Chavez to Obama: I'd vote for you, and you for me

[yurbud]

Source: Reuters

"I hope this doesn't harm Obama, but if I was from the United States, I'd vote for Obama," the socialist Chavez said of a man he first reached out to in 2009 but to whom he has since generally been insulting.

Chavez is running for a new six-year term against opposition challenger Henrique Capriles, while Obama seeks re-election in November against Republican candidate Mitt Romney. Venezuela's election is next weekend.

"Obama is a good guy ... I think that if Obama was from Barlovento or some Caracas neighbourhood, he'd vote for Chavez," the president told state TV, referring to a poor coastal town known for the African roots of its population.

***

He called former U.S. President George W. Bush a "drunk" and the "devil." After an initial overture to Obama came to nothing, he said the new president had disappointed progressives the world over and was the "shame" of Africans.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/chavez-obama-id-vote-173530973.html

---

There has been a lot of criticism of Chavez here that frankly should be embarrassing to DU, but this time, I think he made a mistake.

Chavez has gotten so much bad press here (unfairly for the most part) that his endorsement of Obama will get a lot more mileage as a stick the right will use to beat Obama than persuading anyone here to vote for him.

Then again, anything that makes the right apoplectic may make them look more unreasonable and unhinged to swing voters, so what the hell.

[hrmjustin]

1. what about Chavez do you like and why do you think he gets criticism here?

[yurbud]

4. He stands up to the oil companies and banks and uses the countries wealth for people

who live there beyond the financial elite.

He was elected and re-elected in internationally monitored votes.

He was pretty damn lenient with the coup plotters who temporarily kidnapped him, including a TV network that aired a false story to help the coup.

That part about the oil companies and banks would be enough by itself.

Those are also reason enough for him to be vilified in the American MSM.

[hrmjustin]

5. thanks for the info

[Marksman_91]

11. How about you actually LIVE in Venezuela and see what he's done before making such claims?

I, on the other hand, have lived in Caracas for pretty much my whole life. Only now am I living in Miami because it's where I decided to go to college. "Why", you ask? Simply because people in Venezuela aren't living, they are trying to survive, and it's all thanks to our asshole of a president. Don't you dare say that our problems are caused by the previous governments before him, Chávez has been in power for 14 years, and throughout those years, he's been only centralizing his power more and more. He's got support of people because most Venezuelans are humble, and they never really had much to start with in the first place. Then comes Chávez and gives them some help in getting along, but that's really just been a temporary solution. You take one good look at the country since he took power, and you'll notice that the number of shanty towns and slums have grown exponentially. But I don't really expect you to understand, you're not from the country, so your naive remarks are understandable.

Regarding the elections, well, I'm part of the people who will be mobilizing from Miami to go vote in New Orleans. I've seen first-hand how people are preparing to go, and the response has just been phenomenal. We've actually received help from TONS of people, even I think the city of New Orleans itself. It's a long trip, but hopefully it'll be worth it. Chávez knows that at least 95% of the venezuelans registered here in Miami are gonna vote against him, hence why he decided to close down the consulate. But that is NOT gonna stop us. In fact, all that did was infuriate us and motivate us even more to go vote against him. Just today there was a MASSIVE concentration in Caracas in support of Capriles, probably the largest concentration of people I've ever seen in the city in support of ONE candidate. I feel the winds of change are coming to my country. Let's hope we win. We really can't stand 6 more years of Chávez and his hateful, dividing attitude. HAY UN CAMINO!

[Arctic Dave]

16. It's going to suck for you when he is re-elected.

So you are going to school in the states, huh. Mom and Dad paying for that?

[Arctic Dave]

20. LOL

I like fishing.

[joshcryer]

25. I suspect you'll be in for a big surprise when Capriles wins.

[yurbud]

28. so what has he done wrong? That concentration of power has gone on here too

except here it is only used for the benefit of the wealthiest of wealthy.

The rest of us get the pokey old democratic process that one senator or a handful can jam up and block the will of the majority or 60, 70, or whatever percentage of Americans they like.

I'm guessing that most of the expats who don't like Chavez are upper middle class and above not the people at the bottom whose lives have been improved by those "temporary" fixes.

[joshcryer]

32. Ask Chavez, he makes the case himself:

Last edited Mon Oct 1, 2012, 12:50 PM - Edit history (1)

"It doesn't matter that the streets are in disrepair, that the lights are not always on, that the water (isn't up to par), the people don't have jobs, that people don't have houses. What matters is the fatherland."



I suspect most expats are doing far more well off than native Venezuelans, but we see the support Capriles has and it's not just an expat phenomena.

[JackRiddler]

35. So why do those damn majorities of your fellow citizens vote for Chavez?

Don't they LIVE in Venezuela too?

(Notwithstanding that you don't currently, but I won't hold that against you.)

[joshcryer]

37. It's been 6 years since Chavez had an election. The last elections the Chavistas lost...

...the votes. They only won more seats because of corrupt gerrymandering.

[joshcryer]

24. He does? How about the Aban Pearl?

How about the reimportation of gasoline refined here in the United States?

How about the 100 million disappeared from the gold reserves?

How about the billions stolen from the Fonden fund?

[yurbud]

29. links for those allegations?

And you think giving the country back to the rich won't lead to corruption and self-dealing?

[joshcryer]

30. Capriles is like Santos, he is not going to "give the country back to the rich."

And if you aren't aware of these facts, then, sorry, I'm not going to do your work for you.

Google is your friend.

[yurbud]

33. then you're going to have a hard time persuading me or anyone else. The burden of proof is on

the person making the allegations.

[joshcryer]

38. I know.

I mean, a lot of people talk about Chavez' "nationalization" of the oil. Yet oil in Venezuela has been nationalized for decades before he even came into power. I'm not saying that you believe that, but that's the sort of thing I've encountered. It's impossible to persuade people who come to the discussion with their own misconceptions.

6 years ago I wouldn't even be critical of Chavez and I would even defend him. In that time frame however the country has really gone to shit. All the poverty improvements have been mitigated by crime such as kidnappings, murders, robberies, smuggling. Infrastructure is in disrepair, power is intermittent and blamed on silly things like vultures to possums. Really. No one is fired for the gross mismanagement, either. We were pissed at BP that their CEO didn't get fired for the BP disaster. PDVSA's president has resided over 3 major disasters, still has his job.

Just the tip of the iceburg. I can provide more sources but I'm tired. Chavez will be voted out of power in 6 short days.

[louis-t]

2. I am going to use my favorite Jed Clampett quote again.

"Don't HELP me, boy."

[bemildred]

3. Gah! He is meddling in our elections!

[onehandle]

6. STFU. nt

[barnabas63]

8. +1

[Vidar]

7. Good for Chavez. US politicians aren't so generous.

[oberliner]

9. Not sure that is helpful

Doubtful, though, that it would have any impact on anyone.

[copaid]

10. YOU DONT HAVE TO WORRY THEY WILL SING THIS TO THE POLLS

OUR GREAT LEADER WE DO NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT HIM BEATING ROMNEY. BARACK OBAMA HAS SO MUCH CLASS AND WILL ADMIT THERE ALOT MORE WORK TO BE DONE. BUT TO HAVE A POSSIBLE PRESIDENT LIKE ROMNEY WHO HIDES SO MUCH DIRTY LITTLE SECRETS LIKE TAXES, BULLYING, TRADING OFF COMPANIES. IF WE ALL CAN STAY FOCUS AND REMEMBER THIS GREAT SONG. ON ELECTION NIGHT, WE ALL WILL BE SINGING THIS TO THE POLLS. "AIN'T NO TURNING BACK, WE'RE MOVING FORWARD"


PLEASE CLICK

[Honeycombe8]

18. Why are you shouting? nt

[JI7]

12. good for him

[MADem]

13. He wants rMoney in the driver's seat, plainly. He knows that his "endorsement" is no help.

It's more fun to rail against America when there's a "devil" at the helm--way less effective when it's a brother who can sing, who is smooth, who is popular in and who is respectful of nations around the world, who is inclusive, who represents the best of America...and who has a very popular wife as well.

They call that "too clever by half."

It won't matter in the long haul, though--the GOP will have to really strive to put that out, and they'll just look desperate if they do. And bottom line, Chavez is terminally ill. He's close to his sell-by date.

[joshcryer]

26. It sounds more like a Gaddafi plea. He knows that he's about to lose.

So he's pleading with Obama that he would support Obama and basically hoping Obama will support him in the event he loses and instates martial law.

[Comrade Grumpy]

31. You guys are funny.

[still_one]

14. something doesn't smell right about this. I am not saying it didn't happen, but just because the

corporated media reports doesn't make it so

[still_one]

15. of course drudge, who is a piece of garbage anyway has this on his headline, with a picture implying

that the President and him are close

[Honeycombe8]

17. What a delusional nutcase. Problem w/people in power is they start believing their PR.

They start believing they really are something..the arrogance, the hubris. Reminds me of Cheney.

Why are all these other foreign leaders getting involved in our elections? You won't hear Obama and Romney talking about so and so would vote for them, and they'd vote for so and so...in the midst of those other countries' elections.

[ronnie624]

22. What a bunch of mumbo jumbo.

U.S. political leaders don't "involve" themselves in the elections of other countries?

What the fuck ever.

[Honeycombe8]

36. When you learn to read, re-read my post. I didn't say that.

When you learn to communicate...do a post without the f___ word, like an adult.

Here's a tip: When someone misunderstands something and then cusses, they've admitted they don't know much about communication (either reading it or expressing it).

Re-read the post. You'll understand it after a second read. I have faith in your learning abilities.

[ronnie624]

39. "Why are all these other foreign leaders getting involved in our elections?"

"Reminds me of Cheney."

What a bunch of fucking horse shit.

[doccraig67]

21. Saw a post on Facebook today.

Repukes don't waste any time. Photo and all. Caption: What does it say about you when a Communist Dictator supports you as president?

Venezuelan Dictator and Communist Hugo Chavez tells Obama:
"I'd vote for you, and you for me"

[Judi Lynn]

23. Your concern is commendable. n/t

[I love weed]

27. Shut up, fat man.

Mind your own business, Chavez. Obama doesn't need your help. I also really doubt he would vote for you.

[yurbud]

40. leaked docs show anti-Chavez candidate plans to go full neoliberal after election

In early September 2012 David De Lima, a former governor of Anzoategui, published a document he said showed secret MUD plans to implement much more neoliberal policy, if elected, than their public statements showed. De Lima said the document was a form of policy pact between some of the candidates in the MUD primary, including Capriles.[33] On 6 September 2012 opposition legislator William Ojeda denounced these plans and the "neoliberal obsessions" of his colleagues in the MUD;[34] he was suspended by his A New Era party the following day.[35] Capriles said that his signature on the document was a forgery,[36] while the MUD's economic advisor said that the MUD had "no hidden agenda", and that its plans included the "institutionalisation" of the government's Bolivarian Missions so that they would no longer be "subject to the whims of government".[37] Nonetheless, several days later four small parties withdrew from the MUD coalition.[38] One small coalition party claimed De Lima had offered them money to withdraw from the MUD;[39] De Lima denied the claim.[40] On 30 September, another opposition politician, Aldo Carmeno from christian-democratic party COPEI, withdrew support to Capriles, criticised Capriles for "false" and "tricking of venezuelan people". Carmeno announced support to Hugo Chávez.[41]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venezuelan_presidential_election,_2012#cite_note-31