Posted on 01/23/2006 2:32:41 PM PST by proud_yank
CARACAS, Venezuela (Reuters) - Venezuela's vice president on Monday told top U.S. Republican Sen. John McCain he could "go to hell" for suggesting that "wackos" were governing the oil-producing South American country.
Commenting on U.S. reliance on foreign oil supplies, McCain told Fox News Sunday, "We better understand the vulnerabilities that our economy and our very lives have ... when we're dependent on Iranian mullahs and wackos in Venezuela."
Venezuela, the world's fifth-largest oil exporter and an OPEC member like Iran, supplies 15 percent of U.S. energy imports. But ties between Washington and left-wing President Hugo Chavez have deteriorated rapidly since his 1998 election.
"He can go to hell," Vice President Jose Vicente Rangel said responding to remarks by McCain, a prominent Republican and a possible U.S. presidential candidate in 2008.
"Maybe he has got nothing to do over there in the United States," he said.
Venezuela and the United States often trade barbs over Chavez's self-described socialist revolution, his close political ties with U.S. foe Cuba and his criticism of U.S. foreign policies.
A former army paratrooper prone to quoting Ernesto "Che" Guevara and Karl Marx, Chavez presents his revolution as a counter to U.S. free-market proposals for South America. He often accuses Washington of plotting his overthrow.
U.S. officials dismiss that as populist rhetoric, but say they worry Chavez has become a destabilizing influence by interfering in the politics of his South American neighbors.
Wackos don't like being referred to as wackos.
I didn't think commies believed in Hell. Perhaps they meant Havana?
My Mama always said, "Wacko is as Wacko does."
Any possibility of resurrecting the old days of Head of state assasinations?
This is like a bloody kindergarten.
McCain nailed them and they don;t like it because McCain gets face time and world press.
McCain is doing a good job of positioning himself. I'm not saying that because I like the guy (I remain extremely critical of him) but I do think he's pulling off some PR coups.
My second reaction was that his comments were predicated on a thoroughly incorrect understanding of why the U.S. imports so much oil from other countries.
Pot. Kettle.
Thats a good point, though I don't think he has much of a chance in '08. Only in states with open primaries.
But, they actually used "whackos", "left-wing", and "karl marx" in the same story.
True, although tying this nut-job to left-wing Democrats in the US is not all that far-fetched. Let's face it, being a commie is back in vogue for the Bohemians.
Yet McCain leads the charge on the GOP side against ANWR drilling.
Any possibility of resurrecting the old days of Head of state assasinations?
Is that you Pat Robertson?
I've been reading articles on Hugo and Venezuela a bit now, and the general trend in the media is that he is a "Leftist" and not a "Socialist/communist". Good point though!
McLame calling someone a Wacko. LOL! Pot, meet Kettle....
McCain for Secretary of State !
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.