I criticized Chavez when he called Bush names a few months ago

[question everything]

at the UN and praised the Democratic leaders who held a similar view point.

But if he wants give low income Americans free or cheap heating oil, why not?

Yes, this is propaganda. So what? Will the beneficiaries, then, stage a coup here to establish a Chavez-like ruler? So several hundred poor people will be grateful to Chavez. So what?

[JAYJDF]

1. There are a lot of worse options than Chevez

Busch for one.
Doesn't matter if he want's to rub cheap gas for some US citizens into Busch's face.
And actually I agreed with most of the things Chevez said.
The fake response by some Dems was obvious.

[kiahzero]

2. That's pretty much my outlook.

Even if you don't like Chavez, this is a net positive. I can't find any reason to be upset about it.

[PsN2Wind]

3. Yea, the bastard

using much of that oil revenue to help the poor in his country. Next thing other countries, including the U.S.A, will expect their goverment
to do things that actually benefit the population as a whole.

[QuestionAll...]

4. interested to hear why you think this is propaganda on Chavez part...

it could very well be, but I'm not sure what the message or misdirection would be.

Is it propaganda to shame the richest country on earth (supposedly) - about their poor in a land of vast (ill distributed) wealth?

sounds like the truth to me.

propaganda against Chavez being a vicious dictator that steals elections sounds more like the dictionary definition to me.

[question everything]

24. Something like that

that he is "using" the poor citizens of this country, that he is shaming our government, the oil companies. After all, following his example would threaten our cherished capitalistic system!

:sarcasm:

[NegSpin]

5. Bush

Bush is a crumb and it doesn't matter if it's some foreign guy who says so. Truth is truth no matter whose lips it comes out of.

[QuestionAll...]

10. I was glad Chavez' lips said the devil word.

and hoped many other leaders from across the globe whooped his ass in the same manner conga style. enough of this nice guy/fair play stuff - like that really exists in the real down and dirty world the bushco's and others have made.

[Judi Lynn]

19. I think Bush started all this when he designated his "axis of evil" countries

as soon as he could, and insisted on using childish terms like "good gahs" and "bad gahs" to refer to him and his allies, and every one else.

That "evil" crap got very old as soon as he started throwing it around. It sounded designed to startle and frighten the slow witted ones among us, the superstitous, the unhinged, the unstable, the easily spooked, the childish, the goofy, the most severely isolated, out of touch, non-reading, reality-challenged, ignorant, and paranoid Americans.

By the time Hugo Chavez said "devil," as understood the ones who took the time to listen to the recording, he said it in such a context at the U.N. that the audience LAUGHED, a fine point which the "News for the Gullible" reports failed to point out.

[jaysunb]

27. Amen !

n/t

[zreosumgame]

6. why would we need to stage a coup?

Hugo didn't have to, unlike here he was ELECTED

[Judi Lynn]

7. Dive in and start researching. Democratic Congresspeople approached Chavez, not the other way around

They had appealed to American oil companies for reduced rates for their poorer constituents for the winter, and were absolutely blown off. It wasn't until AFTER this happened they decided to approach Venezuela and seek preferred rates.

Now SIXTEEN STATES and MANY NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES are receiving a 40% discount for the second year in a row. This was done upon THEIR INITIATIVE. This information appears over and over again.

To attempt to pass this around as something Hugo Chavez invented just to make himself more popular is COMPLETELY MISLEADING. THE IDEA STARTED HERE.

If you take time to include the truth, it may mean you won't have a talking point, but you'll be more credible for your effort.

[kiahzero]

11. Interesting.

You'd think that they might have asked for some credit in the ad: it mentions "from the people of Venezuela," but it would have been great PR to mention that the Democrats had helped get this help for the poor.

[QuestionAll...]

13. sometimes it's best to leave the PR and self promotion

out of the picture. Some poor american people have been served by an even poorer country, - that's very uplifting. I'm okay with leaving it at that.

[Judi Lynn]

16. It was publicized in all their own areas. There were photos taken of them

at various stages of the arrangement, and I've posted photos of various Congressmen who were on hand when the oil trucks arrived to start unloading the first deliveries of oil, even helping to carry the very large hose from the truck to whatever they hold oil in locally.

Here's one I've never seen before. I didn't find the caption, but it looks as if one of the guys is Congressman Serrano from New York.



There are many other photos taken throughout the process, and TONS of articles written about it in the home states and home towns, showing mayors, congressmen, officials all involved in pulling this off for their constituents.

It was NOT a Venezuelan publicity stunt. Everyone's quite a bit more mature than that.

On edit:

I've also posted a photo of Native American leaders meeting with Venezuelan oil officials in the early phase of negotiations.

[QuestionAll...]

12. thank you, Judi. You sure know your stuff

and I appreciate your post as I was not aware of this info.
Shame on the twisters!

btw, Joe Kennedy (who was instrumental in this deal) will be on CNN sometime this week talking about this. I am looking forward.

[Judi Lynn]

17. Whoa! Really! I would surely love to see that. Your info. will inspire me to keep my eyes open

for that program, as it would be TERRIFIC to hear him discussing it. Here are some photos of him as he helped haul in the first oil delivery. The larger photo also includes Congressman Delahunt who was VERY much a part of this. Sorry I can't name the third man. He might be an oil official.



Thanks, again, QuestionAll...

[QuestionAll...]

18. no no no no, thank You! (kicked!)

[question everything]

25. Thank you. It was not my intention to research this

how many posts on DU are the result of research?

I was watching CNN where Blitzer was declaring about an "alliance" between Chavez and Kennedy and when I realized what it was all about decided to express my opinion here.

No need to SHOUT. People constantly comment on what they hear or read on various media outlet.

:shrug:

[dogday]

8. Take Note American and Other Oil Companies

and be ashamed of your actions.....

[cassiepriam]

9. I confess. I have called * some very bad names.

I can not let Chavez take all the heat....

And now that he has the nerve to help poor people,
what can be next?

Taxing the rich?

Shudders.....

[Cha]

21. bush deserves all the names

he is called and more..he and his handlers sent innocents to die and be maimed so they could have oil like Venezuela does.

[question everything]

26. As with the Michael Richards episode

black entertainers constantly use the N word but when a white one does it - all hell breaks loose.

Similarly, we criticize our parents and siblings and children but if an outsider does this, we circle the wagon and defend them. Same with any other community with which we are associated.

Yes, we call Bush names but for an outsider to use a captive audience - the delegations to the UN and the media covering the UN - an outsider who was a guest in our country, this was unacceptable. This was my opinion then still is and obviously I am still in the minority in DU.

[cassiepriam]

28. My opinion is that the truth is the truth no matter who says it....

and everyone has a right to say the truth.

[yurbud]

14. Is there ANY reason to be mad at him besides that he bucks the neoliberal system and the oil corps?

We should be so lucky to have a problem like him.

[nosmokes]

15. Hugo spoke for me!

it's the dubya that brings in the supernatural figures in the first damn place, saying he speaks to his *higher* father and that he believed god wanted him to be president (so that's why he hadta steal the election? twice?) and personally i've called the POS way worse than the devil. i say right on, hugo. VIVA CHAVEZ!

[QuestionAll...]

20. ;) you go, Hugo!

I am quite amazed that there are still some real guts in this too often guttless IMF, world bank, daunting militaristic world.

I think Hugo's 'big mouth' is actually saving his own life. This should be noted.

[Judi Lynn]

23. Oh, good POINT! He NEEDS to be knocked off that damned perch, doesn't he?

He started his pious act during his Presidential campaign to keep reporters from asking him questions about his cocaine habit, telling them all that God had forgiven him and that was all in his past (or, in other words, "take a hike"). He did it so firmly it would make a reporter look like an infidel to DARE to question him about a part of his life God had already forgiven.

If only Bill Clinton had had the quick ability to make that claim right after Monica! He could have saved everyone a lot of time by saying he had been redeemed, and that Gawd had forgiven him, so shut the #### up.

Remember all these halo and other religious photos he has had his publicity people take? They are all over the place. We'll be seeing them for years, no doubt, hanging in the group homes of our slowest citizens!



It's downright funny hearing someone referred to him as a devil, considering Iraq, back door draft, election fraud, his destruction of our environment, destruction of our infrastructure, our constitutional rights, his comfortable use of torture as routine, etc., etc., etc., etc. "Devil" is probably too charitable!

[originalpckelly]

22. I'm also not a fan of Chavez, but I am completely for him giving the poor...

cheap heating oil.

I think it's something to the effect of "don't look a gift horse in the mouth."