Obama Calls Canadian Prime Minister a 'President' - Where is Media Ridicule?

Newsbusters.org ^ | 8/9/07 | Warner Todd Huston

[Mobile Vulgus]

At the Democrat Party presidential debates last Tuesday, Barack Obama revealed that he didn't know that our Canadian neighbors to the north had a prime minister instead of a president leading them. Yet the MSM has practically ignored this obvious gaffe, with few of them making much of the incident. This is a far cry from how Bush was so virulently attacked for having no foreign policy "gravitas" during the 2000 campaign. But for a Democrat in 2007 it's pass time. Nothing to see here, folks, keep moving.

In response to a trade question during the debate, Obama said he'd "immediately call the president of Mexico (and) the president of Canada" to discuss the issue. Of course, Canada has no "president," and this gaffe further shows Barack's unfamiliarity with foreign nations proving his unsuitability to lead our country during an era where foreign policy will be of prime importance.

But even as Bush repeatedly got nailed, Barack is given a pass.

Now, I found a short snippet on CNN's Political Ticker blog about the gaffe with one titled Obama slip on Canada.

For the second time in recent debates, the mention of world leaders has attracted attention to Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

At Tuesday night’s AFL-CIO forum in Chicago, Obama was asked if he would scrap the North American Free Trade Agreement as president. The senator from Illinois said, “I would immediately call the president of Mexico, the president of Canada, to try to amend NAFTA, because I think that we can get labor agreements in that agreement right now.”

The only problem is Canada has a prime minister, not a president.

No, CNN, the "only problem" is not that Canada has a prime minister, but that Obama seems not to even know that our close neighbor has a prime minister, instead of a president.

Other than a few mentions elsewhere and this CNN note -- and a few scattered blog mentions -- about the only media outlets that mentioned this too much were Canadian ones. It isn't surprising that Canada covered it, of course, but it is surprising that the US media so ignored it.

Heck, even the extremist hate site the Democraticunderground took Obama to task for his stupid gaffe with many of the postings there!

Now, let us contrast that with what happened during the run up to the 2000 election when George W. Bush was ridiculed for not knowing the names of four leaders of countries in the world at the time that were considered trouble spots he might have to deal with as president. Andy Hiller, a political reporter for WHDH-TV, sprung this pop quiz on Bush in an interview in 1999. This story was covered extensively by the MSM. Bush was universally called a dolt and unqualified to run our foreign policy.

Yet, Obama goes from wanting to meet with our worst enemies, to bombing our allies, to not even knowing the office of the leader of one of our closest allies and he is given a pass by the MSM?

One word describes it: Hypocrites

[Mobile Vulgus]

Typical MSM hypocrisy!

[WildcatClan]

I think they cut Obama a lot of breaks because they like him in the country of Europe and they are one our our biggest allies, heh.

[period end of story]

Since Hussein is a freakin’ genius, it must have been an honest mis-speak, so we’ll just ignore it.

[samtheman]

"immediately call the president of Mexico (and) the president of Canada" to discuss the issue.

It's not just the ignorance regarding titles. The whole concept is so childishly stupid it defies understanding.

Oooooo. He's going to make a phone call. Immediately!

What a little mindless twerp. He has no chance of getting the nomination. His only shot is being Her Thighness' shoe-shine-boy-VP. That's the only way he's going to move his shukin' and jivin' act to the WH.

[johnny7]

The Pakistan gaffe was far more damaging... and is treated by the DBM as simply a ‘different’ way to look at things.

[AU72]

This would qualify him as Sec. of State in Hillary’s Cabinet.

[Young Werther]

Someone should throw a TOMATOE at him!

[Brilliant]

Obama’s campaign for Prime Minister seems to be foundering.

[Brilliant]

It may be that Obama threw out the Prime Minister gaff in order to distract attention from his comments about invading Pakistan, and his confusion about whether his handlers had told him to say that he would use the a-bomb.

[Condor51]

I forgive Obama on the Canada blooper. After all Canada consists of nothing but 20,000 people, a couple Hockey teams, 2,000,000 Moose and Bear and a few dozen crazed Frogs in Quebec.

However, what does he know about Dingle-Norwood? That's what I want to know .. Dingle-Norwood, Dingle-Norwood, Dingle-Norwood!

(gotta admit, sometimes Gore was a hoot)

[tennteacher]

Waiting. . . still waiting . . . .

[BerniesFriend]

Cut obama some slack..he was upset that the city of Canada had a tornado where 25 million people were killed the other year ago...

[RipSawyer]

I wonder if the truth is that Obama doesn’t know this or that he is simply very careless about expressing himself. Maybe he has joined the large crowd who now have the attitude that, “you know what I am trying to say”.

[raccoonradio]

Some candidates are just so dim. Another example: Eileen Donoghue, running
for Marty Meehan’s seat in MA, said she was looking forward
to being able to confirm Supreme Court nominees. Earth to
Eileen: Senators do that, not Representatives!

---

Boston Herald:
Congressional hopeful and former Lowell mayor Eileen Donoghue is being slammed for saying that if elected she wanted to vet the person next selected to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court. The problem: It’s the job of the U.S. Senate, not the House, to confirm Supreme Court justices.

Speaking yesterday at the MassAlliance Forum, Donoghue said the nation was at a “dangerous” place in history concerning the court’s makeup, and she hoped to make a difference if elected to take Martin Meehan’s seat in Congress.

“If I were lucky enough to get an appointment on the judiciary committee, for example, I would be very concerned who is the next successor for whoever is coming up next on the Supreme Court,” Donoghue said.

Donoghue’s remarks prompted a sharp jibe from constitutional scholar and Harvard Law professor Laurence Tribe.

“You don’t have to be a lawyer, or even a law student to know what’s taught in every high school civics course,” said Tribe.

[mimaw]

I’m sure if Obama were dem nominee CNN would start referring to the Prime Minister of Canada as President Harper and the majority of dummies that watch CNN wouldn’t know the difference.

[raccoonradio]

Hey Ted Kennedy! Whom should we ask to speak to
“the President of Canada”?

http://fatboy.cc/Audio/Obama%20Bin%20Laden.mp3

[Phlap]

One word. Macac!

[jaydubya2]

Maybe he should relocate to one of the States in Canada?

[Sir Gawain]

Liberals can’t criticize a black. They call that racism.

[chiefqc]

HE’S JUST AN EMPTY SUIT WITH NO EXPERIENCE.