I spent more than a decade interviewing people all over the world, sometimes on the phone and via email, but most of the time in person on the other side of the world. I’ve interviewed every type of person imaginable, from military commanders and heads of state to war refugees and homeless people who sleep outside in slums.
Trust me on this: government officials are almost always the worst sources and interview subjects. That’s true everywhere in the world. They live in rarefied bubbles. They lie. They leave things out, sometimes because they want to and sometimes because they have to. They’re often incompetent and even more often shockingly ignorant. Everyone has opinions, and lots of people have agendas, but nobody has an agenda the way government officials have agendas.
It has never even occurred to me to an interview a government official in one country about what’s happening in another country.
There are exceptions. Occasionally I’ve been delighted by government officials in the most unlikely places, including in Cairo. In general, though, they’re the least interesting and the least reliable.
The last person you should be talking to, in other words, is Ben Rhodes.
Totten overlooks the exception of when the media person agrees with the government officials agenda. In this case that was clearly what was happening.
I think Steyn’s “Palace guard” is a better description of the grovelling Obamedia.
The first mistake is to believe the government actually knows what it is doing…
The second mistake is to believe the ‘captive press’ actually knows something about anything…
So here we have a case of the deaf, dumb and blind; leading the vapidly clueless.
http://bloviatingzeppelin.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Iranian-Foreign-Minister-Javad-Zarif.jpg
No wonder the Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif is busting a gut laughing at the fact that they gave up nothing for $150 Billion in funds.
The Obama-Nation™ working hard to deceive you!
If it weren’t for the $150 Billion; it would be PRICELESS!
Cheers
Hans Rupprecht, Commander in Chief
1st Saint Nicolaas Army
Army Group “True North”
So is it incompetence on Obama’s part or is he a Muslim? Welp I know which way I’m leaning on that one.
Ne jamais attribuer la malveillance ce qui est bien explique par l’incompetence.
Never ascribe to malice that which is adequately explained by incompetence.
–Napoleon Bonaparte
However in the case of Mr.Zero it’s quite possible he’s a malicious incompetent.
“Echo chamber” ? I prefer the more accurate … “circle jerk”. And I suspect it is just as you would visualize it … Obama officials and the Washington Press corps … all sitting on the floor … Shots around their ankles …”gratifying” each other. If the fate of the free world weren’t in the balance it woul be laughable.
You’ll enjoy this…
Satirical interview about America lifting the sanctions on Iran
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsaoSONHh9M
Cheers
Hans Rupprecht, Commander in Chief
1st Saint Nicolaas Army
Army Group “True North”
So once again …not that it would have been hard to do …Donald Trump is proven correct yet again, just like Romney was about Russia , just like Palin was as well . But everyone ignores them because Omg stupid Sarah Palin , and Romney had a binder.
Here is where trump shines he doesn’t take guff , you cannot silence or misrepresent him or twist his words because he is all over the news spouting his intentions his beliefs Ect Ect. He was howling from the roof tops about the 150billion and we got nothing because of weak incompetent politicians ……like Hillary ….and he was right. But the Republicans let it happen anyway.
I’s true of course, most of our press and TV media couldn’t/wouldn’t find shit in a diaper. But it goes way beyond inexperience, gullibility, and a lack of foreign correspondents – a good part of it is just willful blindness.
the moderate Hassan Rouhani – Moderate? For 2½ years I had an Iranian landlady in Beaconsfield, QC. I talked to her after his election – her verdict; he’s just like all the rest.
yes the Press and govt Officials are as stupid and blinded by “faith” of their belief as a good bible banger. You got that Hands Rupjerk!!!
Let us see now.
Anyone with even a slight interest in how the world goes around knows what Totten write about.
Hell, the same crowd know so much more than the “journalists “.
It’s not even a contest. The “journalists” lose hands up.
so when the historical forensic analysis happens as to why Israel was hit by a nuke coming from Iranian territory, the name ben rhodes will stand out.
history in the making. what a total prickazoid.
Right-On Kate.
Hans … I DID enjoy that “satirical” interview about JOHNNNNN F. KERRRRyyyy’s “historic” Iran deal. Enjoyed it with a hollow feeling in the pit of my stomach. It’s better humor than SNL can muster … esp. the part where he said that he once had 3 of his wives stoned to death in 24 days (the delay for inspections), and the part where Hezbollah says “great, now let’s blow some shit up”. But I still have a hollow feeling, because I KNOW to the depths of my being, that this “deal” isn’t going to end well. And I honestly BLAME the feckless GOPe’rs in Congress for being Obama’s u. Obama, the Muzlim Manchurian candidate has crippled America, and a majority Republican Congress won’t lend a hand.
Rhodes is a mind the message meister with zero expertise or experience in international affairs; iow the kind of “qualifications” we’ve come to expect from Obama’s inner circle (the wagons).
None of this is new. Federalist Papers: enslaved press, standing army, disarmed citizens. Billions of people saw it all coming millennia ago. And Trump ain’t gonna change nuffin, so STFU.
I’m a little behind. I”m still trying to figure out why. when a group of Saudis in a terrorist act hatched in the Philipenes crashed the plane bringing down the Trade Center, that the Solution was to Drop the WOW Bomb on Iraq. And now Iran that has for the last number of years had Boots on the ground( a crack regiment ) as well as tanks , and aircraft fighting ISIS, are our enemy.???? The Kurds are also the former enemy, and Turkey, who Knows what it is this week,.without guessing on next week. The Russians offered to ally with the USA, Canada, Australia, N,Z. and Britain to form an united force against ISIS as they did in the war against the Natzies. They were rebuffed and criticized for Bombing a Hospital. ( that turned out to be not true ) A united force committing 25% 0f their forces would wipe out ISIS within 6 to 8 Months, with the promise that if they have to come back again they will be looking at extermination. We need a Doald Trump to show that resolve. It didn’t come from a leader with a background of a few yrs as a Social Worker; and it isn’t going to show in Canada from a Egotist with a couple of yrs. teaching school.