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White House Senior Advisor: Obama More Popular Than Chavez in Venezuela
April 18, 2009 12:18 PM
PORT OF SPAIN, TRINIDAD -- In an interview with ABC News, Jeffrey Davidow -- a senior adviser to President Obama on Latin American affairs and director of the Summit of the Americas -- said that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez rushed a photograph of he and President Obama shaking hands onto his government's website because Mr. Obama is more popular than Mr. Chavez in Venezuela.
"Every president and political leader in Latin America, and many in the rest of the world as well -- maybe not every one of them -- really sees political benefit in being seen to be associating with President Obama," Davidow said. "And whether Chavez has problems with us or doesn’t, and he does, and there is this strained relationship, it is in his political interest, he thinks, to be seen with our president."
Davidow, a former U.S. Ambassador to Venezuela, said "there is a sizable population in Venezuela, probably the very,very vast majority of Venezuelans who have a more favorable attitude to President Obama than they have to him."
Asked if he was saying that President Obama is more popular in Venezuela than President Chavez, Davidow said, "yeah."
Davidow called Chavez's rush to promote images and a description of his offer of friendship to President Obama "a little confusing."
President Obama, Davidow said, "smiled and shook hands with every head of state in the reception, and of course the picture of him smiling and shaking hands with Chavez gets the news coverage. All I’d say is a smile and a handshake doesn’t mean that we have a deeply different relationship with Venezuela today. Venezuela kicked out our ambassador a few months ago. The relationship is a strained one. It has to be repaired. I think it’s up to Venezuela to take some steps. I would not ...read too much into the fact that the President, you know shook hands and was seen smiling because that’s what he did with 33 other presidents as well."
This morning Chavez made a point of -- in front of cameras -- giving President Obama a copy of "Open Veins of Latin America: Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent" by Uruguayan author Eduardo Galeano. The 1971 book details centuries of exploitation of Latin America by Europeans and the US.
"I don’t think the president has had time to read the book yet," Davidow said. "He took it, he thanked him, and put it down on the table."
Davidow suggested that the president didn't need to read Galeano's book to understand how prevalent its view of the US is in the region.
"The President is very aware that there is in Latin America a suspicion of the United States for the past," Davidow said. "Whether that suspicion is justified or not justified the President has said look he is not here to talk about history. He’s here about to talk about the future. And I think it’s really interesting that the countries that are doing the best in Latin America, the ones that are surviving this economic crisis the best, the ones that are doing the best in terms of alleviating poverty, are very forward looking, not backward looking."
Davidow cited Brazil, Chile, Peru, and Colombia as examples.
In his meeting with South American leaders this morning, many heads of state expressed opposition to the US embargo against Cuba.
President Obama, according to senior administration officials, said that "the nature of our relationship with that country is changing, but it won't happen over night." Mr. Obama also pointed out that the 12 South American leaders in the room represent democracies and should be concerned about the lack of democracy in Cuba.
"You are all democratically elected," Mr. Obama told them, "and we all need to have an interest in promoting democracy and the rule of law" in Cuba as well.
This is part of President Obama's pushback on pressure to end the embargo, the notion that Latin American countries don’t protest the oppressive rule of the Cuban people but their undemocratically-elected government.
Davidow today called that "part of the historical baggage that Latin America carried with it and is almost a reflexive suspicion or anti-Americanism...Cuba is seen to be a member of the Latin community, it’s the David against our Goliath, and this sometimes, quite frequently, clouds the perspective. What President Obama has said is he wants to work with Latin America and he wants to work with those countries, and there are many of them, who have suffered the same kind of oppression and dictatorship that Cuba did and Cuba does suffer now. And he would hope that they would take that historical experience of their own fight against dictatorship into their relationship with Cuba and try to promote some kinds of changes there."
And have they been responsive to that argument?
"That argument is something that has greater validity now coming from President Obama," Davidow said. "I think that they see he’s interested and moving down a new path. He says he’s going to go slowly. Things aren’t going to change overnight. I think there is a sense that there can be change. But it’s something that is going to take time and they want to be a part of it."
-- Jake Tapper and Sunlen Miller
April 18, 2009 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (93)
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"HAHAHAHAHAHA, even Chris Dodd would be more popular than Chavez in Venezuela!
Considering Chavez has such a low approval rating in his country (except of course the ones conducted by the state) 0bama being more popular there than Presidente-For-Life is nothing to crow about."
Venezuela has more democracy then the u.s. ever will. all you get to choose from are the democrats and the republicans, any opposition to this is marginalized or co-opted. Venezuela has a proportional representation system where parties from the far-right to the far left with various center parties in between are given the chance to be elected to local and national government (and the debate is over substantive policies differences not who is more 'compassionate', inspires more hope, or who you'd want to have a beer with). You can laugh all you want but you're the sucker that has to choose between the variations of the clinton's and the bushes every four years.
Davidow was obviously caught bluffing on the "very,very vast majority of Venezuelans" so he responded with "yeah" to save face. there is nil evidence that obama is more popular then chavez is in his own country and as far as the "state" polls you speak of its funny how the polling firms funded by the opposition parties always underestimate the extent of the psuv's and co victories.
whats more telling is that this irrelevant offhand remark was picked up and is now being repeated in the media by liberals and "conservatives" alike as if there was an iota of substance to it. just shows what intellectual sycophants these people are.
Posted by: jesu | Apr 21, 2009 12:59:51 AM
The truth is that Americans love Hugo Chavez more than any other US President.
Posted by: shablon | Apr 21, 2009 12:56:56 AM
We'd be happy to send Obama to Venezuela, but only if they promise not to send him back. And they can even keep Hugo in the deal.
Posted by: c17wife | Apr 20, 2009 4:33:14 PM
Wow Jake, tough crowd.
Posted by: James Tolson | Apr 20, 2009 10:54:13 AM
Hey Jake: Why not make your report more objective than subjective: I mean why not: Obama and Chavez step up to repair relations. Why shld a 'senior' talk about polularity in this very important Summit????????????
Posted by: Austin Chuks | Apr 20, 2009 2:12:16 AM
Davidow is an idiot. Fire him, now.
Posted by: Pepe | Apr 19, 2009 10:28:43 PM
A few years ago, Venezuela would be expected to bow and scrape in supplication to the mighty US. Today, Chavez and Venezuela are treated as equals. Not because Obama has gracefully condescended to grant equality, but because they are seen as equals in the eyes of their fellow Americans. Chavez has seized the forefront as a representative of indigenous people throughout America and is recognised as the champion of the people. Whatever faults people may raise, he demonstrates a sincere concern for the common man. Obama, on the other hand still leaves questions of who is actually running the White House from behind the scenes. Oil companies and Zionist influences still seem to be shaping his foreign policy.
Posted by: Tomkker | Apr 19, 2009 10:04:39 PM
The State Department's Davidow's comments about the Obama-Chavez photograph were exceedingly childish and extremely undiplomatic. Does he want to reduce the possible U.S.-Venezuelan detente to a popularity contest between is two leaders?
President Chavez and his party have won 14 our of 15 elections since 1998, the most recent a few months ago when the majority of Venezuelans voted to remove presidential term limits so President Chavez can run for another term. He is very, very popular in Venezuela.
Obama is also popular here, as Venezuelans hope that the U.S. will establish a sane, friendly policy to their country rather than trying to depose President Chavez, as they attempted in 2002.
The citizens of Venezuela have free, government provided medical, dental and eye care, along with subsidized food and housing for the poor. There are millions of Americans who would dearly love to Have Chavez's policies in force in America.
Posted by: Justina | Apr 19, 2009 6:32:24 PM
Very diplomatic....A Head of State. Professional and smart. Keep working hard, President Obama....we have alot of Messes around the world to clean up, or at least neutralize.
Posted by: sngeorgia | Apr 19, 2009 6:13:04 PM
Keith wrote:Remember Americans seek Forgivness, then give Respect to others.This has to be the platform for a new world order"
What am I to seek forgiveness for, helping every country in the world that runs into trouble and calls for the US to help???? Or for all the food and medicine that is send to poor countries in Africa and around the world???? For being the first in line with help when disaster strikes somewhere in the world?????
Posted by: Lizzie | Apr 19, 2009 2:18:18 PM
He's settin em up for a stimulus package
Posted by: howard | Apr 19, 2009 12:17:05 PM
Ambassador Jeffery Davidow should be fired,because President Obama, in one stroke, has suceeded in defusing the US-Venezeula tension, and bringing a new dawn to Latin America relations. However,Davidow, obviously, is part of the old order -- the one that has recklessly exploited Latin America, and even today in the words of Davidow,without remorse. The American people - particularly Davidow and his friends,such as Ms. Clinton - have to start with an appeal to Latin America for Forgiveness,then adopt a new Policy of Respect for other countries. Mr. Davidow, unfortunately, comes across as an agent-saboteur of new US-Latin America relations;his position as spokesman will continue only to undermine all positive efforts towards a new world order.
Remember Americans seek Forgivness, then give Respect to others.This has to be the platform for a new world order.
Posted by: keith | Apr 19, 2009 10:53:20 AM
Group hug for Earthie!!!!
Posted by: csm | Apr 19, 2009 8:48:09 AM
You're doing a right thing Obama! Bravo!
Posted by: richone | Apr 19, 2009 6:59:27 AM
America is the most CORRUPT country on the face of this Planet! MOST people who want to come here to live, KNOW that they can EXPLOIT to the very core of their heartless souls!
At least 46 Million Americans still have their heads buried in the sand, or just believe they are ABOVE THE LAW, and will do ANYTHING to WIN! It's why America is in the toilet today, and I doubt seriously if it will ever get out of the sewer. Too many hateful, racist, evil, corrupt people live in America with power, and others can easily be purchased, to sell their souls for a few measly dollars; and in turn, they destroy the MAJORITY of good people, who don't have the stomach to sell out other human beings. But overall, Americans are too complacent, and allow bad things to happen, as long as its not happening to them. When it finally HAPPENS to the Majority, they get ANGRY, and want something done, when ACTION should have been TAKEN when they KNEW it was happening!
America is NEVER coming back, it will be like the Roman Empire, and DESTROY itself from within; we certainly don't have to concern ourselves with outside Terrorist's, for our country if FULL of American Made Terrorists, and with the Far-Right-Wrong Media, its' breeding millions of Timothy McVeighs every day of the week!
Posted by: Earthie | Apr 19, 2009 6:24:38 AM
Standanddeliver, does that mean you are goofing on the Tea Parties?
Posted by: csm | Apr 18, 2009 7:42:30 PM
I won't criticize the President of the United States of America either the past President or the present President for in the final analysis they are only human and can only do the best for the majority. Not everyone will be satisfied.
But I am only posting this comment because anyone who has the love of the country at heart won't disrespect the office of the President.
I have no intention of getting into politics but this much I do know if we don't have good comments - I think some of us on this site would be better off going back to school and get a descent education or to church crying out for repentance - I know I will especially after passing my remarks.
Past President Bush is a wonderful man -he has served his term in office and now it is a new start for President Obama, I pray that he serves the Country well and in my opinion he is doing a good job and well on track - In my opinion he has managed to get us all involved in democracy and that to me is a good thing.
Posted by: Standanddeliver | Apr 18, 2009 7:23:31 PM
Obamabots are even more angry and bitter AFTER the election than they were BEFORE the election. And they won. And they run all three branches of government.
They're MORE miserable and insecure now despite the fact that Republicans pose no threat to them. They simply can't accept victory.
If this doesn't prove liberalism is a mental disorder, I don't know what does.
Posted by: Stacey | Apr 18, 2009 7:06:52 PM
IT said that did he? The hairy guy on the Addams Family?
Posted by: csm | Apr 18, 2009 6:34:47 PM
Gin789, have you seen Loose Change? At worst you look silly, at best you will be able to tell strangers on a blog "See, I told you so". Is it worth it?
Posted by: csm | Apr 18, 2009 6:27:11 PM
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