Surprise: Mary Robinson wasn't vetted
In The Corner, Tevi Troy reports that Mary Robinson, whose selection as a Medal of Freedom recipient has caused quite a controversy, was not properly vetted. I have been asking whether the White House knew that Mary Robinson was a controversial pick for the Medal of Freedom or if they were caught unawares by the controversy. A source has now indicated that she was not fully vetted, but that the White House feels that backing down at this point would make things worse.Who recommended her? Chas Freeman?
And why would backing down 'make things worse'? It might show sensitivity to the Jewish community that has been sorely lacking in this administration (Freeman was done in by an email he wrote about Tianneman Square and not - as he claimed - by the mysterious Israel lobby). Of course, Obama's friends Rashid Khalidi and Jeremiah "Them Jews" Wright would not be pleased. But Congressman Eliot Engel (D-NY) would be pleased.
“It think it's a mistake given Mary Robinson's bias and statements and actions,” said Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) on Tuesday evening in an interview with JTA. "She personifies everything wrong with the United Nations."Six months into this administration, we have seen more than enough 'screw-ups' by the White House. Maybe it's time to fix one.
Engel, the first Democratic congressman to publicly criticize the administration's selection, said he didn't think the White House would withdraw the award, because "they don't want to look like they buckled under to pressure," but "I hope that they would."
"It's a poor choice," he said.
Engel didn't think the Robinson selection was meant to send any kind of message about the president's Middle East policy, but was likely just a "screw-up" by the White House.
UPDATE 6:23 PM
Welcome to the Instalanche. Wow.
UPDATE THURSDAY 1:08 AM
Welcome Hot Air readers. What an awesome day this has been. I think I can retire now :-)
UPDATE THURSDAY 9:10 AM (Site meter is about five hours behind right now).
Welcome Red State readers.
UPDATE THURSDAY 2:30 PM
Welcome Maggie's Farm readers.
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 4:14 PM
7 Comments:
I think that Robinson's Irish-born pal, Samantha "the Witch" Power, might have had something to do with it.
I wouldn't be surprised if Obama himself was up for a Nobel Peace Prize. I am not kidding!
Well, I guess that's less trouble than saying "we knew she hated Jews and that's why we picked her."
what makes you think picking Mary Robinson was a mistake, haven't you ever read some of her Anti-Semite drivel from Durban. She is also being considered for a Czar position in the Obama Administration I hear, "Czar for the Jewish Problem."
actually, I thought she was nominated because of her pro abortion policies in Ireland and in the UN.
Probably Israel is just an afterthought, like the cherry on an icecream sundae.
Robo-Biyotch Samantha Power who hates Jews and Hillary is the cock-up personified who effed-up again big-time. Robinson is a total train wreck in motion and a UN socialist sans pareil Power has failed on Darfur and Robinson has just failed everywhere, so it's right down the Obambi Administration's track record to listen to an eff-up like Power to appoint an eff-up like Robinson.
As long as you're bringing up controversial medal of freedom awardees, here's some more people to attack (in case you get tired of being a Johnnie-One-Note):
Henry Hyde (unsuccessfully tried to cover up Iran-Contra)
http://www.consortiumnews.com/2007/113007.html
Sam Walton (founder of Wal-Mart, rapacious destroyer of small town America)
http://walmartwatch.com/blog/archives/wal_mart_destroyed_my_town_and_then_left/
George Tenet (CIA chief who missed 9-11, awarded by GW Bush, ANYway)
Henry Kissinger (wanted for war crimes)
Donald Rumsfeld (no comment necessary)
Dick Cheney (among other 'achievements,' tried to help Henry Hyde with Iran Contra coverup. see above.)
Strom Thurmond
Irving Kristol (first 'neo-con' father of William)
Gordon B. Hinckley (Mormon 'prophet')
Alan Greenspan (self-admitted screwup as head of Fed)
Paul Bremer (disbanded Iraqi army amonmg other acts of ineptitude and lack of qualification that fueled the Iraqi 'insurgency.')
Norman B. Podhoretz (neocon, argues that when the U.S. withdrew from Vietnam, it sacrificed its national honor, advocated invasion of Iraq, advocates attacking Iran, etc. etc. etc. History has not been kind to Podhoretz' foreign policy delusions.)
Van Cliburn (Gay. I don't have a problem with it, but most of the Rethuglicans screaming do. Awarded in 2003 by George W. Bush)
Have at it.
(You won't have the guts to print this, of course, even though it's right up your "rhetorical" alley).
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