# Where was Barack Obama, to stand for Democracy? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 12, 2015, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597 "2015-01-12T03:49:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 35
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2015, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/681 "2015-01-26T05:08:48Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > I am also deeply ashamed of this President who deserted the Christian world in its time of trouble, and stood squarely with the Islamic murderers. Think what message this sends to our friends. I’m sure it warms the hearts of our enemies to know Hussein Obama supports their evil. Shame! > > The only thing he could have done that would have been even despicable is if he’d flown off to Paris for a photo and teleprompter op, abandoning his duties in Washington, putting Secret Service officers in danger of their lives, and running up a huge tab for the taxpayers for his entourage. I hope that the next time he goes on such a boondoggle, the Congress makes him pay all the expenses. I thought the thread for satire was down the hall and to the left? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2015, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/682 "2015-01-26T07:02:12Z")
That’s abuse, you toffee-nosed, malodorous… ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2015, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/683 "2015-01-26T12:57:01Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > All the people getting outraged about this are nutters. Certifiable. Cuckoo eggs, bound for the nest. Idiots… This is true, but only of those who are truly outraged (not merely “outraged”), and they are vanishingly few. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2015, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/684 "2015-01-26T13:24:37Z")
I don’t think anyone is outraged. Just a lot of facepalming, actually. The ones who are outraged at the facepalming are the real nutters. Along with those who defended the President when they had to know he was going to leave them hanging out to dry. No worries though, liberal Dopers are shameless. They’ll stick to their guns even after the President has sided with the critics. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2015, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/685 "2015-01-26T14:44:57Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > I don’t think anyone is outraged. Just a lot of facepalming, actually. When you can’t seem to stop smacking yourself in the face, and even appear to enjoy it, it ceases to be “facepalming” and becomes something far more disconcerting. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2015, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/686 "2015-01-26T14:47:18Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > I don’t think anyone is outraged. Just a lot of facepalming, actually. Apparently you _still_ haven’t read the OP. > [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > To you it might be an insignificant mistake. To the OP it was apparently THE END OF AMERICA AS THE SHINING CITY ON THE HILL THAT STANDS UP FOR JUSTICE AND FREEDOM(!) ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2015, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/687 "2015-01-26T16:25:19Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > That’s abuse, you toffee-nosed, malodorous… You forgot vacuous, you pervert. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2015, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/688 "2015-01-26T17:06:33Z")
You say “pervert” like its a bad thing… ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2015, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/689 "2015-02-08T00:54:17Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > Now _there’s_ a fucking _faux pas_ - going to a country to support them, and basically saying, “Dear minority group: it’s not safe for you here. Come with us!” Seems French Jews heard. [http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/a-month-after-kosher-market-attack-french-jews-plan-an-exodus/2015/02/07/bf7fd644-abb9-11e4-8876-460b1144cbc1\_story.html](http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/a-month-after-kosher-market-attack-french-jews-plan-an-exodus/2015/02/07/bf7fd644-abb9-11e4-8876-460b1144cbc1_story.html) ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2015, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/690 "2015-02-08T03:37:52Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > You say “pervert” like its a bad thing… [del]Feather, whole chicken[/del]“Six of one, half dozen of the other”? ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2015, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/691 "2015-02-09T12:46:25Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > They’ll stick to their guns even after the President has sided with the critics. Wait…I thought the Left wanted to get rid of all the guns. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2015, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/692 "2015-02-09T14:16:10Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > No worries though, liberal Dopers are shameless. They’ll stick to their guns even after the President has sided with the critics. The President often has to say things for political reasons that don’t comport with fact. I am not under those limitations. I can recognize a political apology when I see one and understand that it’s an apology for something that wasn’t an actual offense (as demonstrated by the fact that the French didn’t give a flying fuck if he was there or not). ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2015, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/693 "2015-02-09T15:23:43Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > The President often has to say things for political reasons that don’t comport with fact. I am not under those limitations. I can recognize a political apology when I see one and understand that it’s an apology for something that wasn’t an actual offense (as demonstrated by the fact that the French didn’t give a flying fuck if he was there or not). Why, exactly, did Obama need to apologize “for political reasons”? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2015, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/694 "2015-02-09T15:40:01Z")
Want to keep your pants from falling down? Suspenders, or a belt. Want to be sure? Suspenders _and_ a belt. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2015, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/695 "2015-02-09T15:43:41Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Want to keep your pants from falling down? Suspenders, or a belt. Want to be sure? Suspenders _and_ a belt. If the French weren’t slighted, there is no need for an apology. Remember, the “outrage” on the right is that Obama did not attend, but the apology was about not sending a higher ranking official. Obama never apologized for not attending himself. Unless you can come up with a really good reason to do otherwise, I would take the WH at its word on this. I can’t come up with a good reason not to do so. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2015, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/696 "2015-02-09T15:59:26Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > If the French weren’t slighted, there is no need for an apology. Remember, the “outrage” on the right is that Obama did not attend, but the apology was about not sending a higher ranking official. Obama never apologized for not attending himself. > > Unless you can come up with a really good reason to do otherwise, I would take the WH at its word on this. I can’t come up with a good reason not to do so. Because they think their statement is the best political move. I don’t know if this is the case in this instance, but “the statement made by a politician was made for political reasons” has a pretty good track record. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2015, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/697 "2015-02-09T16:06:38Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Because they think their statement is the best political move. I don’t know if this is the case in this instance, but “the statement made by a politician was made for political reasons” has a pretty good track record. You can’t think of why it’s the best political move, but you’re sure that it is. That makes a lot of sense. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2015, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/698 "2015-02-09T16:07:05Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > [del]Feather, whole chicken[/del]“Six of one, half dozen of the other”? So, 14? > [@elucidator](#): > > Want to keep your pants from falling down? Suspenders, or a belt. Want to be sure? Suspenders _and_ a belt. Or you can just not be a retard and buy pants that fit. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2015, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/699 "2015-02-09T16:09:30Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > You can’t think of why it’s the best political move, but you’re sure that it is. That makes a lot of sense. Where did I say I’m sure? As to why it’s the best political move (if it is, or if they think it is), perhaps they think by apologizing they are ‘ending’ the story more quickly. Perhaps there’s another reason. Perhaps it’s not based on politics at all. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2015, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597/700 "2015-02-09T16:22:56Z")
**John** , may we take it that you never considered a career in diplomacy? A grateful nation thanks you. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597.md?page=34) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-was-barack-obama-to-stand-for-democracy/709597.md?page=36)