PM snubbed? Not so fast, bub
David Akin is reporting a conversation he saw on CTV News Channel between anchor Dan Matheson and a DC radio host who characterized Prime Minister Harper’s welcoming at the White House today by some “[unknown] woman”
Here is UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown greeted at the White House by Acting US Chief of Protocol Gladys Boluda on March 3rd of this year.
Was this an “unbelievable insult and snub” or a radio host less familiar with protocol than say, the acting US chief of protocol?
I can’t mesh these two statements together because they must not relate to the same:
“unbelievable insult and snub” and “I must be fair, when it came to Gordon Brown, they did the same thing”
So is it a snub, or is it standard operating procedure?
To the Liberals and media making a story out of this… you can do better.
Here’s the CTV News Channel conversation reporter by Akin:
Matheson: Mr. Plotkin, I take it that it matters who greets you at the White House. I didn’t see Barack Obama there as Stephen Harper was being ushered in.
Plotkin: I’m not being hyperbolic or inflammatory but I thought it was an unbelievable insult and snub. If you are – quote – important, the president comes out and greets you as you depart from the car and ushers you in.
I am supposed to know something about American politics, and believe me, I do not know who the woman was who greeted [your prime minister].
I tried to find out and I was told by the national security press advisor that supposedly that was the deputy chief of protocol, not the chief of protocol of the state department.
… I don’t know if it was deliberate or accidental, but it surely was not a symbolic gesture of friendship and it was really, in my mind, demeaning.
Matheson: Does this go hand in glove with the way [UK Prime Minister] Gordon Brown was treated? At one time, the Brits were called the greatest friend America has in the world, and that was a couple years ago, and we, of course, are American’s greatest trading partner. What’s going on here? What do you make of this?
Plotkin: Well, what I think of it — I scoured the Washington Post which every – quote – opinion maker reads and there were two scintillas of mention – very, very brief about this visit.
One just said [Harper] was meeting with [Obama], and then there was some other passing reference that had nothing to do with the visit, but just with Canada, and how you’re our good neighbor. You don’t cause any trouble. You don’t have drug wars that we know about. You don’t plan to invade … and you’re taken for granted. You’re the neighbor who we can count on and we can rely on and is really our very nice neighbor but we really don’t invite them in for holiday parties or when there are serious things. So this, to me, is a very pro forma visit. I must be fair, when it came to Gordon Brown, they did the same thing. I’ve been told here that Canadian reporters are getting one question [of Harper and Obama] and an American reporter is getting one question and that’s it. If you are really significant, important, big, huge, you get something in the east room which is a joint press conference where the prime minister and the president would stand there with their flags and they would receive inquiries and questions. To call this downplayed visit is an overstatement.
Stephen Taylor is a scientist, political analyst and a blogger. Taylor writes here regularly and is the founder of bloggingtories.ca. Taylor has contributed to Macleans, CTV, talk radio and has been a featured speaker on new media at numerous events including the Western Standard Cruise and the Forum for Public Policy. In December 2008, Taylor organized Rally for Canada, a series of rallies held coast-to-coast to protest the proposed coalition government.
September 16th, 2009 at 12:58 pm
I guess the White House must not have bathrooms, other wise that would have been the story.
I suppose they always have Pittsburgh for their next attempt at a gotcha moment.
These guys and their credibility is scraping the bottom of the barrel.
September 16th, 2009 at 1:12 pm
According to “Current” magazine, Plotkin was raised on Chicago politics, and “After college, he taught briefly and then jumped into politics. He worked on the campaigns of Edmund Muskie, Eugene McCarthy and George McGovern. He later served as deputy finance director for Morris Udall and Ted Kennedy. Locally, he served on the D.C. Democratic State Committee, and chaired a neighborhood advisory commission for two years. Twice he ran for City Council and lost”.
His roots are firmly anchored in left-wing American politics, and his area of interest is Washington municipal politics, so I don't believe he would have much respect for a centre-right, non-US politician like the PM. In fact the whole thing sounds like a drive-by to me.
September 16th, 2009 at 1:13 pm
I doubt it was a snub. Obama has no reason to diss Harper.
I think the Obama White House — like the Ignatieff OLO — is lacking in adult supervision and hence too disorganized to get the President's keester onto the porch on time to greet important people.
September 16th, 2009 at 1:18 pm
The Plotkin thickens. Or thins, perhaps.
September 16th, 2009 at 1:22 pm
This is just another left wing reporter trying to intimate that if we had say a Liberal (read Ignatieff) visiting the White House that Obama would be out on the steps rolling out the red carpet himself. Poor reporting.
September 16th, 2009 at 1:28 pm
President Obama speaking to the media today …”I just want to again publicly thank Prime Minister Harper for being an outstanding partner to the United States. We appreciate his excellent work.”
These are not the types of statements made by smeone who is trying to diss the PM of Canada.
I remember when PM Chretien arrived for working visit with Pres Clinton, he was greeted by a similar ranked protocol official. Was that also a slight? I don't think so.
September 16th, 2009 at 1:30 pm
This crap enough to make one physically ill but it's exactly what we can expect. It's also the agenda of our media to comb the depths. If they can't find something negative to report they'll insinuate. It's all negative spin, that's their game.
September 16th, 2009 at 1:53 pm
While we're at it, there's more nonsense from Ignatieff himself, spouting off things like our PM has ruined Canada's international reputation, Canada is a “Boy Scout” and “Canada has become a country that dares not speak it's name” which ties in with the 10%'er sent out by Hedy of burning crosses. What planet is the man on? He really needs to be reeled in and briefed on a bit of reality.
September 16th, 2009 at 1:55 pm
“It doesn't have to be true, it just has to be plausable.” – Tom Flanagan
What IS true, however, is that the Harper Conservative strategy for dealing with H1N1 flu on Aboriginal reserves is to send body bags. You can't spin your way out of that one in a million years.
September 16th, 2009 at 1:58 pm
Oh yes…we've seen this too many times before. Things not going Iggy's way…make something up. Smacks of desperation in the worst way possible. Now whose fingerprints are on this one?? Any guesses?
September 16th, 2009 at 1:59 pm
What Does the Office of the Chief of Protocol Do?
1. Plan and execute detailed programs for foreign leaders visiting the President and accompany them during their official travel in the United States, including their visit with the President at the White House.
…and…
White House protocol chief Capricia Marshall wasn't at the West Wing to greet Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper …
… Wednesday, due to her participation a meeting to meet a “congressionally mandated reporting requirement,” White House spokesman Tommy Vietor said. “Her deputy filled in,” Vietor explained. “This happens all the time.” The substitution attracted some attention after WTOP reporter Mark Plotkin went on Canadian television and called attention to the absence of a high-profile aide at Harper's arrival.
http://www.politico.com/politico44/perm/0909/sn...
September 16th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
And missing from NNW:
AngusReid: Con 36% Lib 29% NDP 17% Bq 10% Grn 7% …
September 16th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
These guys and their credibility is scraping the bottom of the barrel.
In other words, they are a disgrace to canada as reporters or so they claim to be. In my opinion, they are just there to give canadians a 'gotcha' story.
I guess the canadian lefty media 'is enough to send you to the bathroom- FIFE FAVOURITE DOMAIN.
Really Bec, our lefty national media are not much to listen too, their well-format archive statements rings the same note every time they open their mouth.
September 16th, 2009 at 2:25 pm
If there was to be an award for the “best suceed ridiculous newsmedia reporting, they or shall I say all of them: CBC CTV NNW etc will all get an award. And nothing will surprise me, that they brag about it- for being……
September 16th, 2009 at 2:34 pm
That's why for my own peace of mind, I turn to CHARLES ADLER, DAVID RUTHERFORD, LOWELL GREEN and of course the Conservatives blogs.
I also think that the 'so-call media are showing signs of fatique and would like very much to have an election so they can pack it in and sleep for the next few years-provided that 'out-of-date IGNATIEFF or any liberal takes over. Man, would we be in trouble then.
September 16th, 2009 at 7:33 pm
Gotta love the CBC, making the P.M.'s visit # 4 on the news tonight, after the body bags. swine flu, $ Jaffar.
We all know a visit by Iggy would have led off. Privatize these clowns
September 16th, 2009 at 10:06 pm
“To the Liberals and media making a story out of this… you can do better.”
Greatest line you ever wrote!
September 17th, 2009 at 1:33 am
Is this part of the reason for the working visit:
THE SECRET CONTRACT THE HARPER REFORMATORIES DIDN'T WANT YOU TO SEE
——————————————————————————–
Wednesday, September 16, 2009, 09:55 AM
The person who found this fat contract had to go to the U.S. to get a copy – the Harper Reform-Conservative P,M.O. refused to release it, despite the fact the taxpayer money was used. In the U.S., unlike in Canada (for now), these types of deals have to be disclosed to the public.
What it shows is the Harper P.M.O. wiring a contract for a prominent U.S. politico – and wiring it so that it (a) stays secret and (b) is sole-sourced.
September 17th, 2009 at 6:13 am
Is this from the same site from the guy who also said of Iggy “I objected to the fact that he mocked Canada (Link dead) during the three decades he was abroad”?
The cut and paste game like the quote game is one Iggy and the Libs. can't win.
September 17th, 2009 at 6:25 am
No David its the guy who is collecting DNA samples to use against Harpo in the next election which will be when ever he stops bribing the socilaists and the separatists
September 17th, 2009 at 6:30 am
“I objected to what I perceived to be breathtaking arrogance” …….
Boy this is fun..
September 17th, 2009 at 8:06 am
David, I do think you are quite arrogant…. a typical reformatort
September 17th, 2009 at 8:17 am
You took the bait!! I was simply copying your tactic.
There are many more quotes.There are many more cut and pasty things to add but I proved my point. When you lose the argument you resort to name calling. Predictable, boring , childish.
Intellectually bankrupt.
September 17th, 2009 at 9:08 am
Is that the same as being politically bankrupt like the reformatorts or is it just you. Taking the bait? Stupid is as stupid does I guess.
September 17th, 2009 at 10:14 am
Stephen surely you are aware of Protocol both in Canada and U.S. Canada and U.S. both stated the visit of Pres. Obama to Canada (his first foreign visit) was a State visit. The visit of Prime Minister Harper was billed by both countries as a working visit. Thus P.M. Harper personally meeting Pres. Obama at Parliament bldg. is correct protocol , likewise the U.S. protocol chief ( or ass't) greeting P.M. Harper is correct protocol. On both occasions both leaders would have been briefed on this.
September 17th, 2009 at 11:51 am
Is this another wafer-gate?
Another new low in the Canadian media, complements of the LIEberal$.
September 21st, 2009 at 6:44 pm
Frankly it is a snub to almost all Priministers and Chief's of other nations. Why, because Obama and his gang do not know what good public policy is. It is in fact some sort of arrogance, that says ” we Americans are more important than any one of you”.
September 22nd, 2009 at 1:44 am
Frankly it is a snub to almost all Priministers and Chief's of other nations. Why, because Obama and his gang do not know what good public policy is. It is in fact some sort of arrogance, that says ” we Americans are more important than any one of you”.