Just a quick question on a very curious decision by one of our elected leaders.

John Boehner, Speaker of the House and third in succession for the Presidency declined an invitation to tonight's State Dinner honoring Chinese president Hu Jintao at the White House. Boehner said he "had another meeting".

No one seems to have a reasonable explanation for what appears to be a gigantic diplomatic faux pas. Why wouldn't one of the handful of most powerful elected politicians in the U.S. decide that he wouldn't want to meet with the head of our greatest economic competitor, the country which by all projections could surpass us as a world power within a decade, and a country which for all intents and purposes finances our government?

I sure don't have an answer for Boehner's decision. This is not a political event, if there's anything that's bi-partisan and national in scope, it's a state dinner. Attendance doesn't honor any domestic political opponent, it's meant to honor a visiting statesman. Former secretaries of state will be in attendance and have said it may be one of the more important diplomatic events in years.

Why?

[QUOTE= This is not a political event, if there's anything that's bi-partisan and national in scope, it's a state dinner.[/QUOTE]

I am not answering your question but really, a state dinner in Washington DC with the president, the chinese president who would like nothing better than defeating the US in all areas plus throw in a bunch of "want to be seens" and you think this is not political.
They are politicans, it is always political. Always, both sides and the middle.
EB

Boehner is the same guy who declined the President's invite to accompany him to Tuscon memorial because he had a lobbyist fund-raiser to attend...and yet John McCain and other republicans were there.
Why is everything political with some of these people?

The behavior of the 'Weeper of the House' is certainly a cause for concern.

Is this the same John Boener that said this morning that the "vast majority of the people want the ARRA repealed."
New poll says otherwise. 39% say its a good idea....39% say its a bad idea. That is more positive than any time since Sept.09....46% are opposed to repeal..45% favor repeal.
I just dont see those numbers as a vast majority.
He might be in over his head.

Originally Posted by Villages Kahuna

Just a quick question on a very curious decision by one of our elected leaders.

John Boehner, Speaker of the House and third in succession for the Presidency declined an invitation to tonight's State Dinner honoring Chinese president Hu Jintao at the White House. Boehner said he "had another meeting".

No one seems to have a reasonable explanation for what appears to be a gigantic diplomatic faux pas. Why wouldn't one of the handful of most powerful elected politicians in the U.S. decide that he wouldn't want to meet with the head of our greatest economic competitor, the country which by all projections could surpass us as a world power within a decade, and a country which for all intents and purposes finances our government?

I sure don't have an answer for Boehner's decision. This is not a political event, if there's anything that's bi-partisan and national in scope, it's a state dinner. Attendance doesn't honor any domestic political opponent, it's meant to honor a visiting statesman. Former secretaries of state will be in attendance and have said it may be one of the more important diplomatic events in years.

Why?

You "forgot" to ask why Harry Reid will not be there either ? Hmmmm wonder why you skipped that ??

Oh, and another omission you made was not saying that Boehner AND Reid will meet privately with the Chinese leader !

Oh well, I am sure you just forgot all of this...certainly no bias

PS...I would also assume the the President of the United States Senate (using your words..."one of the most powerful elected politicians in the U.S.") would need to apologize when he does meet him for calling him a dictator !!

hehe.

Originally Posted by Bucco

You "forgot" to ask why Harry Reid will not be there either ? Hmmmm wonder why you skipped that ??

Oh, and another omission you made was not saying that Boehner AND Reid will meet privately with the Chinese leader !

Oh well, I am sure you just forgot all of this...certainly no bias

PS...I would also assume the the President of the United States Senate (using your words..."one of the most powerful elected politicians in the U.S.") would need to apologize when he does meet him for calling him a dictator !!

This is just so interesting. VK has proclaimed for a long while that he is not beholden to a political party and only for good government and is for term limits.

Then this story about the leader of the House and Senate passing up this State Dinner with the Chinese President with Boehner saying he will meet with him on the Hill tomorrow and Reid calling the President of China a "dictator" and also sending his "regrets" to the President, and VK only castigates Boehner.

It's a curious, and I'm guessing, revealing post.

http://www.moneynews.com/StreetTalk/...1/19/id/383270

State dinners should be for our friends. Do you think China is our friend?

Trogg

Could it be they have a NOBEL prize winner locked up in the Gulag........MmmmNaaaaaaaaaaaaaa....nobody notices stuff like that..or do they?

...if he declined an invitation, then he's just as irresponsible as Boehner. As key leaders in our government, they both should have attended.

To suggest that I knew they both declined, but only mentioned Boehner for personal political purposes is an example of why I dropped off this forum awhile back. Looks like the same people who continually ascribe political meaning to postings when none is intended are still at it.

I guess I know the solution to the "problem".

Originally Posted by Villages Kahuna

...if he declined an invitation, then he's just as irresponsible as Boehner. As key leasers in our government, they both should have attended.

To suggest that I knew they both declined, but only mentioned Boehner for personal political purposes is an example of why I dropped off this forum awhile back. Looks like the same people who continually ascribe political meaning to postings when none is intended are still at it.

I guess I know the solution to the "problem".

I just assumed you were totally informed on the situation when you posted. I guess you must have just read or watched a liberal mainstream report on the matter where they only criticize Republican representatives. If it was almost anyone else I just would have informed them that they didn't know the whole story.

I've just always known you to be better informed in your postings.

The only one of the Big 4 to go was Nancy Pelosi.

Originally Posted by Villages Kahuna

...if he declined an invitation, then he's just as irresponsible as Boehner. As key leasers in our government, they both should have attended.

To suggest that I knew they both declined, but only mentioned Boehner for personal political purposes is an example of why I dropped off this forum awhile back. Looks like the same people who continually ascribe political meaning to postings when none is intended are still at it.

I guess I know the solution to the "problem".

MY opinion and I know from experience that you could care less about my opinion, but....(a)this is a political message board...(b)YOU started a thread about a man not attending the dinner, obviously without checking you found this to be important to call him out...(c)we all have bias and there is nothing wrong with that;trying to pass yourself off as something you are not is a different story.

I always have enjoyed reading your posts....I always have learned from them, but, TO ME, it makes no sense to pretend to be above the fray when you have always shown bias but never admit to them. However I feel about a policy or an elected official is pretty much out there to be questioned and hammered on (I took a beating during the campaign) and while you dont like to have anyone disagree with you, that is part of the way it goes.

I also noted that you never mentioned the part of the post about the Boehner and Reid meeting privately with the Chinese president which, to me, is more important than the dinner, although I can see the importance of the dinner.

"]http://http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/matt-taibbi-the-crying-shame-of-john-boehner-20110105[/URL]

VK
Further reading on John Boehner and .... Federal Politicians in general.

http://http://www.rollingstone.com/p...ehner-20110105