New US ambassador to Netherlands grilled over 2015 comments

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press


Mike Corder, Associated Press
Updated 10:57 am, Wednesday, January 10, 2018

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The new U.S. ambassador to the Netherlands clashed Wednesday with Dutch reporters on his first official day in the job over controversial comments he made in 2015 in which he said that the "Islamic movement" was creating chaos in Europe and suggested that extremists were burning politicians and cars in the Netherlands.

At a press conference shortly after presenting his credentials to Dutch King Willem-Alexander at a palace in The Hague, Pete Hoekstra was repeatedly asked about the comments he made at a 2015 conference, which made headlines last year when he described his own words to a Dutch reporter as fake news. Hoekstra later denied using the phrase fake news.

In a statement last year, Hoekstra said: "I made certain remarks in 2015 and regret the exchange during the Nieuwsuur interview. Please accept my apology."

. . .

One reporter told him: "This is the Netherlands, you have to answer questions," while another asked if the ambassador could name a politician who had been set on fire in recent years.

Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/world/article/New-US-ambassador-to-Netherlands-grilled-over-12487087.php

[marble falls]

1. Why is he being a prick about this. All he needs to say, "I made some mistatement regarding public..

safety in The Netherlands. I am pleased to report how safe it is here in the Netherlands. I am grateful to represent the United States to the people of the Netherlands, a nation with which the United States has had a long and friendly relationship. Thank-you.

I will now take several questions to which I will reply to with some variation of the above.

Then one of my aides will whisper in my ear and I will nod and turn with him and make nonsense conversation as I walk away with a wave over my shoulder.

Poop, even Trump can do a version of that.

[catbyte]

2. Pete Hoekstra is a colossal asshole & a know-nothing party hack. I'm from his part of MI

and the DeVos/Van Andel/Prince Dutch Mafia has propped him up for years, but even their deep pockets couldn't get Michigan to like him. He's tried running for Senate, Governor, but no dice. It just figures that Asshole 45 would appoint him Ambassador to the Netherlands to not only embarrass us in Michigan again, but now the nation and the world knows what a shithead he is. I'm sure "Fake Dutch News" will be next.

[irisblue]

3. He was my.rep for a very very short period of time

He got used to running over acquiescent media in Grand Rapids and then Washington. He is a smug sucker who has risen way past his ability due to the 'Dutch Mafia' of West Michigan.
Great term catbyte.👏

[irisblue]

4. No disrespect to the decent Dutch of West Michigan.

I miss Lake Michigan & the Saint Joseph pier sooo much.

[longship]

5. Dutch Reformed Church world headquarters is Grand Rapids, MI.

West Michigan is absolutely swarming with Calvinists, including Betsy Wetsy DeVos and her families, DeVos and Prince. They are, in general, horrible people. Pete Hoekstra is just another. Born in The Netherlands, apparently they could not tolerate him any longer. He was my US Congresscritter at one time.

Calvinists: No number of good deeds will save your miserable soul from eternal damnation. Only the predestined from birth get saved. And one wonders why so many of them end up being such horrible human beings.