Whopper

I'm sorry in advance for the length of this blog post … but unfortunately it seems to be required.  Monday night’s Presidential debate had the following exchange between the candidates:

Mitt Romney – “The president in his campaign some four years ago said he'd meet with all the world's worst actors in his first year. He'd sit down with Chavez and Kim Jong-il, with Castro and with president Ahmadinejad of Iran. I think they looked and thought, ‘Well, that's an unusual honor to receive from the president of the United States.’ And then the president began what I have called an apology tour, of going to various nations in the Middle East and criticizing America. I think they looked at that and saw weakness.”

President Obama – “Nothing, uh, Governor Romney just said is true, starting with this notion of me apologizing. This has been, uhh, probably the biggest whopper that's been told during the course of this campaign. And every fact-checker and every reporter has looked at it, Governor, has said this is not true.” (Italics mine.)

Now here are actual news stories (shortly after his inauguration) indicating whom Obama was willing to (or did) meet with:

Ahmadinejad: Telegraph Story 

Kim Jong-il: CFR Story 

Castro: Politico Story 

Chavez: The Daily Beast Story 

I have also found these following quotes from Obama ... apologizing for his country (shortly after his inauguration) on the Rush Limbaugh’s website (see: Rush Limbaugh Site).

In Strasbourg, France (4/3/2009): “In America, there's a failure to appreciate Europe's leading role in the world. Instead of celebrating your dynamic union and seeking to partner with you to meet common challenges, there have been times where America's shown arrogance and been dismissive, even derisive.”

In Mexico City, Mexico (04/17/09): “I will not pretend that this is Mexico's responsibility alone. A demand for these drugs in the United States is what is helping to keep these cartels in business. This war is being waged with guns purchased not here, but in the United States. More than 90% of the guns recovered in Mexico come from the United States, many from gun shops that line our shared border. So we have responsibilities as well. We have to do our part.”  (A Fast and Furious set-up?)

Three quotes in Cairo, Egypt (06/04/2009): “Iraq was a war of choice that provoked strong differences in my country and around the world. 9/11 was an enormous trauma to our country. The fear and anger that it provoked was understandable, but in some cases it led us to act contrary to our traditions and our ideals. We are taking concrete actions to change course. I have unequivocally prohibited the use of torture by the United States, and I have ordered the prison at Guantanamo Bay closed by early next year.”

“In the middle of the Cold War, the United States played a role in the overthrow of a democratically elected Iranian government. I understand those who protest that some countries have weapons that others do not. No single nation should pick and choose which nation holds nuclear weapons. And that's why I strongly reaffirmed America's commitment to seek a world in which no nations hold nuclear weapons.”

“There's been controversy about the promotion of democracy in recent years, and much of this controversy is connected to the war in Iraq. So let me be clear: No system of government can or should be imposed by one nation on any other.”


And I can not neglect to note the spate of Obama’s bowing to foreign leaders … in China, in Saudi Arabia, in Japan, in India, and in Mexico … see: Google Images.


Now, after all this evidence, was not Obama the one who was telling the most gigantic of whoppers?