4 June 2010

Obama to cancel on Canberra? CONFIRMED

| johnboy
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[UPDATE: Thanks to SGS for the head’s up, Foxnews confirms the trip is off.]

Barack Obama and visits to Canberra

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There’s a lot of speculation that the US President Barack Obama is going to stand Canberra up again so that he can appear focussed on the oil leak that he can’t do a thing about anyway.

The Washington Post’s Post-Partisan blog is saying he should do just that.

Meanwhile The Times of London is suggesting that Barack doesn’t want to come to Canberra for fear he will be associated with the unpopular loser that Kevin Rudd has become.

Like anyone ditched for a date twice I suggest we should rediscover our dignity and, if the trip is cancelled, tell the Americans that they should send us an email if they’ve got anything to say.

I don’t mean that as childishly as it might sound. Barack Obama manages to travel frequently to places he actually wants to go to. The trip to China isn’t that much closer to the US than to Australia.

If the US is so crisis riddled that they have to cancel high level visits (Hillary Clinton and Robert Gates cancelled earlier in the year) then they’re not much of an ally to have anyway.

For sixty years we’ve sacrificed a lot of national sovereignty in exchange for the Pax Americana. But if that country’s in such terminal decline the president can’t devote a few days to the sort of trip he can manage to many other countries it’s probably time to re-evaluate the situation.

Other world leaders manage to visit frequently without causing anything like the disruption of a US President.

But on a more practical note, a lot of time and effort goes into planning these visits. If the man can’t be bothered turning up it’s time to stop bothering.

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A Noisy Noise Annoys An Oyster5:21 pm 06 Jun 10

caf said :

Gungahlin Al: I’m prepared to wager $100 that Rudd will still be PM on the day of the next election. Let me know if you want to accept…

. . . and I’m willing to bet Rudd won’t be PM the day after the election. Here’s hoping.

Gungahlin Al: I’m prepared to wager $100 that Rudd will still be PM on the day of the next election. Let me know if you want to accept…

How about the day after caf?

Pommy bastard7:40 am 06 Jun 10

Maybe he canceled when his researchers told him Canberra wasn’t the place with the bridge walk and the opera house?

Oh jeez-us! State visits are part of Government. If it happens, well, we just have to put up with the cost. Like it or not – our relationship with the US is important (and is more than likely to become moreso in the next couple of decades).

Having said that – there is some very special humour above 😉

Besides – Obama is probably waiting for the roadwork to be complete so that he doesn’t have to sit for two hours on the fricken road from the airport…

Third time is not the charm. Lets look after our more important (and powerful) neighbours who can actually do more than one thing at a time and keep commitments: Presidents Yudhoyono and Hu. Rather than one who’s just turning up for a holiday.

F#*k it!

I was getting excited about staying up all night to watch the Hornets drone about over Canberra all night long!

I reckon he should come anyway, and then take Rudd back to the US or A with him to use as an oilwell plug.

How much money has already been wasted in the planning for this twice cancelled visit? I’m imagining a couple, maybe lots, of very high EL salaries and their minions and security and police and secret business and and and…….all wasted.

Best news I’ve heard all day. All this frikking expense for what is nothing more than a photo op is plain dumb. Buy Rudd a web cam and send one to Obama – instant summit

Waiting For Godot5:32 pm 04 Jun 10

That’s millions of dollars for security we don’t have to cough up with. Not to mention the disruption, roads barricaded off and the conga line of suckholes and general grovelling we will be thankfully spared. Hopefully the visit will not be rescheduled.

Gungahlin Al3:50 pm 04 Jun 10

OK so now we can get on with the bloody election, instead of waiting so Rudd can call it straight after basking in Obama’s reflected glory.
Or maybe Gillard supporters can get on with their spill attempt knowing they won’t have to call a truce in the middle of hostilities for the visit and lose momentum like happened with Howard and APEC? [snickers deviously]

Captain RAAF2:26 pm 04 Jun 10

I’m looking forward to assessing the salute Rudd gives him, should be good for a laugh….or more likely the small vomit I will have in my mouth and the feeling I have just been pineappled…..

My twisted mind would personally like to see his eventual visit go something like this:

Enter cleaning ladies singing amongst themselves…….

I like to be in Australia!
O.K. by me in Australia!
Ev’rything free in Australia
For a small fee in Australia!

ROSALIA:
I like the city of Darwin.

ANITA:
I know a boat you can get on.

ROSALIA:
Hundreds of flowers in full bloom.

ANITA:
Hundreds of people crammed in each room!

ALL:
Automobile in Australia,
Chromium steel in Australia,
Wire-spoke wheel in Australia,
Very big deal in Australia!

Music and dancing stops suddenly!

ROSALIA:
Shhhh, Over there

ANITA:
Where?

ROSALIA:
Eees Senior Obamo and hee’s servica’ mucho secreto

Cue Obama and gang walking along clicking fingers in unison
(Sung to the Jets song)

When you’re a Pres,
You’re a Pres all the way
From your first day in office
To your last dyin’ day.

When you’re a Pres,
If the spit hits the fan,
You got secret service around,
You’re a family man!

You’re never alone,
You’re never disconnected!
You’re home with your own:
When company’s expected,
You’re well protected!

Then you are set
With a capital O,
Which you’ll never forget
Till it’s time to go.
When you’re a Pres,
You stay a Pres!

Here come the Pres
Like a bat out of hell.
Someone gets in his way,
Someone don’t feel so well!

Here come the Pres,
Little world, step aside!
Better go underground,
Better run, better hide!

We’re drawin’ the line,
So keep your noses hidden!
We’re hangin’ a sign,
Says “Visitors forbidden”
And we ain’t kiddin’!

Here come the Pres,
Yeah! And we’re gonna beat
Ev’ry last buggin’ gang
On the whole buggin’ street!
On the whole!
Ever!
Mother!
Lovin’!
Street!
Yeah!

*clap* well done PB.

la mente torbida1:03 pm 04 Jun 10

@pommy bastard

ROTFLMAO doesn’t even come close…well done sir

Pommy bastard12:54 pm 04 Jun 10

My prediction, he’ll come, we’ll get a speech along the lines of this;

(Strides to podium, looks meaningfully around him.) “Friends. (stares out over audience. pauses ) I come here today (pause) to let you know (looks into middle distance) that the relationship between our two great nations (smiles, pauses,) The US of A, and (consults notes) Austria, is now stronger (raises voice) and more important (raises voice slightly more) more than ever before. (long pause) In the words of the great song, (pauses, clears throat looks around meaningfully) “In this ever changing world (pauses) in which we live in. (stops nods slightly to Rudd who creams trousers) It makes you give it a try (bows head) to live (stops) and (stops, extends pause) let die”. (smiles at audience, raises hand) Thank you. ( waves. walks back into parliament)

(whispers to aid) “Which god forsaken shithole do I have to do next, to pull us out of the bankruptcy hole?

He’ll then have a nice lunch and fly out. Meaningless and expensive, we don’t need it.

neanderthalsis12:29 pm 04 Jun 10

Fair enough him not coming to visit our Kev for scones and a cup of tea, he has far more important things on his plate that a nice chat.

With US gross debt levels at 90% of GDP,they might save a few quid by cancelling the trip too.

I would say welcome him with open arms, and as soon as his plane is actually in the air on the way here, we can start actually thinking about some security arrangements. No point starting anything until we are sure he won’t cancel again.

georgesgenitals11:39 am 04 Jun 10

Tell him not to bother. Last time a US president visited the disruption was a pain.

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