Chavez Meets the “Ignoramus”

Only a month ago Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez called former President Bush the “devil” and Obama an “ignoramus.”

With Barack Obama’s toothy grin and Hugo Chavez’s Cheshire cat smile the Venezuelan President took advantage of a photographic media opportunity. At the Summit of the Americas Chavez jumped up and abruptly walked over to the President while he was seated and handed him the book “Open Veins of Latin America” an anti-American disquisition. It was a “deer in the headlights” moment and Obama sheepishly accepted the book. The appropriate response would have been to present Chavez with a framed copy of the U.S. Constitution using all the wit and charm he could muster. From now on he would do well to have several copies onboard Air Force One. The President needs to wise up and quit being played the fool.

Ivory grins and warm handshakes are not going to win over evil leaders. They have had many years of experience honing their skills in the trenches of revolution and oppression. They are well-versed in the art of manipulating their adversaries in ways the community coordinator from Chicago never dreamed of. Obama is a mere novice among these tyrants and it shows.

The United States President should not be seen as friends of loathsome thugs such as Cuba’s Castro brothers or Venezuela’s Chavez. He should in fact be emphasizing to the world the virtues and greatness of living in a society with liberty and freedom for all and condemning those that would oppress their people.

Being caught off-guard was a sign of humiliation in the eyes of these oppressors and they will capitalize on it every time the opportunity arises.