Posted on 01/24/2009 3:26:26 PM PST by nysuperdoodle
Am I the only one who finds it creepy when someone shouts out something in some Indonesian dialect and our President answers offhand? Like a native, some would say.
I guess there's nothing that can beef up your foreign policy credentials like actually being a foreigner.
I stumbled across this clip of our new President showing off his "foreign policy credentials" at the State Department. The assembled media titters and chuckles with delight at our new iternational-style President. I thought you all might enjoy it
(Excerpt) Read more at evilconservativeonline.com ...
Just wow.
Well he was educated in Indonesia. So, of course he speaks the language. But, I thought only citizens of that country could attend school over there. Gee, I must be wrong.
But, Caligula told us he “couldn’t speak a word” of bahasa Indonesia. Saya pikir dia tipu kita (I think he lied to us).
/shocked
“Something in some Indonesian dialect”? He replied “thank you, how are you?” in reply to a former diplomat to Indonesia in Bahasa Indonesia the official language of the world’s fourth largest nation, third largest democracy and generally good friend of the United States.
What’s the problem? If he’d spoken in French or German would people be getting their knickers in a twist?
Tidak apa apa.
Only Indonesian citizens can officially attend public school here. Of course, if someone wanted to visit for a while, that can be done.
Private schools operate under different charters. I’m not sure if a foreigner could attend that catholic schools Caligula attended. I know that our international school, which is for ex-pats, is allowed to have up to 20% of the population be Indonesian citizens.
Things are a bit flexible here.
Actually, if you recall, when Kerry spoke in French it was news... as it was when Bush spoke Spanish. So the answer to your question is yes. But you already knew that didn’t you?
You’re right in that what he said is the barest minimum of the language. However, he told us that he “couldn’t speak a word.” Sorry, his quick response in the language demonstrated the lie.
He is fluent in bahasa Indonesia. I’ve been pointing that out throughout the campaign. No one can attend four years of Indo school at the age he did and NOT pick up the language. It is impossible unless you are deaf.
The point here is that he lied about his skills and just to get elected. It was to diminish the possibility that he had to been declared an Indonesian citizen thus making him inelegible to be POTUS. This was a big point in the campaign, and even now is grounds for removal. Apparently he feels that he is safe from discovery. Or, more realistically, no one in power cares.
Why did you think that?
I hadn’t seen where he said he couldn’t speak a word of Indonesian, any link?
If he did lie about that it’s a particularly stupid thing to lie about and could well be the least important lie of his entire campaign.
I was very frightened when President Bush spoke in Spanish.
Personally I think he’s just rubbing it in. He’s saying “Take THAT Phil Berg and Orly Taitz”... maybe not those words, but that’s what I keep hearing
He would be then speaking in a Western Cultural Language , not some far Alina dialect such as indonesian or mandarian chinese.
Thats the problem.
FTA “there’s nothing that can beef up your foreign policy credentials like actually being a foreigner.” You Betcha!
I think that comment reflects more on your character than on Obama’s. Please don’t reply, I don’t wish to debate with you further.
“I didn’t realize I would have to save all the threads”,
It’s not a big deal, I’m not doubting you, I am just surprised that he would lie about such a stupid, unimportant, little thing (the link doesn’t work by the way).
Exactly. How ridiculous to criticize someone for being multilingual.
Why would that frighten you? Many of our presidents have been fluent in other languages, including George Washington.
Then f*** off sir.
You are clearly on the wrong forum.
Please don’t reply, I don’t wish to debate with you further
I was joking.
Oh. Sorry.
I have to agree with you on that.
There will be no link forthcoming because Obama has never denied speaking Indonesian.
The article you linked indicates that Obama’s claim to speak Indonesian was contradicted by his teachers. Since Obama has demonstrably spoken Indonesian, it appears that Obama’s teachers were in error, and Obama spoke the truth.
I also linked another article which cites Caligula claiming himself not to speak bahasa Indonesia. During the campaign he played down his language ability in order (and of course its my opinion, I’m writing the post!) to discourage the links of him to his Indonesian citizenship. For that claim, I cite the enrollment card in the Catholic school which clearly states Barry Soetero is Indonesian and a muslim.
I beg your pardon. You do owe me an apology. I resent the implication that I just made things up to support my claim. Are you a stealth troll who joined up just to question the veracity of long-time freepers?
The about citation is from the Five Reasons article I linked.
First, I didn't imply anything. I stated that you were incorrect. You have likely read this unsubstantiated assertion hundreds or thousands of times (regarding Obama's lack of Indonesian language skills) in other posts so that is what you remember. No apology owed or offered. Second, one cannot be a "stealth" troll, as a troll is someone who leaves deliberately inflammatory messages on the Internet in order to provoke fiery response. I'm not a troll. I am merely offering my contradictory take.
Yes, you do owe me an apology but I'm not expecting one.
I did link two articles one of which states that on July 11 of last year Caligula did deny an ability to speak bahasa Indonesia. I didn't just follow the crowd and blindly assert what the masses had said. Further substantiation can be had by digging deep into my posting history and finding threads which discussed this topic in detail. During the campaign he stated he could not speak bahasa Indonesia and my points were that 1.)he must be lying, bahasa Indonesia is a very simple language to learn, even I have learned it; and 2.) why would he lie about this, it is a silly thing to lie about.
Yes, someone can be a stealth troll here. We get them all the time. In another site they are often called "DUmmies." You have all the earmarks of a troll. In this case, someone who signs on to FR just to incite trouble and/or to challenge minor points.
I do not know if you are a troll or not, but someone who signs up and causes trouble on day 1... . If it walks like a duck and looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, well, it probably is a duck. You have been quacking at me.
Except in this case it's someone speaking with a forked tongue.
There was some doubt as to whether a link would be forthcoming. It has now come forth.
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