Karaoke Night in Seoul

Obama was singing like a canary in Seoul, South Korea.  He thought he was being so smart and smug; that covering the hot mic with his hands would prevent his secret from being betrayed.  The open, or hot, mic is the bane of politicians all over the country.  Pres. Bush got caught by it.  And now Obama stumbled over the hot mic.  The bane of politicians may a blessing to a public who don’t even know they don’t know the real truth – and will never learn it from the Media.

Obama was attending the Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul, South Korean.  The leaders were just greeting one another when Obama saw Russian President Medvedev.  Placing his hands over the mic in front of him (just in case it was “hot”), he gave the Russian president a big smile.

“On all these issues, but particularly missile defense, this, this can be solved but it’s important for him (Putin, the next Russian President-elect) to give me space.”

Medvedev responds in English, "Yeah, I understand. I understand your message about space. Space for you... I understand.  I will transmit this information to Vladimir.”  Medvedev replies further that building up missile defense in Europe, which the U.S. is for, and Russia is against, has been an issue of contention between the two countries.

Obama then adds, "This is my last election. After my election, I’ll have more flexibility."

He was asked about the “flexibility” statement later while making remarks to the press about a nuclear safety agreement, and said, “Arms control is extraordinarily complex, very technical, and the only way it gets done is if you can consult and build a strong basis of understanding both between countries as well as within countries.”

Isn’t he just Mr. Smooth?  Arms control is “complex” and “technical” and it takes time to brainwash – er, “build a strong basis of understanding”.  Open mics are very technical, too, not to mention sensitive.  Covering them with your hands just won’t do the job.  We understood him perfectly; every word rang out loud and clear.

While later trying to explain the hot mic remarks, Obama remarked that it took two years to get the START treaty ratified.

“I don't think it's any surprise that you can't start that a few months before a presidential and congressional elections in the United States and at a time when they just completed elections in Russia, and they're in the process of a presidential transition where a new president's going to be coming in a little less than two months," he added.

He downplayed that he was making any new revelation, which he certainly wasn’t.  His speeches have been all about reducing nuclear stockpiles.   You can’t build trust and cooperation on missile defense if your constituents know ahead of time that you’re about to destroy the country’s defenses.  It tends to make them wonder whose side you’re on, especially when you’re whispering to the president of Russia that you’ll try to do better after the next election.

“[T]he only way I get this stuff done is if I'm consulting with the Pentagon, if I'm consulting with Congress, if I've got bipartisan support, and frankly the current environment is not conducive” to bipartisan support.”

“Since 2012 is an election year in both countries,” the White House said, “with an election and leadership transition in Russia and an election in the United States, it is clearly not a year in which we are going to achieve a breakthrough."

2012 is clearly going to be a year in which Obama is not going to be carried to his throne by Liberal handmaidens, who’ll place a laurel wreath on his head.

There’s never an etch-a-sketch around when you need one.