We're not saying carrier pigeons are a great news source but at this point, they're probably worth a try.
July 26 // July 7, 2017
So.....what did Mexico have to say? Anyone else wondering?
As usual, we’re taking a little stroll down memory lane, but this time we're not going to recap some of the most outrageous political stories that commanded our attention just about two weeks ago. (Yes, we know the world is full of interesting stories on multiple topics but at present, it seems that we’re most often horrified by the antics we watch unfold in Washington.) We know it’s not easy to keep track of all this activity, so this time, we're going to offer a very brief recap of what you may have missed in the midst of the mayhem. Happy to help.
Ready? Here we go – all excerpts from transcripts posted on White House.gov unless otherwise noted.
Remember this? July 6, Warsaw, Poland. President Trump speaking to the people of Poland. You couldn’t escape the coverage! It was everywhere!
“And when the day came on June 2nd, 1979, and one million Poles gathered around Victory Square for their very first mass with their Polish Pope, that day, every communist in Warsaw must have known that their oppressive system would soon come crashing down. (Applause.) They must have known it at the exact moment during Pope John Paul II’s sermon when a million Polish men, women, and children suddenly raised their voices in a single prayer. A million Polish people did not ask for wealth. They did not ask for privilege. Instead, one million Poles sang three simple words: “We Want God.” (Applause.)
In those words, the Polish people recalled the promise of a better future. They found new courage to face down their oppressors, and they found the words to declare that Poland would be Poland once again.
As I stand here today before this incredible crowd, this faithful nation, we can still hear those voices that echo through history. Their message is as true today as ever. The people of Poland, the people of America, and the people of Europe still cry out “We want God.” (Applause.)
Together, with Pope John Paul II, the Poles reasserted their identity as a nation devoted to God. And with that powerful declaration of who you are, you came to understand what to do and how to live. You stood in solidarity against oppression, against a lawless secret police, against a cruel and wicked system that impoverished your cities and your souls. And you won. Poland prevailed. Poland will always prevail. (Applause.)
AUDIENCE: Donald Trump! Donald Trump! Donald Trump!
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you. You were supported in that victory over communism by a strong alliance of free nations in the West that defied tyranny. Now, among the most committed members of the NATO Alliance, Poland has resumed its place as a leading nation of a Europe that is strong, whole, and free.”
Poland? Who follows coverage about a visit to Poland? Well, the media should but let's leave that aside for now.
How about this one: July 13, 2017 – Remember that trip to France? Wait; let’s ask that another way: Do you remember anything about that trip other than the stories about President Trump telling France’s first Lady Brigitte Macron how attractive she is?
We didn’t think so.
In the interest of sharing information that may be useful and illuminating, here’s what President Emmanuel Macron had to say about the visit and the meetings the men held, presumably after he addressed President Trump’s surprisingly candid [and probably unwelcome/chauvinistic/anachronistic and sexist] assessment of his wife. The boldface is courtesy of TWAN, just so we don’t mislead anyone:
“Earlier today, we started by sharing part of our joint history at the Invalides Museum, the Army Museum. Then we had a working session. And I shall say that I'm extremely pleased about it. We've been able to talk about a number of topics of joint interest, and we underlined a number of shared convictions and, most importantly, a joint roadmap in order to work together in the coming month.
We agreed to implement free and fair trade, and in the field -- and this is the G20, in Hamburg, also expressed in terms of sensitivity. We want to work together in order to implement some efficient measures to tackle dumping anywhere it is taking place in all the fields, by sharing the information that we have and making sure that both the European Union and the United States can take the necessary measures in order to protect within the context of free trade, but of fair, free trade that we can protect all over sectors of activities where we are active.
We then had a long discussion which enabled us to cover all of the topics of international policies and the challenges -- the security challenges for the people as well. When it comes to fighting terrorism, from day one I can say that we've seen eye to eye, and we are strongly determined to take any necessary measures in order to root out terrorism and to eradicate it no matter where, in particular the narrative on the Internet. We agreed to strengthen our action and our cooperation in fighting against propaganda.
We want to get all the major operators to limit the propaganda, and also tackle cyber criminality. These topics, I believe, are fundamental. And I do hope that we can strengthen the cooperation between both our countries. And it is with a lot of satisfaction that I heard from President Trump the very same approach. And our services will then, therefore, be working together in the coming weeks and months to have a solid action map for that.
Regarding the situation in Iraq and in Syria, here again we agreed to continue to work together, in particular in order to be able to launch together some diplomatic initiatives in order to put in place a roadmap for what will come after the war.
We talked about our role, our post-conflict role, but initially we want to put in place a contact group in order to be more efficient, in order to be able to support what is being done by the United Nations, in order to support a political roadmap, in particular for Syria after the war. It is important to put in place some inclusive political solutions for that period of time. We know where destabilization comes from. The roadmap will take care of that. We'll cover it. And we'll also ask our diplomats and our staff to work along those lines so that, in the coming weeks, some concrete initiatives can be taken. And they're supported by the P5.
We also share the same intentions regarding Libya. And like I told President Trump, I very much want to take a number of diplomatic initiatives, strong ones, given the situation that we know, and which requires more stability and better control over the region.
On Libya or the Sahel, I think I can say that we have the same vision, a very coherent understanding of the situation in the region, and the same willingness to act very clearly against any form of terrorism and destabilization.
Next, climate. Well, here we know what our disagreements are. We have expressed them on a number of occasions. But I think it is important that we can continue to talk about it. I very much respect the decision taken by President Trump. He will work upon implementing his campaign promises. And as far as I'm concerned, I remain attached to the Paris Accord, and we'll make sure that, step by step, we can do everything which is in the accord.
Ladies and gentlemen, this is in summary what we've been talking about. We will continue with a friendly tone and informal one this evening. Regarding trade and security for both our countries, the fight against terrorism, stability in the Near and Middle East, in Libya or in the Sahel, I can say that we have a shared determination. The United States is extremely involved in the Iraq War, and I would like to thank President Trump for everything that's been done by the American troops against this background. But I would like him to know that I am fully determined to act together with him in this respect -- fully determined.”
Huh. It’s truly unfortunate that our reputation overseas is suffering so badly.
And honestly, we know that everyone reading this has enough sense to check out the news – or at least look for the news – if you want to learn anything beyond the bombastic and inflammatory headlines of the day. But just in case, we thought we’d list some of the world leaders the President has met with in recent weeks:
ALERT: Plausible but unlikely scenario: The reason White House.gov doesn't have speeches and excerpts and other information about the meetings with the above list of leaders posted and available is because the meetings were - one after the other - a disaster. They were full of insults, invective, tirades, criticisms, irrelevance, poorly chosen words or phrases, off-putting behavior, bad manners and dangerous topics handled in a careless manner.
Plausible - of course. Likely? No. Because had they been the maelstrom described above, the coverage would have been above the fold and MSNBC would have led with the coverage every night for two weeks.
Yeah well….but ... Russia! Jared! Healthcare! Russia (again!) Healthcare! Jared! Russia (still!)
Got it. We’re all certainly in the loop about the JarRusHealth news cycle. But we do wonder about those meetings? Those meetings with world leaders? Did they go...well...okay? (Why do we feel as clueless as a young person talking in upspeak?) Could we hear a little about those if it's not too much trouble? Think anything happened at any of ‘em?
Nah. Nothing to see here. Move along, folks.
So.....what did Mexico have to say? Anyone else wondering?
As usual, we’re taking a little stroll down memory lane, but this time we're not going to recap some of the most outrageous political stories that commanded our attention just about two weeks ago. (Yes, we know the world is full of interesting stories on multiple topics but at present, it seems that we’re most often horrified by the antics we watch unfold in Washington.) We know it’s not easy to keep track of all this activity, so this time, we're going to offer a very brief recap of what you may have missed in the midst of the mayhem. Happy to help.
Ready? Here we go – all excerpts from transcripts posted on White House.gov unless otherwise noted.
Remember this? July 6, Warsaw, Poland. President Trump speaking to the people of Poland. You couldn’t escape the coverage! It was everywhere!
“And when the day came on June 2nd, 1979, and one million Poles gathered around Victory Square for their very first mass with their Polish Pope, that day, every communist in Warsaw must have known that their oppressive system would soon come crashing down. (Applause.) They must have known it at the exact moment during Pope John Paul II’s sermon when a million Polish men, women, and children suddenly raised their voices in a single prayer. A million Polish people did not ask for wealth. They did not ask for privilege. Instead, one million Poles sang three simple words: “We Want God.” (Applause.)
In those words, the Polish people recalled the promise of a better future. They found new courage to face down their oppressors, and they found the words to declare that Poland would be Poland once again.
As I stand here today before this incredible crowd, this faithful nation, we can still hear those voices that echo through history. Their message is as true today as ever. The people of Poland, the people of America, and the people of Europe still cry out “We want God.” (Applause.)
Together, with Pope John Paul II, the Poles reasserted their identity as a nation devoted to God. And with that powerful declaration of who you are, you came to understand what to do and how to live. You stood in solidarity against oppression, against a lawless secret police, against a cruel and wicked system that impoverished your cities and your souls. And you won. Poland prevailed. Poland will always prevail. (Applause.)
AUDIENCE: Donald Trump! Donald Trump! Donald Trump!
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Thank you. You were supported in that victory over communism by a strong alliance of free nations in the West that defied tyranny. Now, among the most committed members of the NATO Alliance, Poland has resumed its place as a leading nation of a Europe that is strong, whole, and free.”
Poland? Who follows coverage about a visit to Poland? Well, the media should but let's leave that aside for now.
How about this one: July 13, 2017 – Remember that trip to France? Wait; let’s ask that another way: Do you remember anything about that trip other than the stories about President Trump telling France’s first Lady Brigitte Macron how attractive she is?
We didn’t think so.
In the interest of sharing information that may be useful and illuminating, here’s what President Emmanuel Macron had to say about the visit and the meetings the men held, presumably after he addressed President Trump’s surprisingly candid [and probably unwelcome/chauvinistic/anachronistic and sexist] assessment of his wife. The boldface is courtesy of TWAN, just so we don’t mislead anyone:
“Earlier today, we started by sharing part of our joint history at the Invalides Museum, the Army Museum. Then we had a working session. And I shall say that I'm extremely pleased about it. We've been able to talk about a number of topics of joint interest, and we underlined a number of shared convictions and, most importantly, a joint roadmap in order to work together in the coming month.
We agreed to implement free and fair trade, and in the field -- and this is the G20, in Hamburg, also expressed in terms of sensitivity. We want to work together in order to implement some efficient measures to tackle dumping anywhere it is taking place in all the fields, by sharing the information that we have and making sure that both the European Union and the United States can take the necessary measures in order to protect within the context of free trade, but of fair, free trade that we can protect all over sectors of activities where we are active.
We then had a long discussion which enabled us to cover all of the topics of international policies and the challenges -- the security challenges for the people as well. When it comes to fighting terrorism, from day one I can say that we've seen eye to eye, and we are strongly determined to take any necessary measures in order to root out terrorism and to eradicate it no matter where, in particular the narrative on the Internet. We agreed to strengthen our action and our cooperation in fighting against propaganda.
We want to get all the major operators to limit the propaganda, and also tackle cyber criminality. These topics, I believe, are fundamental. And I do hope that we can strengthen the cooperation between both our countries. And it is with a lot of satisfaction that I heard from President Trump the very same approach. And our services will then, therefore, be working together in the coming weeks and months to have a solid action map for that.
Regarding the situation in Iraq and in Syria, here again we agreed to continue to work together, in particular in order to be able to launch together some diplomatic initiatives in order to put in place a roadmap for what will come after the war.
We talked about our role, our post-conflict role, but initially we want to put in place a contact group in order to be more efficient, in order to be able to support what is being done by the United Nations, in order to support a political roadmap, in particular for Syria after the war. It is important to put in place some inclusive political solutions for that period of time. We know where destabilization comes from. The roadmap will take care of that. We'll cover it. And we'll also ask our diplomats and our staff to work along those lines so that, in the coming weeks, some concrete initiatives can be taken. And they're supported by the P5.
We also share the same intentions regarding Libya. And like I told President Trump, I very much want to take a number of diplomatic initiatives, strong ones, given the situation that we know, and which requires more stability and better control over the region.
On Libya or the Sahel, I think I can say that we have the same vision, a very coherent understanding of the situation in the region, and the same willingness to act very clearly against any form of terrorism and destabilization.
Next, climate. Well, here we know what our disagreements are. We have expressed them on a number of occasions. But I think it is important that we can continue to talk about it. I very much respect the decision taken by President Trump. He will work upon implementing his campaign promises. And as far as I'm concerned, I remain attached to the Paris Accord, and we'll make sure that, step by step, we can do everything which is in the accord.
Ladies and gentlemen, this is in summary what we've been talking about. We will continue with a friendly tone and informal one this evening. Regarding trade and security for both our countries, the fight against terrorism, stability in the Near and Middle East, in Libya or in the Sahel, I can say that we have a shared determination. The United States is extremely involved in the Iraq War, and I would like to thank President Trump for everything that's been done by the American troops against this background. But I would like him to know that I am fully determined to act together with him in this respect -- fully determined.”
Huh. It’s truly unfortunate that our reputation overseas is suffering so badly.
And honestly, we know that everyone reading this has enough sense to check out the news – or at least look for the news – if you want to learn anything beyond the bombastic and inflammatory headlines of the day. But just in case, we thought we’d list some of the world leaders the President has met with in recent weeks:
- President Peña Nieto, Mexico
- Prime Minister May, United Kingdom
- President Widodo, Indonesia
- Prime Minister Lee Hsian Loong, Singapore
- Prime Minister Abe, Japan
- President Xi, China
- Prime Minister Hariri of Lebanon
ALERT: Plausible but unlikely scenario: The reason White House.gov doesn't have speeches and excerpts and other information about the meetings with the above list of leaders posted and available is because the meetings were - one after the other - a disaster. They were full of insults, invective, tirades, criticisms, irrelevance, poorly chosen words or phrases, off-putting behavior, bad manners and dangerous topics handled in a careless manner.
Plausible - of course. Likely? No. Because had they been the maelstrom described above, the coverage would have been above the fold and MSNBC would have led with the coverage every night for two weeks.
Yeah well….but ... Russia! Jared! Healthcare! Russia (again!) Healthcare! Jared! Russia (still!)
Got it. We’re all certainly in the loop about the JarRusHealth news cycle. But we do wonder about those meetings? Those meetings with world leaders? Did they go...well...okay? (Why do we feel as clueless as a young person talking in upspeak?) Could we hear a little about those if it's not too much trouble? Think anything happened at any of ‘em?
Nah. Nothing to see here. Move along, folks.