David Gregory to Hillary Clinton: Might GOP Hurt U.S. Prestige and Obama on World Stage?
David Gregory is clearly concerned that if Republicans don't vote in favor of the START treaty with Russia, President Obama's international image, as well as American prestige abroad, will be damaged.
On Sunday's "Meet the Press," Gregory asked Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, "Is this going to potentially be a problem with the president not being able to get what he wants on the world stage because of Republicans?" (video follows with transcript and commentary):
DAVID GREGORY, HOST: I want to talk about this showdown between the president and Senate Republicans over the START treaty. The president, in his comments to reporters, made it very clear he thinks politics is being played here, saying to reporters, "Nobody's going to score any political points to 2012." Is that the president's belief here about what's standing in the way? And in your view, is this really a, a litmus test of whether there can be bipartisanship in Washington after the election?
HILLARY CLINTON, SECRETARY OF STATE: Well, I think the president believes strongly, and I agree with him, that this treaty is in the national security interest of the United States. And it's not only Americans who believe that. I'm, you know, very impressed by the number of leaders at the NATO Lisbon summit who voluntarily told their own press, or American press, they were chasing down reporters to say this is so much in the interest of Europe and others. So the president sees this very clearly. But I don't think he considers this a political issue. It's a question of whether we have the time and whether we can make the case in the limited time that the lame duck provides to satisfy the concerns of two-thirds of the Senate. I think we can. I think that everyone has operated in good faith. We have looked hard at this. When it came out of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, it came out with an overwhelming bipartisan vote, 14-to-4. I think that the questions are being--that are being asked by Republicans deserve thoughtful answers. And everyone in the administration stands ready, from Bob Gates to Jim Clapper, the head of the--director of national intelligence, because we all see it in the same way. And we're in the tradition of both Republican and Democratic presidents, going back to Ronald Reagan, who famously said, "Trust, but verify." We have no verification without a treaty about what's going on in Russia's nuclear program. So I think whether you're, you know, already convinced or can be convinced, I think we want to get our inspectors back on the ground, and the only way to do that is by ratifying this treaty.
Well thought out, diplomatic, and reasonable answer on Clinton's part. But Gregory wasn't pleased with the obvious lack of partisanship:
MR. GREGORY: Is there an issue, though, of American prestige? The president was dealt a setback on fair trade when he was in Seoul. There was a feeling, when it comes to whether it's trade or economic policy, that America can't always get what it wants. Is this going to potentially be a problem with the president not being able to get what he wants on the world stage because of Republicans?
Fascinating to see a member of the media overtly displaying a greater level of partisan politics than his extremely powerful Democrat guest, isn't it?
Can you imagine Gregory being similarly concerned about a Republican president's image if Senate Democrats weren't convinced a treaty had to be signed during a lame duck session of Congress?
Yes, that was a rhetorical question.
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Comments
I'm not surprised. If the
Submitted by ant on Sun, 11/21/2010 - 6:33pm.
I'm not surprised. If the media can reduce things to the basest emotional reactionism and/or keep people going for each others throats then they don't have to think too much, move forward, or address the real heart of issues they have no real understanding of. The American people are told what the "news" of the day is every night by people who are stupendously less intelligent and thoughtful than the average American. I fail to see the difference anymore between the "journalists" and people like Jerry Springer.
Leading the witness, Your Honor!!
Submitted by motherbelt on Sun, 11/21/2010 - 6:35pm.
I didn't see this, but I saw his interview with Gov. Jindal and he did pretty much the same thing. Kept trying to convince him that the government wasn't to blame for the BP oil leak mess.
Gov. Jindal
Submitted by amyshulk on Sun, 11/21/2010 - 10:51pm.
But did you catch the "Quit focusing on the messenger - focus on the message"?
He gets it!
That's why I voted for Angle and hoped others would too!! But all those who moved here from states they ruined {*having* had to move because they can't afford to retire there - Cali I'm looking at you!!!} seemed to think keeping Reid & constantly writing letters to the editor agitating for all those rules/regs/taxes that ruined their former state would actually improve things!!!
The possible correllation between mental illness {20%} and libs {18%} seems true to me!
Ronald Reagan
We don't need no stinkin' prestige
Submitted by Tomorama on Sun, 11/21/2010 - 6:42pm.
What prestige is this a-hat talking about?
He just came back from getting his hand slapped by at least 4 leaders and I MEAN REAL leaders of other countries.
Remember we were TOLD that the world would start loving us once the bower in chief took charge, is that the prestige he means?
I give Hilarity credit for not running with the liberal hack torch that was being passed to her.
Disingenuous, David...
Submitted by motherbelt on Sun, 11/21/2010 - 6:52pm.
MR. GREGORY: Is there an issue, though, of American prestige? The president was dealt a setback on fair trade when he was in Seoul. There was a feeling, when it comes to whether it's trade or economic policy, that America can't always get what it wants. Is this going to potentially be a problem with the president not being able to get what he wants on the world stage because of Republicans?He deliberately tries to connect Obama's rebuke in Korea with Republicans, but the fact is that it's Democrats in charge now.
Well the world does love us
Submitted by Radical1979 on Sun, 11/21/2010 - 6:53pm.
Well the world does love us now. Just like my kids loved the babysitter who didn't put them to bed, and let them eat more than the two cookies I said they could eat. What's not to love?
Respect us? Well that's something completely different.
David (enabling pimp) Gregory
Submitted by Herbster on Sun, 11/21/2010 - 6:51pm.
Journalism today......Democrats, good! Republicans, bad! This pimp with the bad haircut isn't even subtle in his leftist leanings anymore. These obama enablers will go to any length to protect the puppet in the White House. I love the way dumbocrats get open ended softball questions while Republicans get "Negative" questions and are constantly interrupted when answering. No wonder, since this lightweight took over after Russert's death the show continues to tank.
Little David is so busy spouting the party line. What a twit. I'm sure he ascribes to the maxim that sums up NBC/MSNBC, "In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.."
Journalism is DEAD AND BURIED!
The camel-washers are trying to ship bombs into Chicago...
Submitted by Dave. on Sun, 11/21/2010 - 6:55pm.
...which they consider "Obama's City," world leaders are laughing at him behind his back (when they aren't telling him to his face to go pound sand), his hand-picked AG lackey can't even convict a Muslim terrorist who blew up several hundred people, and this goober is worried that the incoming repubs are going to damage American prestige in the eyes of the world?
Seriously, have we somehow swerved into an alternate universe or something?
-Dave
Vote for the American in November
alternate reality
Submitted by jon_torlin on Sun, 11/21/2010 - 7:00pm.
To answer your question:
YES.
-Jon
And Now You Know
Submitted by Bourbeau on Sun, 11/21/2010 - 7:01pm.
There will never be a day when David Gregory's name is mentioned admiringly in the same sentence as Tim Russert, and rightfully so. David Gregory can't help himself, as an employee of NBCU, from demonstrating his liberal biases and he'll never treat a Democrat the same as a Republican. What's truly unacceptable in this day and age is that people like Gregory, Williams, Couric and others are completely comfortable in demostrating their liberalness, day in and day out, without any fear of being held to a higher standard. Of course, in their case, they would be looking at the likes of Rather and Brokaw, neither of whom were any better.
The Obama's couldn't even get
Submitted by Radical1979 on Sun, 11/21/2010 - 7:05pm.
The Obama's couldn't even get the Olympics to be held in Chicago when things were supposedly the darlings of the world. It's time to stop worrying what the world thinks, and just do the right thing.
Let's start with getting rid of Obama in 2012.
If by 'prestige on the world
Submitted by Van Halen on Sun, 11/21/2010 - 7:24pm.
If by 'prestige on the world stage', Gregory means 'the pompous American jackass who comes into the room, negotiates himself into a losing position every time, screws up everything he touches and makes everyone else whisper and giggle about him', well, YES, I believe the GOP may actually screw that up. They may, just MAY force this fool of a President to go to the table with some Pro-American negotiating because if he comes home with any more crap like he's been striving to accomplish, they'll just cut the funding off.
Forget It
Submitted by Jimbo on Sun, 11/21/2010 - 9:48pm.
Obama doesn't have a single pro American bone in his body, and neither do the people surrounding him. Forget the notion of him turning his ideology around and start supporting American Exceptionalism. Ain't gonna happen.
The Republicans WILL cut off funding as you suggest, and the 2012 election will be a non stop loop of Obama stating that the GOP is the party of no and in the way of progress. I'm getting nauseated just thinking about it.
JImbo we need to embrace the
Submitted by Radical1979 on Sun, 11/21/2010 - 10:02pm.
JImbo we need to embrace the party of no line, and make it we are the party of hell no!
Increase taxes - Hell no!
Illegal aliens - Hell no!
Bail out private industry - Hell no!
Death panels - Hell no!
You get the idea.
The world respects strong
Submitted by Dan Diego on Sun, 11/21/2010 - 7:34pm.
The world respects strong military and economic power, Two things Duh One has little to no interest in supporting.A Strong President
Submitted by Jimbo on Sun, 11/21/2010 - 9:55pm.
A strong President can position the US military in a way for countries to respect it when warrented, and fear it when needed. This guy knows how to do neither.
And come to think of it, we are just now deploying tanks in Afganistan after all these years, yet The One still states that we are out next summer. I wonder if he talks to Patreus much. I truly feel that he is out of touch, out of sync, and basically clueless when it comes to our military. I sure hope I'm wrong on that point, but I sure don't have the same feeling of connectivity as when W was in office.
What about president Bush?
Submitted by octavioj on Sun, 11/21/2010 - 8:04pm.
When he was negotiating Afghanistan and the nuclear pressure on North Korea and Iran, did Gregory ever ask Dr. Condoleeza Rice if the Democrat opposition and assertions the wars were being lost and that Bush lied were hurting him in the international stage? This is so stupid and the bias so obvious that David Gregory should be ashamed.
Good point! Damn, we need a
Submitted by ant on Sun, 11/21/2010 - 8:10pm.
Good point! Damn, we need a "thumbs up" icon.
Democratic opposition to
Submitted by yutsnark on Tue, 11/23/2010 - 12:23pm.
Democratic opposition to what? I'm not sure what your point is. I've heard Democratic opposition mostly to the invasion of Iraq, and American prestige was already hurting due to that misstep.
Let's Get Real
Submitted by cobokat on Sun, 11/21/2010 - 8:05pm.
We all know that David Gregory and the rest of his merry band of liberal buddies will do anything to defend this administration. Those who voted for BHO have done this country great harm that will take years to recover from.
Oh, trhose embarassing
Submitted by Chris Norman on Sun, 11/21/2010 - 8:18pm.
Oh, those embarassing Republicans. We should keep them locked up in the bedroom so they won't go embarassing Obama in front of the guests.
What's the rush?
Submitted by The Vet on Sun, 11/21/2010 - 8:36pm.
First, it's not clear that the treaty's verification provisions are adequate. Second, the treaty's failure to take into account Russia's enormous tactical nuclear weapons arsenal (more than 10 times larger than that of the U.S.) and the limitations it places on U.S. conventional global strike capabilities are serious flaws. Third, the treaty links missile defense to strategic arms reduction—a linkage that had been wisely broken by the Bush administration.
++++
As a result, concessions to Russian demands make it difficult to support Senate approval of the new treaty, known as New Start, as it currently stands. Why has the administration agreed to a treaty that limits our nonnuclear long-range weapons and runs the risk of constraining our missile defenses? And why did the treaty end up with verification provisions substantially more lax than those negotiated in the 1991 Start treaty?
The Senate’s resolution of ratification should, for example, require the president to commit to specific modernization plans so we can be sure these programs will have his full support. The administration has particularly resisted warhead modernization, beginning with its Nuclear Posture Review last year. This led 10 former directors of the nation’s nuclear weapons labs to write to the secretaries of Defense and Energy urging them to revisit that misguided policy. The secretaries should commit to doing so.
Second, it is crucial for the Senate to require that, in the ratification instruments that would be exchanged with Russia, it be made clear that New Start in no way constrains our development and deployment of the most effective missile-defense capabilities.
++++
Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl of Arizona said there wasn't time to deal with his concerns over a treaty that would cut U.S. and Russian strategic nuclear weapons deployments by about one third and restore weapons inspections that were halted nearly a year ago. Treaty ratification requires 67 votes in the Senate. Mr. Kyl's decision likely pushes a vote to next year, when the Senate Democratic majority shrinks to 53 from 58.
The treaty, signed with fanfare last year in Prague, would cap deployed strategic warheads at 1,550 a side, compared with 2,200 set in a nonbinding 2002 treaty, and launchers at 700 each, compared with 1,600 set by the expired START. Ratification was supposed to launch a more ambitious round of negotiations aimed at nondeployed, or mothballed, strategic warheads and smaller, battlefield nuclear weapons untouched by the treaty.
++++
Gregory: ...a problem with the president not being able to get what he wants on the world stage because of Republicans...
Why not? He did not get what he wants on the world stage for 2 years without them.
Excellent point, Vet
Submitted by Galvanic on Sun, 11/21/2010 - 10:20pm.
It's not like a Republican House is going to derail everything.
The Dems still control the Senate. If he wants START ratified, what's the problem?
On a side note, I've long since grown weary of the "Hurry up or we shoot the dog" message.
They passed a stimulus bill without reading it, and look what we got. 9.6% unemployment.
They passed health care reform without reading it, and it's already driviing up costs. No fewer than 111 businesses and labor unions have gotten waivers to the mandatory compiance.
Now Gregory urges that we rush on the START treaty in order to save this President's global crediblity, already seriously (if not mortally) peppered with self-inflicted wounds.
The reason why so many Americans are angry with the Dems today is because substance is no longer a key to governing. And despite the drubbing the Dems took on Election Day, they still don't grasp that.
The Dems still control the
Submitted by Dan The Man 2 on Mon, 11/22/2010 - 12:35am.
The Dems still control the Senate. If he wants START ratified, what's the problem?67 percent is required to ratify treaties.
That's true
Submitted by Galvanic on Mon, 11/22/2010 - 1:34pm.
But they set the agenda, and Reid can reward/punish Republicans as he deems. The blessing of the Defense Department gives the moderate GOP Senators some cover.
That being said, you bring up the key point, that it's not necessarily easy.
The Dems don't control 67
Submitted by yutsnark on Tue, 11/23/2010 - 12:22pm.
The Dems don't control 67 percent of the Senate.
That is why they need Republicans to ratify the treaty.
Submitted by The Vet on Tue, 11/23/2010 - 12:25pm.
You're not very bright are you?
I'm gonna go out on a limb
Submitted by killa37 on Sun, 11/21/2010 - 9:38pm.
I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that Boy Blunder has 'hurt the prestige' of our country on just about EVERY subject and stage that he has touched...................and I'm pretty sure that this was the result that he wanted - except that the rest of the world isn't buying into his OWN opinion of himself, so he, too, is viewed with disrespect and non-credibility. Of course, the guy is too self=absorbed to realize that he IS the problem................
Treaty
Submitted by batcat on Sun, 11/21/2010 - 9:43pm.
As far as U.S. losing prestige in the in the world, between Osama and Hillary, that ship has already sailed starting in Jan. 2009.
Is Greggory serious? Like
Submitted by rbosque on Sun, 11/21/2010 - 9:54pm.
Is Greggory serious? Like Obama isn't capable of tarnishing his own reputation? Is this guy joking?
Gregory is ether trying to
Submitted by Barack_must_go..... on Sun, 11/21/2010 - 10:47pm.
Gregory is ether trying to score an exclusive on air interview with Obama or he wants in on some private spooning sessions in the White House between Obama and his " special " friends...nod,nod,wink, wink.
Barack_Must_Go.....
Rumor has
Submitted by killa37 on Sun, 11/21/2010 - 10:50pm.
Rumor has it.............................and now that Charlie Crist is crisp, as in toast, they've got a new plaything...........
No Longer Bush's Fault!
Submitted by NoMoreChange on Sun, 11/21/2010 - 11:34pm.
When they can't blame Bush, they'll blame Congress. Truth is, Obama is a failure.
As she reads from Soro's hand
Submitted by Thoreau on Sun, 11/21/2010 - 11:58pm.
As she reads from Soro's hand written notes. Thank you Hillary. May your girlfriend keep you warm at night, and the Communists dangle you out the window after they drop Obama.
David Gregory.........
Submitted by richard on Mon, 11/22/2010 - 9:14am.
.....was a particular pain in the a** with his biased and leading questions to GWB's press secretary, when he was the WhiteHouse reporter for NBC, but now that he's their political icon, he's graduated from being a pain in the a** to just a plain a**hole.
BTW, nice Oppie look-a-like hair-do.
The Truth Hurts
Submitted by the struggler on Mon, 11/22/2010 - 10:10am.
Seems I remember Tony Snow calling Monkey-Boy a partisan.David didn't like that.
Obama has
Submitted by Beukeboom on Mon, 11/22/2010 - 10:43am.
Obama has single-handedly done more to hurt his own image as well as America's image in the international community than anyone or any group could have. He has only himself to blame but is expected to blame everyone else.
The hilldabeast is as stupid as ever!!!
Submitted by Patriot II on Mon, 11/22/2010 - 11:30am.
Oblahma has already hurt the US prestige.........he is a buffoon, an arrogant , do nothing, narcissistic clown.......and its not a secret!!!!
Obama doesn't need the R's to damage his world view
Submitted by TheHistorian on Mon, 11/22/2010 - 12:05pm.
he has his own big, fat, stupid, mouth. Against a tool like that, what can a Republican do?
Dennis Prager
The question is... Might
Submitted by Cowboy on Mon, 11/22/2010 - 1:31pm.
The question is...
Might Actual Reporting Hurt Obama on World Stage?“Prestige” of the Presidency
Submitted by Injest on Tue, 11/23/2010 - 6:09am.
David Gregory to Hillary Clinton: Might GOP Hurt U.S. Prestige and Obama on World Stage?
Me think the “Prestige” of the Presidency was damaged more by Obama going after a radio talk show host than anything the Repubs could do.
Operation “RushBo” could only have 2 possible outcomes.
Either you raise the “Prestige” of a “radio talk show host” to be equal to that of the POTUS, OR, you lower the “Prestige” of the Presidency to be equal to that of the POTUS .