Senior Obama Adviser: "I Have No Problem" With the President Meeting Whoopi Goldberg and Ignoring World Leaders
Chris Wallace this morning on Fox News Sunday called out President Barack Obama for having the time to meet with the ladies of The View, but having no time to meet with key foreign leaders in a time of crisis.
He asked Obama’s senior adviser Robert Gibbs about that fact, and Gibbs explained that there are “telephones in the White House” which the President can use to speak with foreign leaders.
He then cites the President of Egypt and the leader of Libya as examples, while noticeably leaving out the name of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Here’s the thing – if there are telephones in the White House, why not use them to conduct frivolous interviews, and actually have the sit-down meetings with world leaders? Where are your priorities Mr. President?
People are noticing the lack of leadership from the White House.
Here’s a transcript of the relevant portion of the interview (video below):
FOX’s Chris Wallace: “I want to go back to the UN though and New York this week. You say that he’s got schedules, that foreign leaders have schedules. But the President has blocked out time to appear on The View on Tuesday. So, he has time for Whoopi Goldberg but he doesn’t have time for world leaders?”
Obama Senior Adviser Robert Gibbs: “No, Chris. Look, the President is going to be actively involved at the UN General Assembly.”
Wallace: “He’s not meeting with any private leaders. He’s giving a speech.”
Gibbs: “Chris, they have telephones in the White House. Last week, he talked to the President of Egypt. He talked to the leader in Libya. We don’t need a meeting in Washington just to confer with leaders. We’ve got a strong – ”
Wallace: “But he does need the time to be on The View?”
Gibbs: “We have a strong diplomatic – I’m sure if he was doing an interview with you on Fox News, you’d have no problem with that.”
Wallace: “Well, he hasn’t, but that’s not the point.”
Gibbs: “I’m sure that’s not the point. No, look Chris, he’s got a strong schedule. He’s actively involved.”
Wallace: “You don’t have a problem with the fact that he’s not meeting with any world leaders, but he’s going to appear on The View?”
Gibbs: “I have no problem with that, because, Chris, you’re the President of the United States every minute of every day. That’s why you talk to the leader in Turkey, a hugely important leader and country in that region of the world. That’s why you pick up the phone and talk to the President of Egypt and tell them, they have to have a strong reaction to this violence at our embassy, they have to protect our consulate and our embassies and the people that work in them. Chris, this isn’t just about one meeting on one particular day in New York. The President is actively involved and engaged in the most dangerous place in the world every single day of the week.”
Robert De Niro: "Too Soon" For a "White First Lady"
Stupid focker…
Actor Robert De Niro thrilled the crowd at a New York fundraiser headlined by first lady Michelle Obama when he listed the alternatives.
“Callista Gingrich. Karen Santorum. Ann Romney. Now do you really think our country is ready for a white first lady?” De Niro asked a star-studded crowd gathered in the backroom of Locanda Verde, a restaurant he owns on Greenwich Street in TriBeCa.
Someone in the crowd shouted, “No!” as De Niro quickly added, “Too soon, right?”
Celebrities including Beyonce, her mother Tina Knowles, Star Jones, Whoopi Goldberg, Gayle King, Angela Bassett and Ben Stiller were spotted by the pool reporter at the 85-person event, where tickets started at $5,000 per person, benefiting the Obama Victory Fund. Film producer Harvey Weinstein, a bundler who’s brought in more than $500,000 in donation and was a guest at last week’s White House state dinner for British Prime Minister David Cameron, was also spotted at the event.
