Mark Shields: 'The Most Urgent Priority America Has Is To Find Jobs For Young Egyptians'
Out of the mouths of babes...
On Friday's "Inside Washington," during a discussion about American foreign policy in the Middle East and Africa, PBS's Mark Shields actually said, "The most urgent priority that we have is to find jobs somehow, not simply for Americans, which is an urgent priority, but for young Egyptians" (video follows with transcript and commentary):
CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER: The administration's policy on Syria is incomprehensible. Sometimes you have to choose between a strategic ally, like say Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, and human rights, you know, and you decide, ok, I’ll give up on rights because I have to protect the strategic ally. But Syria is an enemy, an ally of Iran. It funneled fighters into Iraq who killed Americans. Here is a regime teetering at the edge. There is a genuine revolution, and we are doing and saying almost nothing. It is a scandal.
GORDON PETERSON, HOST: Hasn't the state department been pushing for engagement with the Syrian government so that they can weaken its allegiance to Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran?
KRAUTHAMMER: And for the same reason that Obama spoke so weakly about the revolution in Iran in 2009, because he had a fantasy of negotiating with the Mullahs over the nukes, which was of course a fantasy, and thus he did nothing. Here they’ve had this (?) of negotiating Assad out of his alliance with Iran and Hezbollah, which Americans have dreamed about for 30 years. It is a fantasy. And in the name of that he sent an ambassador into Syria. Still there. He has to be withdrawn tomorrow as at least the beginning of a statement of opposition to the regime.
NINA TOTENBERG, NPR: Charles didn't note that part of Mrs. Clinton’s statement, which I think was at the opening of the show, actually did denounce what was going on in Syria. But, you know, Secretaries of State always do these sort of little formal dances that don’t mean a lot. What I think probably the any administration would realize that there is a limit to what we can do about Syria. You don’t want to get so far out there that you are involved in something that you can’t do something about.
PETERSON: Well, we're involved in Libya, we’re sending drones in now.
TOTENBERG: There, we have some capacity. Some of us on this panel didn’t think it was a great idea to get involved there either, but, but at least we have some capacity. In Syria we don’t have much of a capacity…
KRAUTHAMMER: Why’s our ambassador still in Damascus?
PETERSON: Let me hear from Mark.
MARK SHIELDS, PBS: I am envious. I wish I was as sure of anything as Charles is of everything. And I would say that the most important…
KRAUTHAMMER: Well that is why I sleep so well and I look so young.
SHIELDS: Obviously is. The most urgent priority that we have is to find jobs somehow, not simply for Americans, which is an urgent priority, but for young Egyptians. That is going to determine whether, in fact, this revolution is going to take root and take a positive development.
We have an 8.8 percent unemployment rate - far higher if you count folks that have dropped out of the labor force due to their discouragement as well as those working part-time that wish they could find more hours. We have now set a new post-Depression record for the number of months this rate has been eight percent or higher.
The current administration has shown itself completely inept when it comes to job creation within our own shores, and this liberal media member thinks it's an urgent priority for us to find jobs for young people thousands of miles away in a foreign land.
Would you say Mr. Shields is a bit unplugged from reality?
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Comments
Would you say Mr. Shields is
Submitted by Dave. on Sat, 04/23/2011 - 10:30am.
Would you say Mr. Shields is a bit unplugged from reality?
No more so than about 95% of the stoopid American sheepulation, who are at least as equally clueless, if not more so.
-Dave
Vote for the American in November
Where are the jobs for Americans?
Submitted by Slyrr on Sat, 04/23/2011 - 10:40am.
Yo, Marky-poo:
How about finding some jobs for AMERICANS?
Unemployment, inflation, suicide rates, foreclosures, food prices, gas prices and the misery index have all skyrocketed under the 'boot' of your 'clean, articulate black man who can speak with a negro dialect when he wants to' president.
This shows exactly where you libutards' priorities are. You'd rather 'find jobs' for Egyptians who are tearing their own country apart, instead of making jobs for the Americans who pay your wretched salary.
Shields is an obvious
Submitted by bkeyser on Sat, 04/23/2011 - 10:45am.
fool.
But to the larger issue, can anyone find anything, anywhere, that coherently states our foreign policy position vis-à-vis the Arab Spring?
Yep, I've got it
Submitted by TexasMom0517 on Sat, 04/23/2011 - 11:53am.
If you are traditionally a strategic ally of the U.S., Obama will encourage and even support those who want to overthrow your government. If, however, you are a traditional ENEMY of the United States, we will ignore the actions you take to put down a rebellion. Simple.
Fix up the pyramids.
Submitted by SickofLibs on Sat, 04/23/2011 - 10:52am.
They look like crap.
SoL
Submitted by bkeyser on Sat, 04/23/2011 - 10:59am.
You're not kidding.
Nice, BK!
Submitted by SickofLibs on Sat, 04/23/2011 - 11:04am.
.
Burger~
Submitted by GG_NB on Sat, 04/23/2011 - 11:08am.
Wow, cool!
"If not us, who? If not now, when?"
~Ronald Reagan
OMO!
Submitted by Blonde on Sat, 04/23/2011 - 11:13am.
No kidding is an understatement.
Handy Reference Guide to Obama's Gaffes and Goofs ~ Currently Numbering 200 (and Counting)
Great Idea:
Submitted by Comrade Jim on Sat, 04/23/2011 - 11:22am.
Maybe even tear them down for urban renewal projects. The Projects in Obama's part of Chicago would be a good model. It will give the violent Muslim gangs a good place to hang out.
Memo to Mark Shield
Submitted by Bourbeau on Sat, 04/23/2011 - 11:02am.
You speak, McDonalds listens - 50,000 jobs created overnight; surely, some of your Egyptian youths can qualify for handburger flippers. Rest easy Mark, the American economy is on the rebound - new jobs at $7 - $8 bucks an hour. Come again with what America's most urgent priority is.
It's now 50,001.
Submitted by SickofLibs on Sat, 04/23/2011 - 11:08am.
The Baltimore McDonald's "Captain Video" will soon be collecting unemployment.
advice
Submitted by Rackie on Sat, 04/23/2011 - 12:32pm.
"Yo, how many times I gotta tells youse. Go to the zoo but stay outta da cages."
Meanwhile, to the NW...
Submitted by Rukus on Sat, 04/23/2011 - 12:52pm.
The competition for jobs at a McDonald's in Cleveland is intense!
I think I'll be steering clear of Micky Dee's from now on.
All Suspects Now Found Per Another Report
Submitted by stratman on Sat, 04/23/2011 - 6:58pm.
Took a few different links but found the location, just where I thought it was: E. 105the and St. Clair Ave. It's residential, small business and light industry neighborhood with Chinatown very nearby. Not the "hood" but near/next to the hood. It's actually a decent McDonald's that seems to be very busy the few times I've been there or driven by.
We All Have Fun Caricaturing Liberal Media
Submitted by Comrade Jim on Sat, 04/23/2011 - 11:06am.
By trying to out-absurd the absurd, asinine comments made by liberal media stars. But Mark Shields has me a bit stumped on this one.
For example I could write:
Obama has created too many shovel-ready jobs in the U.S. Our major problem now is how to export the excess jobs to Egypt?
This is only marginally more absurd than Shields' statement; Also there is a possibility that some other idiot in the media might pick up such a statement and pass it off as his/her own deep thought. After all, many statements have been made by, say, Ed Schultz alone that are far more absurd than this.
So I'll take a pass on this one.
"Find Jobs"
Submitted by Blonde on Sat, 04/23/2011 - 11:18am.
Aha! Now I know why liberals always sound so idiotic regarding jobs.
They think one "finds" jobs. You know, jobs are just lying around, or perhaps have been misplaced, or sometimes jobs even run away and hide. So these liberals have figured out that it's necessary to spend vast sums of money to FIND these rotten little misplaced/hidden jobs.
Que'lle Nonsense.
Handy Reference Guide to Obama's Gaffes and Goofs ~ Currently Numbering 200 (and Counting)
Jobs for Egyptians! Problem solved!
Submitted by Newsbubba on Sat, 04/23/2011 - 11:55am.
Here we read that Marky poo thinks we should find jobs for Egyptian youts, and just two short blogs down, Tim Graham has hit on the solution by identifying a problem some liberal whack job has!
Some liberal fool (excuse the redundancy) has proposed a Charles Krauthammer Day to celebrate something he hates (imagine! A liberal hating) about Krauthammer! He wants to combine it with Easter and have an Exploding Easter Egg Hunt! Now is that cuter than a spotted puppy in a little red wagon or what? Maybe they will invite Sarah Palin to bring Trig along so he can find one of these darling eggs.
Seems the only problem Tim's man is having is finding people who are willing and able to create exploding Easter eggs. Enter Mark. We can have the "moderate" Egyptian youts make the exploding Easter eggs! They are eminently qualified, and would probably work for free considering the cause.
It's a Win-Win, Mark! You and your fellow non-violent liberal butt buddies need to get together and solve both problems with one bang-up plan, you jack wagons.
So what you're saying, Bubba
Submitted by Blonde on Sat, 04/23/2011 - 1:59pm.
Is that liberals feel free not only to disparage a mother and her child who has Down's syndrome, but they are also making jokes about a paraplegic.
Nice people, those tolerant liberals.
Handy Reference Guide to Obama's Gaffes and Goofs ~ Currently Numbering 200 (and Counting)
No worries about Charles K, Blonde.
Submitted by Newsbubba on Sat, 04/23/2011 - 4:59pm.
I feel certain that he could kick Mark Shields ass in spite of his physical condition. He can certainly do it intellectually.
But you're correct. There is no road too low for these "liberal intellectual elites" to travel when it comes to the area of personal attacks. After all, their arguments make no sense, so they have to get right to the name calling or they have nothing! Kind of reminds me of dumb first graders taunting the smart kids in the class.
You're all wrong!
Submitted by motherbelt on Sat, 04/23/2011 - 12:29pm.
Congress invents jobs by passing laws, and apparently they're not doing THEIR job!
Obama has created "shovel-ready" jobs
Submitted by ArrowSmith on Sat, 04/23/2011 - 11:36am.
Shoveling shit that is.
and then some
Submitted by Rackie on Sat, 04/23/2011 - 12:37pm.
shovelling shit
digging graves
moving holes
pixie dust.
Submitted by Tjexcite on Sat, 04/23/2011 - 12:15pm.
Now lets just create jobs out of thin air and are powered and paid for by pixie dust.
Maybe they could just build
Submitted by motherbelt on Sat, 04/23/2011 - 12:34pm.
Maybe they could just build empty cities.
That's how they do it in China.
That's how they do it in Minneapolis too.
Submitted by CobraMan on Sat, 04/23/2011 - 12:46pm.
That's how they do it in Minneapolis too, as is evident by all the completed yet, after more than a year or so, STILL vacant "condos" that are scattered all across my fair city. Add to that the partially built and abandoned construction that is also scattered around, and you'll see how marvelous that plan really is. It's a foolish man who builds a house... that no one wants to live in!
The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States. The US Constitution
Unless you're a fetus. The US Supreme Court
Or Anwar al-Awlaki.
Cobra, we lived in Eagan for
Submitted by motherbelt on Sat, 04/23/2011 - 1:24pm.
Cobra, we lived in Eagan for 4 year and I always thought Minneapolis was a great city. But those Minnesota libs were and probably still are dead set on getting people to live in high-rises instead of creating that awful "urban sprawl."
Give one of them Mark's job
Submitted by CobraMan on Sat, 04/23/2011 - 12:29pm.
"The most urgent priority that we have is to find jobs somehow, not simply for Americans, which is an urgent priority, but for young Egyptians."
I think one of those young Egyptians should be given Shields' job. What do you say, Mark, ready to put your money where your mouth is and "give" YOUR job to one of those young Egyptians? Or are you gong to be hypocritical, as usual?
The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States. The US Constitution
Unless you're a fetus. The US Supreme Court
Or Anwar al-Awlaki.
The most urgent priority America has
Submitted by johnsonl on Sat, 04/23/2011 - 2:38pm.
is to deport all liberals to Egypt.
Kirsten Powers?
Submitted by okiehawk44 on Sat, 04/23/2011 - 3:34pm.
This Democrat media maven is married to a Coptic Christian Egyptian and is all for Egypt as long as she and her husband don't have to actually live there with the "tolerant" muslims.
Like most liberals she is all for liberal positions as long as she doesn't actually have to suffer any of their consequences.
Really?
Submitted by Cowboy on Sat, 04/23/2011 - 3:39pm.
Really?
Isn't the most urgent priority for Egypt to create an environment friendly to the creation of jobs for Egyptians?
Isn't the most urgent priority for America to create an environment friendly to the creation of jobs for Americans???
If PBS doesn't think so, then why are Americans paying for PBS instead of Eqyptians paying for it?
Engage Brain
Submitted by HardRightTurn on Sat, 04/23/2011 - 3:41pm.
Off the cuff, shooting from the hip remarks will get you into trouble every time. Pity is he really believes it and has no shame.
To more fully comprehend the Left, one must read “Leftism As Psychopathy” by John Ray, M.A., Ph.D. Caution, it might scare you a little bit.
http://jonjayray.tripod.com/psycho.html
JOBS FOR EGYPTIANS! A NEW WPA TO BUILD MORE PYRAMIDS!
Submitted by Herbster on Sat, 04/23/2011 - 4:41pm.
Did they let Shields out of the home for a day, or did he sneak out? He's obviously off his meds. At least he didn't follow up demanding, "Jobs with justice" for the Egurtians. Can Jesse anf Al be far behind?
Shields is a retard.
Submitted by LAM SON 719 on Sat, 04/23/2011 - 7:54pm.
Shields is a retard.
Easy
Submitted by Chris Norman on Sat, 04/23/2011 - 8:26pm.
Just fly Joe Biden over to Egypt to declare that this is their "The Summer of Recovery" - that should do it.
"Finding" vs. "Creating" jobs, classic Dem/conservative split
Submitted by gopcongress on Sun, 04/24/2011 - 1:43pm.
How do you "find" jobs in the first place? No matter whether the jobs needed are in Cairo, Egypt or Cairo, Alabama (or the other 18 states that have a city named Cairo), one needs CAPITALISM to create the jobs in the first place. Capitalism demands risk and innovation, which cannot be guaranteed by state decree.
For journalists to purposely misuse this term to indicate what needs to be done means they are more for controlling people's lives through government edict, much like how Egypt's uprising manifested itself in the first place.
The BEST way to "solve" Egyptian unemployment is simple, but not easy. To do it, one must...
1. Eliminate socialism from American politics, re-instituting constitutional governance in our day-to-day lives, particularly with respect to the economy.
2. Export such a constitutional governance to other countries via primarily economic incentives, eliminating the need for defensive (military) operations.
3. Once that governance takes off in Egypt and elsewhere, then the problem is solved.
The answer is NOT that complicated, BUT it takes a lot of will and a lot of national and, later, global resolve to carry out.
"The news and truth are not the same thing." -Walter Lippmann (1889-1974) FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER