Abouhalkah blog bit

I noticed that Yael Abouhalkah characterized Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer as “somewhat odd” in his Jan. 27 blog bit. What, pray tell, is the reader to conclude in the definition of “somewhat odd?” Does this apply to her manner of governance, how she dresses or her choice of friends?

Would any of the readers think of Mr. Abouhalkah as “somewhat odd” or, for that matter, any of us? What does this mean?

Meanwhile, President Barack Obama appears to be given a pass for his admonition of Ms. Brewer’s opinion. He might follow Harry Truman’s thought: “If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.”

Edward O’Dower
Overland Park

Comments

[kem]

But more to the point of this letter. Yael called the Arizona Governor "odd". We shouldn't be surprised since Yael holds most all things and people who are conservative as "odd".

I emailed Yael asking him what he meant by "odd". But I also asked him about something else he wrote.

Yael called Governor Brewer "uppity". Now folks....be real here.....What do you think would happen to a conservative male writer who described a female liberal politician as "uppity"? He would get skewered, of course.

Maybe he will reply to my email. Maybe he won't.

[kem]

TRA and gg....

TRA, you said that was unprecedented? That would mean that was the first time. I guess you missed the pic of Brian Williams pointing his finger at President Bush. And Williams took Brewer to task for that, when Williams had done it himself. What a hypocrite.

And as for bad manners? How about walking away from someone in mid-sentence. My high school age boys no not to ever do that.

There was no reason other than thin skin for Obama to lead with his hurt feelings about something she wrote.

So, TRA, did you really think the finger pointing at a president in a discussion was unprecedented?

[LL]

TRA...I shouldn't have assumed that you always "blindly support Obama" even if he's wrong - didn't mean to be disrespectful...just that a lot of people on these boards seem to do just that and I don't know you very well....

5 bottles of - Boulevard Chocolate Ale gg? WOW! The HyVee out near me got some in this morning (only allowing 1 bottle per customer) was sold out before noon...Lucky Duck!

Hope you're able to find some of the brew this year Kate...btw...You're right about Obama helping her sales jump! I hadn't even heard of Brewer's book until all of the hoopla...now I'm interested in reading the book myself..... :)

[ggbridge]

Mmmm...do I feel a beer summit coming on?

[Kate]

Ooooohhhh! Lucky you! My husband missed out last year - he's been buried in work, and I don't know if he's had time to search for it this year.

But he brews a pretty mean chocolate stout himself! :)

[ggbridge]

I could keep arguing, but instead I'm going to gaze at my 5 bottles of Boulevard Chocolate Ale #braggin' :-D

[Kate]

TRA, then it was equally wrong for Obama to disrespect the office of Governor by turning his back on Brewer in mid-sentence and walking away.

And then his gesture to Clinton (which drew laughter from the crowd) should be called ghastly.

[JDog]

Ha, TRA & gg. That was way to easy.

Got your panties all in a bunch because I brought up bowing to foreign leaders! Kind of like the same panties about Brewer's little finger shake. The right didn't like Obama bowing and the left didn't like Brewer giving HER president a little finger shake. Call it even. See you over on the Tax letter.

[TRA]

Kate -

Obviously we could go back and forth with he said, she said. But in reality, it doesn't matter. What matters is her disrespecting not just Obama, but the office of the president. It sets a bad precedent. I'd react the same way if it was a republican president. It's just wrong to shake your finger in the presidents face, plain and simple. No excuses.

[Kate]

TRA, the story I heard was that she invited him to visit the border and he started whining about her book. Like I said, he could have been gracious . . . offered to spend a little time in hopes of improving on the experience. But he didn't. As LL pointed out, this is the same way he treated Bobby Jindal. For goodness sake, Brewer's book is called Scorpions for Breakfast, did he expect her to sit back and take his mini-lecture silently?

gg, I understand what you're saying about greeting a leader respectfully, but they're on separate "tracks". He's not her boss or commander or supervisor. Yes, the Office of the President deserves respect, but so does the Office of the Governor. And frankly, I have a hard time feeling outrageous outrage over Brewer wagging her finger at Obama, since he did far worse to Hillary Clinton.

[renfro]

Nothing “ODD” about Yael “Abracadabra” criticizing Gov. Jan Brewer’s perceived disagreement with Obama on the Arizona tarmac – He hasn’t been too interesting since he helped convince voters to run the former Mayor out of town with his unusual interest in reporting the personal habits or activities of Funkhouser’s wife ---- Often more alluring than his political advice or analysis maybe the Brewer thing signals Yael’s return to gossip rather than political commentary?

[TRA]

JDog - "Maybe Jan should just bow, then the left can stand up and shout... AMEN."

No, JDog, we wouldn't shout amen because we're all communist atheists hell bent on destroying this country. Duh. Don't you listen to Fox News?

[ggbridge]

Psht. Brewer did the opposite of greeting a leader respectfully...

[TRA]

JDog -

Bowing in Japan is like shaking hands in America. Other countries kiss on the checks. GW Bush kissed the Saudi Prince on the cheek (guess GW is a terrorist). Eisenhower bowed to foreign leaders. Following cultural conventions is a sign of mutual respect that all presidents have participated in. And it is a false equivalency to compare Brewers' actions to Obama greeting a foreign leader respectfully.

[TRA]

Kate-
"or he could have whined to her about it as soon as he stepped off the plane . . . which he did"

No. She requested another meeting with him, he expressed reservations because of the way she falsely portrayed their last meeting, and she stuck her finger in his face. Did you see Obama disrespecting her? Can he not be honest with her and express reservations about another meeting seeing that she lied about the last one? I think its fair for him to express reservations to her. She's is the one that reacted poorly.

[JDog]

TRA, Unprecedented?

Bowing to Foreign Leaders!!!

Maybe Jan should just bow, then the left can stand up and shout... AMEN.

[TRA]

LL-

Come on, lets be realistic. Every president makes decisions that people disagree with. Every government official makes decisions that people disagree with. An example: Poll after poll shows that the vast majority of Americans wanted compromise in the debt ceiling debate but Bohner and the GOP didn't listen.

Your argument just doesn't hold water. People disagree with every president. Obama isn't the only one that has been in this situation.

"Evidently you blindly support Obama's missteps and haven't read much on this subject"

Why do you have to be disrespectful? You made a broad statement and I was looking for clarification. And just because I disagree with Brewers actions doesn't mean I blindly support Obama. I've disagreed with a lot of what hes done. But I wouldn't stick my finger in his face, or Bush's for that matter. Because I have respect for the office of the president of the United States.

[Kate]

So in the book she describes the meeting in a less-than-flattering way. The way I see it, Obama could have handled it one of three ways - he could have ignored it because the few people buying the book most likely don't care for him anyway; he could have charmed her ("sorry you felt that way about our last meeting, let's try again") or he could have whined to her about it as soon as he stepped off the plane . . . which he did. President Thinskin strikes again.

And look what it did for her book sales. Outside of AZ (maybe even inside AZ) who ever heard of the book before this, anyway?

[LL]

TRA...Appreciate your reply...however - evidently you blindly support Obama's missteps and haven't read much on this subject...

As for your question: Seems 27 states are averse to his healthcare and have lawsuits filed... Texas is still probing "Fast & Furious" gun fiasco and Obama's steadfast support of Eric Holder...all border states are upset about his stance on illegal immigration. LA Governor Jindal couldn't get help with his shoreline after the oil spill...

Seems..."No Drama Obama" ignores states "dramas"...

[TRA]

LL -

Brewer didn't ask for this publicity? Then why did she stick her finger in his face when she knew there were cameras all around?

"It was simply our President being resentful of a (border-state) governor who happens to disagree with his (non)immigration & border laws and didn't like that she voiced her opinion in her new book."

No. Not what happened. Some time ago these to met to discuss immigration. After their meeting Brewer went on TV and said positive things about the meeting. Then she goes to write her book and characterizes the meeting much differently than she had in the past. Why? Because she knows her audience, she knows that a hostile meeting is a better read for her right wing crowd than a cordial meeting. Obama's problem with her isn't that she disagrees with him, it's that she lied in her book about the meeting, contradicting her previous accounts of the same meeting. He told her that he disagreed with the way she portrayed the meeting in her book and she proceeded to stick her boney finger in his face.

"President Obama proves once again....if a state disagrees with his policies he doesn't have to listen." Do you have an example of this?