(Via Ben Smith’s twitter feed) I found this report on Sarkozy and Obama apparently caught on a live mic having a private conversation at the G20:
The conversation then drifted to Netanyahu, at which time Sarkozy declared: “I cannot stand him. He is a liar.” According to the report, Obama criticized Sarkozy for voting in favor of Palestinian statehood at the UN.
Obama replied: “You’re fed up with him, but I have to deal with him every day!”
The remark was naturally meant to be said in confidence, but the two leaders’ microphones were accidently left on, making the would-be private comment embarrassingly public.
The communication faux pas went unnoticed for several minutes, during which the conversation between the two heads of state – which quickly reverted to other matters – was all but open to members the press, who were still in possession of headsets provided by the Elysée for the sake of simultaneous translation during the G20 press conference.
“By the time the (media) services at the Elysée realize it, it was on for at least three minutes,” one journalist told the website. Still, he said that reporters “did not have a chance to take advantage of this fluke.”
The surprising lack of coverage may be explained by a report alleging that reporters present at the event were requested to sign an agreement to keep mum on the subject of the embarrassing comments.
A member of the media confirmed Monday that “there were discussions between journalists and they agreed not to publish the comments due to the sensitivity of the issue.”
So Obama and Sarkozy don’t like Bibi. I don’t this is too shocking, though it is good to have it confirmed. What is amazing is how the press corps apparently agreed to keep it quiet.
I suspect this won’t be the last we hear about this.
>> So Obama and Sarkozy don’t like Bibi. I don’t this is too shocking, though it is good to have it confirmed. What is amazing is how the press corps apparently agreed to keep it quiet. <<
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I don't find that amazing in the least. The press corps doesn't like Bibi - or Israel - either. And they are fiercely protective of Obama. It makes perfect sense they would help him avoid embarassment over a remark they probably agreed with in the first place.
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Regards,
.
Joe
Hold the presses. So everyone thought Obama was a Netanyahu fan?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseYou and Mr. Welker seem to be missing the point that Obama himself obviously thought the exchange was embarrassing, or he wouldn't have had to order his willing minions not to mention it. Or do you think he was just obligingly slapping down the freedom of the press to do a solid for his good friend Sarko?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThat's not the story. It's Barack's tendency to bungle the few levers of optics directly under his control. Getting back-slappy with the French guy about how annoying the Israeli PM is does not help in future dealings.
W often made gaffes of such "disrespect" but did not suffer the double standard inherent for the post-national President
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThe press is the willing propaganda arm of the left.
How many times have they successfully covered for politicians of the left? We know they covered for FDR and JFK. They are are too heavily invested in helping to elect this President to accurately report what they know.
This one is pretty blatant, but it's nothing we wouldn't expect.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"How many times have they successfully covered for politicians of the left? "
Like when the NYT sat on the NSA phone-tapping story for almost a year so as not to influence the 2004 election ? Or, when they jumped in up to their necks to sell the Iraq war ?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWhat constantly amazes me is how those on the left, actually believe that they are entitled to their own version of reality.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWe've known it for years, but journalism as it is supposed to be is dead. No way would I ever sign or agree not to disclose such a conversation as this one excerpt would dovetail nicely with Obama's many critics regarding his Israel policy. Those shills present have blurred the lines of newsworthy and advocacy like so many others.
I hate to play this game, but does anyone doubt the comments would have been headline news across the globe if this was President Bush? Secondly, why are Obama and Netanyahu talking everyday? When does President Obama have time for Richard Trumka these days?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThe state of journalism is truly depressing. The question of what to do about it seems unanswerable.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseOh, what's the big deal... the press totally would have covered up for Bush the same way.
(Is a /sarc tag necessary? Is it really?)
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseJournolist v.G20
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseJonah, the last paragraph is actually the most illuminating:
"He added that while it was annoying to have to refrain from publishing the information, the journalists are subject to precise rules of conduct."
I guess self-censorship is one of those rules of conduct that you need a fancy journalism credential to understand. No doubt they are all Assange fans and would out a covert, legal anti-terror program if they could.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseRequired to sign an agreement? By whom? By a group of journalists? By either of the two politicians? Who would enforce that agreement?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAmusing. I wonder why Sarkozy said Netanyahu was a liar. What does Sarkozy think Netanyahu lied about?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAmerican journalists collude with the administration to bury unflattering information about the president, and from that you're most curious about what the French president thought of the Israeli Prime Minister?
Amazing. Simply amazing.
Democracy stops functioning when the people who are constitutionally protected (and entrusted) to watch the people who need watching, stop doing their jobs.
Our 4th Estate stopped functioning on January 20, 2009. And as far as Barack Obama goes, they stopped working long before the first primary ballot was cast, almost a year earlier.
Dick Nixon never would have needed a bunch of incompetent blackbag men if he had the media that Barack Obama has.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI am afraid I don't see how this is unflattering to President Obama. Is it really impossible that the Israeli Prime Minister, however well-intentioned, is difficult to work with?
If Netanyahu is difficult to work with, I don't see how that would reflect badly on President Obama.
Some scandal.
I would like to know why the right-wing President of France thinks that Netanyahu lied to him, though.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseInterestingly, my wife and I have the same discussion every day. Only we're discussing Obama.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAmateur hour continues. Thanks, Obama.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"...but I have to deal with him every day!"
Is this true. Obama is in contact with Bibi daily?
Or could it be that Obama is lying to Sarkozy?
The Lesson Here: Everybody lies to Sarkozy.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThis just in: a professional race-baiting black career politician and a French official share what they have in common: they don't like Jews.
Yawn.
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