Obama cancels talks with Putin

[BiffSplitkins]

Washington (CNN) -- President Barack Obama has canceled a visit to Moscow next month for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but will attend a G-20 summit in St. Petersburg, the White House announced Wednesday.

The move follows Russia's decision to grant asylum to classified leaker Edward Snowden, who had been holed up for weeks in the international transit zone of Moscow's airport since fleeing the United States for Hong Kong and then Russia.

Obama confirmed Tuesday night that he still plans to attend the G-20 summit in early September, despite calls from some lawmakers for the U.S. to boycott the gathering.

However, the White House also has said it was reconsidering the "utility" of separate talks with Putin in Moscow that were to take place before the G-20 gathering.

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Cancels meeting with Putin, but it's okay to go on Leno???

The world laughs at us Americans I'm sure. How embarrassing.

[Sweetpumper]

Cancels meeting with Putin, but it's okay to go on Leno???

The world laughs at us Americans I'm sure. How embarrassing.

He's an absolute joke.

[questionmark]

The world laughs at us Americans I'm sure. How embarrassing.

The bookies were already calling the thingy off after Snowden got asylum.

Things might get worse, the German opposition is demanding to put Snowden into witness protection if he testifies to the panel investigating German involvement in the NSA scandal....

[Skep B]

In the pres defense, Putin is baisically a bond villain.

[questionmark]

In the pres defense, Putin is baisically a bond villain.

Might be, but a new cold war is certainly not in our interest.

[Skep B]

I seriously hope that some kid telling people stuff they should already know isn't the catalyst for Cold War 2: Colder War that's just bad writing

[Frank Merton]

• I don't see how the cancellation could have been avoided, and is not a bad thing anyway, and sends a message. Going on Jay Leno paints the President as human and is not relevant.
  

[moonshadow60]

I think it's a good idea if he doesn't go to those talks, too. I hope he golfs every day until the end of his presidency. I can't help seeing him as a little boy going around "fixing things" by pulling them apart and leaving them in the middle of the floor for someone else to clean up. Nothing ever seems to get better. I think he really is trying, but just doesn't follow through.

[Skep B]

I think its more that he doesn't have all that much power in reality and is little more than a spokesperson for hi sparty.

like all the presidents

[A rather obscure Bassoon]

The bookies were already calling the thingy off after Snowden got asylum.

Things might get worse, the German opposition is demanding to put Snowden into witness protection if he testifies to the panel investigating German involvement in the NSA scandal....

Wouldn't that throw the Cat amongst the pidgeons.

[questionmark]

Wouldn't that throw the Cat amongst the pidgeons.

Not if it hurts the German government, which is the purpose of most of these panels.

[BiffSplitkins]

Going on Jay Leno paints the President as human and is not relevant.

Going on Jerry Springer would paint him as human too, but it would still be just as unprofessional for The President Of The United States to do such a thing!!

It's not his job to 'be human'. His job is to present himself as a professional world leader.

George Bush was just as guilty of this by going on Dr. Phil when he was in office as well as Clinton going on Letterman while Clinton still held the presidency.

[Frank Merton]

That's a little too "stuffed-shirtish" for me. Presidents are not above the rest of us.

[BiffSplitkins]

That's a little too "stuffed-shirtish" for me. Presidents are not above the rest of us.

Betcha $10 that even Obama doesn't think the same.

[Skep B]

The fact that the guys you mentioned went on their shows, that Regan would appear on shows, that Carter would appear on shows, that friggin Nixon appeared on Rowan and Martin.

It's probably just a thing they do

[questionmark]

The fact that the guys you mentioned went on their shows, that Regan would appear on shows, that Carter would appear on shows, that friggin Nixon appeared on Rowan and Martin.

It's probably just a thing they do

Especially then when they need to rally some support against Congress.

[Frank Merton]

I don't watch American TV much and didn't see this. It seems a natural to me for a politician to do such a thing, though, and not bad either. This idea of "the dignity of the office" and so on is so much garbage that does nothing but inflate egos and lead to ego-inflation-type irrational behavior.

I'm sure there is a line a President might cross that is too undignified, but it is pretty much the same line as for everyone else.

[Skep B]

Until he winds up tap dancing on America's got talent I think he's fine.

[BiffSplitkins]

It's probably just a thing they do

Not to discuss controversial global topics like Obama did with Leno.

Reagan talked about his assassination attempt and Reaganomics, and Merv Griffin was not a comedy show.

Nixon wasn't even elected president yet. Jimmy Carter appeared on 'What's My Line' before his presidency as well. Perhaps you were thinking of Carter's brother Billy going on the talk show circuit?

Until he winds up tap dancing on America's got talent I think he's fine.

Okay, I laughed at that.

[Jeremiah65]

HNIC was going to cancel this meeting no matter what....it's disgusting.

I think it was Edgar Cayce that said that one day Russia would save the world...is that what we are seeing?....the USA has become the monster and the former soviet union is the last bastion of human rights?

How freaking weirded out is that?

[questionmark]

HNIC was going to cancel this meeting no matter what....it's disgusting.

I think it was Edgar Cayce that said that one day Russia would save the world...is that what we are seeing?....the USA has become the monster and the former soviet union is the last bastion of human rights?

How freaking weirded out is that?

Well, no. If Cayce is ever on the right track it will be pure accident. Just for jokes and kicks try to find a first edition of The Sleeping Prophet and compare it to a current one.

[Frank Merton]

I can see scenarios where Russia might "save the world." Putin has a pretty big ego, and just that might help. The system evolving in Russia is not as "free" as in the West, but maybe the west is too free in some things.

[BiffSplitkins]

I think it was Edgar Cayce that said that one day Russia would save the world...is that what we are seeing?....the USA has become the monster and the former soviet union is the last bastion of human rights?

How freaking weirded out is that?

That would just completely ruin 'Red Dawn', 'The Falcon and the Snowman', 'Red Heat', 'Firefox', 'Top Gun', 'Rocky IV', 'Stripes' and 'Spies Like Us' for me.

[Jeremiah65]

The conflict we have always held with the former Soviet Union was purely based on a perspective.

Life was not so great in the USSR. I had a friend who fled the USSR before it collapsed...he was from the Ukraine. He once told me he ran because he was tired of killing people.....how nice is that?

I have read and watched info on Stalin....it's hard to say what is real and what is propaganda...but Stalin was paranoid it seems....anyone that he thought was or could become a threat were removed. Is that the truth or is that what we are told for a reason? The real truth is....we don't actually know the truth....we know what we are told. Does that not bother anyone but me?

How far are we from that in this regime? We choose to ignore viable third parties....not giving the air time or allowing their messages out....why is that?..What do they fear?

I look around and I see a system that is not long for this world....it is breaking right before ur eyes. It will be up to US to create a new one. The basics of "the great experiment" were solid and worthy....but we allowed poison and corruption to ruin it. Perhaps we can start over...use the good...toss the bad....and keep our eyes open for the snakes...

The corruptors will need to be kept at arms length if not removed from existence....poison is poison...it only kills, it has never done good.

[Jeremiah65]

That would just completely ruin 'Red Dawn', 'The Falcon and the Snowman', 'Red Heat', 'Firefox', 'Top Gun', 'Rocky IV', 'Stripes' and 'Spies Like Us' for me.

What a wonderful list of western propaganda you have there....awesome.

I believe little....the eyes can easily be fooled as can the ears.

Alll of that stuff you listed was hate propaganda...The reasons why we are so much better....and there was actually a time we were....but that time has passed. If you think life is better now, you need to put down your angry birds game and look around for a day or two....it is not better...

We are all victims of the new Oligarchy/plutocracy....most of us are just too stupid to recognize it...

we are screwed.

Edited August 7, 2013 by Jeremiah65