smarter than their predecessor?
Knuterockne on March 7, 2009 at 1:26 PM
You were joking, right Ed? She has no experience in foreign affairs except when she was dodging sniper fire.
Her only REAL experience in foreign affairs is trying to be pleasant to foreign dignitaries…which for her mustve been very hard.
The Wall on March 7, 2009 at 1:43 PM
You may be an American but you have little clue as to the 200+ years of its history, considering where we are today, or rather a year ago, was achieved in spite of, and some may argue, because of the partisan nature of our politics.
As for this time being unique, are you suggesting it is so because there is a uniqueness to being second to the Great Depression?
Lastly, I’m not going to wallow in self-pity of where we could presently be if only we’d done things differently yesterday. My eyes are firmly set on the on the future and the opportunity costs to be lost by not opposing Obama’s inept, incompetent and malicious administration with partisan fervor.
Dusty on March 7, 2009 at 1:57 PM
It should be forbidden to be a Secretary of State, or any ambassador of the U.S.A. without knowing at least one foreign language well.
Heh, just heh, at how dumb she is. And what the heck is that white think she’s wearing?
Channeling Diana? Elegance is indignant. Condi beat her thousandfold in class, style, dress, sophistication…
Entelechy on March 7, 2009 at 2:05 PM
S/b “white thing she’s wearing”. Gosh does she look awful. I hate to admit this but Madeleine Albright looked way better.
Entelechy on March 7, 2009 at 2:09 PM
Hoo boy, Ed. The Gong Show. That’s perfect… you have my wife and me in stitches. That’s our official way of referring to the Obama administration from now on. The Gong Show.
We’re howling…
beatcanvas on March 7, 2009 at 2:13 PM
***
I’m tired of O’Bummer and his clowns already. Hit the gong now!
***
John Bibb
***
rocketman on March 7, 2009 at 2:42 PM
Tell the SCOTUS. They can correctly bounce the moron out of office any time they want.
progressoverpeace on March 7, 2009 at 2:46 PM
Clearly its Bush’s fault.
rob verdi on March 7, 2009 at 2:53 PM
Lets hope she will not make thousands of mistakes in Iraq like Condi and accomplish much more.
getalife on March 7, 2009 at 3:21 PM
What has she EVER done that would qualify her for the Sec. of State job besides being Bill’s wife. Everything she has “accomplished” in life was in response to her husband’s job, or former job. Coattails don’t give her the experience needed to carry out the duties of her current job and, that has been shown to be true to America’s embarrassment.
Gohawgs on March 7, 2009 at 4:05 PM
WTH?
BetseyRoss on March 7, 2009 at 4:10 PM
And these clowns are apologizing for the last administration? What a sick joke!
RandyChandler on March 7, 2009 at 4:38 PM
We need some constitutional scholars working on finding a way to get rid of Barry and Co., stat.
Vashta.Nerada on March 7, 2009 at 4:43 PM
Look on the bright side, there’s only what, 46 more months to go?
Shannow on March 7, 2009 at 5:12 PM
if she wants to intimidate the russians all she has to do is WEAR A DRESS…those thunder thighs would scare even a stone-cold killer like putin!!
right4life on March 7, 2009 at 5:33 PM
We have the smartest president ever and Dow Jones is down 35% since his election.
We have the smartest woman ever running State and she doesn’t understand basic high school history.
I kinda wish we could go back and have the dumb guy from Texas run things again. Anyone else?
angryed on March 7, 2009 at 5:49 PM
Wait a minute………….wasn’t Obama and Company suppose to make the U.S. “loved” throughout the world………..Hmmm
Cinday Blackburn on March 7, 2009 at 6:09 PM
900>233, 900<233, 233900, ….darn, this new math.
Johan Klaus on March 7, 2009 at 6:11 PM
I think that a wing has fallen off.
Johan Klaus on March 7, 2009 at 6:15 PM
Start with 999 and name the rest.
Johan Klaus on March 7, 2009 at 6:18 PM
Incompetence or pure arrogance?
LifeTrek on March 7, 2009 at 6:27 PM
Mark my words, the time is rapidly approaching when a fissure will form in the pantsuit and out from its polyester chrysalis will pop a cackling alien larva spewing mindless slogans and historically inaccurate tidbits from an imaginary place and a nonexistent time in a parallel universe…
Wait…What day is this?
whitetop on March 7, 2009 at 1:16 PM
*
Ha!
marklmail on March 7, 2009 at 6:55 PM
Very funny post by Ed. I’m getting a kick out of the thought that all the Euroweenies who wanted the Dems to win are now getting insulted and stiffed by our new Socialist Admin. at every turn. HA! Man, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere on the European continent for the next 4 years, with the Russian bear reasserting itself and the new Flaccid Power crowd running things in DC.
Enjoy your change, Europe! You’re on your own, girls.
james23 on March 7, 2009 at 7:48 PM
well, if they didn’t cover it in public school, I wish they had at Wellesley or at Yale law
Red State State of Mind on March 7, 2009 at 8:10 PM
The Gong Show? Please! The Gong Show was far more competent and on occasion you got the pleasure of Gene Gene the Dancing Machine. There really is no comparison. Chuck Barris as CIA director???
jdkchem on March 7, 2009 at 8:26 PM
In just a few short months we’ve gone from being a respected world power to a worldwide laughingstock, and Lord forgive me but thanks to 52% of the populace we deserve it!
I hope they get their mortages paid, free money, free healthcare, higher union paid jobs, free college, goberment to help them off their roofs and to rebuild their miserable wretched homes, and in the end a lesson.
Freedom isn’t free and is very fragile. Dependencey comes at a terrible price. Loss of freedom! Shame on the 52%! Lord help us save ourselves from them!
dhunter on March 7, 2009 at 9:17 PM
Yeah, if only he had encouraged more spending for Senate Russian language courses and History of Western Civilization I for Senators, Hillary would be better prepared. Clearly Bush is at fault.
Upstater85 on March 7, 2009 at 9:20 PM
Now the Euros are actually being insulted by American politicians, instead their faux indignation when W. actually expected them to defend themselves and civilization…
phreshone on March 7, 2009 at 9:22 PM
History of Western Civilization I
You know Hillary went around campus in the 60′s screaching:
”Hey, hey, ho, ho, Western Civ has got to go!”
phreshone on March 7, 2009 at 9:27 PM
Hillary is soooo competetive. She refuses to be outdone by Robert Gibbs. BTW Gibbs is my absolute favorite cabinet member. I just love to watch the little worm squirm. I can say for certain that our good friend getalife is not really Gibbs in drag as he/she seems to be able to apply the correct demo talking point to the issue at hand and can do so without too many ohs, ums, yasees, ad naseum. As for Joe Biden, he may very well be the most dangerous VP ever and it will all be Bush’s fault for sure.
kringeesmom on March 7, 2009 at 9:45 PM
Absolutely brilliant. Bravo.
fossten on March 7, 2009 at 9:52 PM
No, you’re a liberal, and an astroturfer at that.
Greater good, eh? Spoken like a true Marxist. Did you urge your fellow socialists to eschew the partisan wars in the last 8 years? If so, care to document those urgings?
I suspect we will be hearing crickets…
fossten on March 7, 2009 at 9:56 PM
Russian media have been poking fun at the US secretary of state over a translation error on a gift she presented to her Russian counterpart.
The gift was a light-hearted reference to US Vice-President Joe Biden’s recent remark that the new US administration wanted to reset ties with Russia after years of friction.
It figures that Joe was somehow tied to this gaffe…
Upstater85 on March 8, 2009 at 12:22 AM
I don’t think Hillary’s situation is beyond repair. I’m sure we still have some DVD’s we could give away.
Star20 on March 8, 2009 at 1:10 AM
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again…
There were lots of Democrats who were way more qualified to be SecState. Obama could have selected someone like Anthony Lake, or Strobe Talbott, or Bill Richardson… people who have actually, you know, done diplomacy.
But no. Instead, we got someone whose job qualifications amount to little more than she slept with Bill Clinton.
Eleven years later, and we are still paying for Monica Lewinsky.
JohnGalt23 on March 8, 2009 at 1:23 AM
I would just note that the last time Richardson did diplomacy (as UN ambassador) he encouraged Americans to invest in the Japanese market right before it turned and took a downward fall not unlike the one today, though a little more gradually, ending at the low that the Nikkei only recently went through. I could never figure out what the UN ambassador was doing talking to Americans about investing in Asia (Japan, specifically) and decided at that point that Richardson was too dumb to ever be given any position of responsibility. When I heard that he was shipped off to Energy right after, I gulped hard.
progressoverpeace on March 8, 2009 at 2:34 AM
Equal opportunity only works when it is built upon competence. Our Obaminstration proves the point. Maybe the Republicans need to stress REAL accomplishments and REAL competence as well as small government. I realize this would be a real huge change and stress for them. But, gee, it’d be a serious relief for the country!
{o.o}
herself on March 8, 2009 at 2:38 AM
“Equal opportunity” is beneficial to society when the government has very little (preferably nothing) to do with it.
Upstater85 on March 8, 2009 at 4:20 AM
The clown act that is the Bed Crapper in Chief’s fiasco of an “administration”, marches on.
Obama needs to spend more time with his family, I think.
NoDonkey on March 8, 2009 at 6:45 AM
High Representative Solano? Sounds like a character’s name from Star Trek: TNG.
And considering the EU, something tells me Benita has never made the trains run on time.
andycanuck on March 8, 2009 at 9:42 AM
If I’m the bad guys, I’m thinking I’d get very frisky right about now.
ex-Democrat on March 8, 2009 at 9:45 AM
Hillary is such a sneak. Anyone know what the hell she’s really doing to the USA behind closed doors?
johnnyU on March 8, 2009 at 9:59 AM
Sorry, was anybody expecting better? Were her stellar qualifications for this job not apparent prior to confirmation? At this point, conservatives need to do two things: 1) come up with some plausible candidates; and 2) let the Democrats continue to be themselves.
morganfrost on March 8, 2009 at 11:11 AM
“I’ve been calling the Obama administration “amateur hour”, but that’s too kind. It’s the Gong Show, only with the media as the panelists, we keep seeing 10s instead of mallets hitting the gong. At least the Gong Show had a sick, train-wreck entertainment quality along with its embarrassing incompetence, and it was blessedly over in 30 minutes.”
Ed Morrissey
Ed, that was honestly brilliant. I applaud you and take back every rotten thing I ever said about you…but just for today.
I continue to reserve the right to trash you at a moment’s notice.
SKYFOX on March 8, 2009 at 2:39 PM
You guys and gals make me laugh. The Gong Show[I remember that] and the other comments, views, opinions, are great. I only wish that I was that “quick”.. Keep me laughing,, I may be able to salvage my sanity.
retiredeagle on March 8, 2009 at 3:21 PM
Have they all taken to the bottle? Sheriff Plugs started on the campaign trail, and I remember how Hillary slammed boilermakers. I came to respect her for putting up a good fight against Obama, but these comments overseas are stupid.
chunderroad on March 8, 2009 at 4:14 PM
What kind of American? Latin American or Canadian?
chunderroad on March 8, 2009 at 4:19 PM
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