Fragile Bird Posted December 10, 2013 Share Posted December 10, 2013 This morning at Nelson Mandela's memorial service in South Africa, Barack Obama shook the hand of Raul Castro, in front of the whole world watching on television. Already this is being analyzed and interpreted as Obama indicating he would be open to relaxing the relationship between the USA and Cuba, with a note of some caution. Bill Clinton shook the hand of Fidel Castro at the UN on one occasion and nothing developed out of that greeting, but, significantly, it was done behind closed doors and the White House initially denied it had happened. It will be interesting to see if this becomes one of those moments in time we will look back on as a memorable turning point in recent history. The handshake. And, btw, Obama shook the hand of the president of Brazil as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deleted01 Posted December 10, 2013 Share Posted December 10, 2013 I know nothing about politics, but isn't it just polite to shake someone's hand? Maybe any animosity was put behind them for the time being, out of respect for Nelson Mandela. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horza Posted December 10, 2013 Share Posted December 10, 2013 That this is even a thing is... kinda depressing really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fragile Bird Posted December 10, 2013 Author Share Posted December 10, 2013 Dracarya, handshakes can be very important symbolically. There are many world leaders, I'm sure, who would not shake hands with certain other world leaders. The Middle East immediately comes to mind. Horza, come on, you should find this an encouraging sign. Or are you waiting for a handshake between the US and North Korea? :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MercenaryChef Posted December 10, 2013 Share Posted December 10, 2013 Call me when we see the president fist bump with satan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inigima Posted December 10, 2013 Share Posted December 10, 2013 Wait, you guys think this will be good press? For now, at least, this is going to be used to "prove" that Obama is really a commie Marxist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howdyphillip Posted December 10, 2013 Share Posted December 10, 2013 Call me when we see the president fist bump with satan Acording to my Facebook page, which is filled with conservative idiots, Obama and Satan are the same person... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fragile Bird Posted December 10, 2013 Author Share Posted December 10, 2013 I don't doubt there will be negative feedback. Ted Cruz, a person I am not exactly a fan of, said some good things about Nelson Mandela on his death and received some nasty blowback from his now ex-supporters. I am sure there are people in Florida foaming at the mouth at this very moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitestripe Posted December 10, 2013 Share Posted December 10, 2013 Acording to my Facebook page, which is filled with conservative idiots, Obama and Satan are the same person... I don't even friend those idiots...except for a few people from high school who I have inadvertently accepted their friend requests.... and then they post prayers and PICTURES OF THEIR GRANDCHILDREN! (these people are only in their young 40's!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inigima Posted December 10, 2013 Share Posted December 10, 2013 My favorite politican now singing Mandela's praises is Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ), who lobbied for apartheid back in the day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pero the first of His name Posted December 10, 2013 Share Posted December 10, 2013 I thought this would be about some cool, complicated handshake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fragile Bird Posted December 10, 2013 Author Share Posted December 10, 2013 Er, it was. :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Castel Posted December 10, 2013 Share Posted December 10, 2013 I know nothing about politics, but isn't it just polite to shake someone's hand? Maybe any animosity was put behind them for the time being, out of respect for Nelson Mandela. Politeness is overrated when it comes to politics. Personally, I'm holding out for a terrorist fist jab with Kim Jong-un. How awesome it must be to be able to pull shit out of your ass wholecloth and get paid for it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wise Fool Posted December 10, 2013 Share Posted December 10, 2013 Wait, you guys think this will be good press? For now, at least, this is going to be used to "prove" that Obama is really a commie Marxist. This is definitely how some people are going to spin it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slayer420 Posted December 10, 2013 Share Posted December 10, 2013 I don't think is should be a big deal or will be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramsay B. Posted December 10, 2013 Share Posted December 10, 2013 This is definitely how some people are going to spin it.Yup. I'm gonna bring it up to my conservative, Limbaugh listening co-workers and see if they say that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gneisenau Posted December 11, 2013 Share Posted December 11, 2013 Beh who cares about the hand shake, I wanna see Obama's selfie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maarsen Posted December 11, 2013 Share Posted December 11, 2013 This morning at Nelson Mandela's memorial service in South Africa, Barack Obama shook the hand of Raul Castro, in front of the whole world watching on television. Already this is being analyzed and interpreted as Obama indicating he would be open to relaxing the relationship between the USA and Cuba, with a note of some caution. Bill Clinton shook the hand of Fidel Castro at the UN on one occasion and nothing developed out of that greeting, but, significantly, it was done behind closed doors and the White House initially denied it had happened. It will be interesting to see if this becomes one of those moments in time we will look back on as a memorable turning point in recent history. The handshake. And, btw, Obama shook the hand of the president of Brazil as well. At Pierre Trudeau's funeral I know an eyewitness who saw Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton meet and shake hands with Fidel Castro. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fragile Bird Posted December 11, 2013 Author Share Posted December 11, 2013 maarsen, the CBC said it was Carter who shook Fidel's hand (nothing about Clinton), and Carter was long retired. Also, the CBC is reporting that the reaction in Cuba has been very, very happy over the handshake, and people are reading an awful lot into it. Time will tell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StormRhage Posted December 11, 2013 Share Posted December 11, 2013 That this is even a thing is... kinda depressing really. Agree people are behaving so petty it's not good for Americans/America. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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