Not be overly patriotic or anything, but I could really care less what any world leader thinks about our Presidential candidates, or any American for that matter. Even when European leaders collectively freaked over the second election of George W. Bush I felt it was in bad taste. This is our country, and those who don't live here would do well to stay out of our domestic politics.
What makes Mr. Howard's statements worse is that he is known ally of Republicans and specifically the President. How dare he make such an unsubstantiated, partisan attack on a Presidential Candidate? How dare he insert himself so blatantly into a political process in which he has no stake?
I would hope that Americans, political affiliations aside, will collectively tell Mr. Howard to STFU. However, as Republicans across the country praise Mr. Howard, a foreigner with nothing to lose in regards to our political future, for butting his way into our electoral politics, for linking an American Senator to terrorists, I fear this will not happen. Instead, Republicans will enable a partisan foreign political attack on on of our own.
Update: Obama Responds:
Mr Obama, who has described the Iraq war as "tragic", said he was "flattered" by Mr Howard's statement.
He said: "I think it's flattering that one of George Bush's allies on the other side of the world started attacking me the day after I announced.
"I would also note that we have close to 140,000 troops on the ground now, and my understanding is Mr Howard has deployed 1,400, so if he is (ready) to fight the good fight in Iraq, I would suggest that he calls up another 20,000 Australians and sends them to Iraq."
"Otherwise it's just a bunch of empty rhetoric," he added.
Senator Obama is already a master at handling these scandals. He refers to it quickly, then goes on the attack. He did the same during the FOX/Madrassa incident.
Compared to the somewhat mishandled Edwards/Blogger controversy, mostly the lack of a quick response that let the story germinate and spread, Obama looks like a pro. Good news for Obama, because this helps put to bed claims that he might crack under the pressure of a general election race. Obama is at least ready for the "big time" when it comes to spin control and right-wing noise machine containment.
3 comments:
You'd think they would know better. What American voter is more likely to vote Republican or for, I guess, Hillary Clinton because of something that the Aussie Prime Minister has to say? His country has, what, 16 million people? Maybe the size of Florida or Pennsylvania in population?
There was an effort among British leftists to write letters directly to Ohio residents and newspapers in the 2004 election, begging them to vote Democratic. It backfired big-time and publicly, and Ohio went for Bush.
Rubbish. Howard had every right of reply.
Libhom, Howard has lied about Al-Qaeda and 9/11, but they are all lies spread by Bush and the Republicans.
I myself am an Australian and I do not support Howard in anyway, however Obama attacked him first.
Obama's comments did nothing but show his ignorance in regards to military matters; he implied that Howard is a hypocrite by saying he supports the war yet sending only 1,500 troops to Iraq.
It is a well known fact that Australia has much less population than America, and this is countered by the fact that the Australian military have a much higher standard of training than the US military. As soldiers, they are far superior.
Obama should have kept his mouth shut in the first place, Howard should have just ignored him, and this never would have happened.
Not sure how Obama "attacked first", just read the article.
Mr. Howard's comments were unprovoked, so the "right of reply" does not apply in this case.
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