by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright September 21, 2006
All Rights Reserved.

alling President George W. Bush “the devil,” Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez went over the top, speaking Wednesday before the annual opening of the 192-country United Nations General Assembly. “The devil came here yesterday,” Chavez told the delegates. “And it smells of sulfur still today,” winning the 52-year old Latin American firebrand muted applause from a somewhat stunned audience. While no one can be truly shocked by the hothead Chavez, his tirade took even the most skeptical U.N. observers by surprise. “You don't come into my country, you don't come into my district and you don't condemn my president,” said outraged Bronx Rep. Charley Rangel (D-N.Y.), one of Bush's harshest critics, floored by Chavez's mouth. While there's no love lost between Bush and Chavez, using his U.N. time to blindside Bush can only be regarded as a cheap shot.

      Chavez accused Bush of speaking “as if he owned the world,” criticizing the White House for wielding the veto on the U.S. Security Council, something Chavez vies for an open seat. His rant follows in lockstep with his mentor Fidel Castro, whose anti-American rhetoric plays well in the southern hemisphere's developing world. Chavez has befriended another Bush nemesis, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, earning high marks for his incendiary rhetoric against Israel and the U.S. Chavez supports the Islamic republic's right to nuclear technology, viewing A-bombs, like Pakistan's notorious bomb maker A.Q. Khan, as the great equalizer, giving otherwise weak countries the nuclear advantage. Throwing his support to Ahmadinejad shows Chavez's desperate attempt to link the plight of revolutionary Latin America with today's restive Middle East.

      Chavez's vicious denunciation backfired among Bush's most vociferous critics, including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). “He's an everyday thug,” said Pelosi, appalled at Chavez's verbal assault. “If there's any criticism of President Bush, it should be restricted to Americans, whether they voted for him or not,” said Rangel, rejecting Chavez's tirade. “As the spokesman of imperialism, he came to share his nostrums to try to preserve the pattern of domination, exploitation and an pillage of the peoples of the world,” said Chavez, playing to his base of disgruntled leftists, unable to accept blame for failed economic policies and institutionalizing misery in his people. Reactions to Chavez U.N. speech in Caracas were mixed, some embarrassed by insults and tasteless remarks. Chavez's revolting comments remind domestic critics that it's easy for criticism to backfire.

      Bush's recent bounce in the polls stems not from hope about Iraq but renewed concerns about terrorism and a fortuitous drop in gasoline prices. Chavez's attack helps Bush by making too much criticism distasteful, pushing key Democrats to come to the president's defense. “We're not going to address that sort of comic-strip approach to international affairs,” said recess-appointed U.N. ambassador John Bolton, biting his tongue before the news media. “Hugo Chavez abused the privilege that he had speaking at the United Nations,” said Pelosi, surprising some of her right wing critics. “In doing so, in the manner which he characterized the president, he demeaned Venezuela,” showing a rare kind of support for President Bush. Chavez, like Ahmadinejad, helps unify Republicans and Democrats in a way only seen after Sept. 11, when Americans rallied behind the flag.

      Chavez called Bush as dictator for stealing the 2000 elections, cleverly capitalizing on the widely publicized red-state/blue-state divide, creating one of the most bitterly divisive periods in U.S. history. Chavez's histrionics at the U.N.—genuflecting and praying during his vitriolic speech—proved, if nothing else, his manipulative skills are every bit the equal of his newly adopted best friend, Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, also making the rounds and working the media. “The bottom line is we do not need a bomb,” Ahmadinejad told reporters on the sidelines of the U.N. general assembly, proclaiming Iran's transparency to Mohammad ElBaradei and his team of U.N. weapons inspectors. Ahmadinejad bats his eyelashes, saying “he's at a loss” to explain the hubbub over Iran's uranium enrichment program, working the Security Council to oppose Bush's push for sanctions.

      Chavez and Ahmadinejad share a gift for propaganda and conning the international press into believing they're true humanitarians. Chavez stopped in Harlem after trashing Bush at the U.N. proclaiming, “we are friends of yours, and you are our friends,” announcing plans to contribute 100 million gallons of heating oil to help 180,000 poor American families. Ahmadinejad wants Americans to believe his uranium enrichment programs is purely for peaceful purposes, swaying public opinion against the White House's veiled threats. Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has made it clear that the Islamic republic intends to join the “nuclear club,” and he's not talking about electricity. Chavez and Ahmadinejad should remind the country why, despite the differences between left and right, all Americans must remain united against global threats to U.S. interests.

About the Author

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He's editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.

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