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Subscribe to RSSDuring his meetings in South Korea on missile defense, President Obama was overheard telling Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to give him "space" until after November. NBC's Chuck Todd and Kristen Welker report.
SEOUL, South Korea -- It was a comment not intended for public consumption, and another lesson for President Barack Obama on the importance of being careful about what you say around microphones, especially in an election year.
At the end of a 90-minute meeting between Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Monday, journalists rushed in to hear remarks from the leaders about the content of their talks.
Journalists spied the two leaders leaning close together and talking in hushed tones. According to those in the room, the conversation was difficult to hear but the videotape revealed Obama asking the Russian leader to wait until after the November election before pushing forward on the topic of a planned missile defense shield.
Photos: Obama and Medvedev talk nukes
"Pool" videotape provided more information about the conversation between the two leaders:
Obama: This is my last election…After my election I have more flexibility.
Medvedev: I understand. I will transmit this information to Vladimir.
While most journalists didn't catch the rest, one Russian reporter managed to record the context with his equipment.
Obama: On all these issues, but particularly missile defense, this, this can be solved but it's important for him to give me space.
Medvedev: Yeah, I understand. I understand your message about space. Space for you...
Obama: This is my last election…After my election I have more flexibility.
Medvedev: I understand. I will transmit this information to Vladimir.
The planned anti-ballistic shield system has been one of many sore spots between the two world powers in the last few years.
Obama says US can reduce nuclear stockpile
Moscow says it fears the system would weaken Russia by gaining the capability to shoot down the nuclear missiles it relies on as a deterrent. It wants a legally binding pledge from the United States that Russia's nuclear forces would not be targeted by the system.
White House Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes said the overheard comments were not a departure from the Administration's stated policy and responded to the exchange with the following statement:
“The United States is committed to implementing our missile defense system, which we’ve repeatedly said is not aimed at Russia. However, given the longstanding difference between the US and Russia on this issue, it will take time and technical work before we can try to reach an agreement. Since 2012 is an election year in both countries, 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. Therefore, President Obama and President Medvedev agreed that it was best to instruct our technical experts to do the work of better understanding our respective positions, providing space for continued discussions on missile defense cooperation going forward.”
Medvedev may have told Obama that he understands Obama's predicament, but the White House has been under increasing pressure on the issue. Last week, the Russian leader gave a downbeat assessment of global security and international relations, saying the "Euro-Atlantic" security community he had hoped to create remained a "myth."
Medvedev, who will be succeeded by Vladimir Putin in May, said Moscow was unconvinced by the argument that the planned missile defense shield was intended as protection against a missile attack by countries such as Iran.
"We have time (for an agreement) but it is running out, and I think that it would be in our mutual benefit to reach mutually acceptable agreements," Medvedev told a security conference.
"The main thing is that we must hear one simple thing - hear it and receive confirmation: 'Respected friends from Russia, our missile defense is not aimed against Russian nuclear forces.' This must be affirmed, not in a friendly chat over a cup of tea or a glass of wine, but in a document."
NBC News' Alicia Jennings and Kristen Welker, and Reuters contributed to this report.
Leave a Comment:
Obama would sell us down the river in a heartbeat; so would most in the the media.
Would? He just did!
Yes he did!
It's funny how the topics change from one minute to the next, but back to the health mandates and being 'unconstitutional'. Why is it that HAVING to buy health insurance or face a fine 'unconstitutional'? I don't get it. If I don't have insurance on my car, in Utah it's a $400 fine. WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? Why is it ok for the government to say you HAVE to have car insurance OR ELSE - but if the government says you HAVE to have health insurance OR ELSE is 'unconstitutional'? I'm thinking it must have been a Republican Government who made us have car insurance.
JRock, its good to know Im not the only one asking that question! The media is derelict of their duty.
Because the insurance on your car is insurance of liability to guarantee you can pay for damages. If you wish to kill yourself with drugs, alcohol or high risk lifestyle why should I have to pay. Especially when certain groups will not have to pay anything.
Just like they want smaller government, but want to controll what a woman does with her body. 'GET THE GOV OUT OF THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE' was the chant a few years ago. Now you WANT them in there.
JRock99 - The bright side is if SCOTUS finds "Obamacares!" unconstitutional, we all know what is perfectly constitutional, right? Single payer like VA or Medicare, but for ALL AMERICANS. And with Pres. BO's re-election, he'll get it passed by 2016. Blessing in disguise
Driving is not a right or a necessity it is a privilege. Living is a RIGHT that is given, you know, inalienable. In case you don't know that is in our Constituion. Oh, sorry, I forgot, you dems think the constitution is wrong...wow that then explains it. Sorry I said anything.
The most telling thing, about the Medvedev-Obama exchange, was the quote "I'll tell Vladimir!"..... I wonder if that will cause the Russian people to think twice about the Putin regime?
No their votes were easily be bought with a mickey of vodka .They're not all that bright .
like the fools that put odumbo in office..
never trust ANYONE named vladimir..
END THE ERROR!
OMG2012
If they think freely at all they will be thrown into prison...and Obama wants to meet secretly with who? I wonder why, cause he ain't saying obviously. Again can not help but woder why.
Lesson Learned: Never hire someone from Chicago to do an American's job.
Never take a shower with a sailor either!
Obamas mouth waters when thinking of Putin...he would really like to have the power over the vote like Putin has. Democracy is ajoke in Russia, the vote is controlled by Putin. Maybe the dems would like that kinda vote..no id's required jusst vote as often as you like.
The shame! The first politician to play politics! Calm down, Obama haters. I doubt that any of you had a problem with Bush and Blair trying to provoke Saddam Hussein to shoot down a U2 spy plane as a justification for war.
We're calm ....
Obama out in 2012 ....
Another example of Obama's Foot N Mouth....
Yes, Obama has had a few. Not a page full, but a couple.... "corpse-men" comes to mind. But, I couldn't finish the book of funny quotes by "he-who-shall-not-be-named"! Oh, after that, the novel of quotes by Quayle.
It just proved that without his teleprompter, he isn't all that sharp.
Roadkill .....we'll follow thta up wiht a novel from Dumbiden!!!! Quayle aint got nuttin on that fool
DON'T RE-NIG IN 2012
fingers...
As much as I dislike Obama, your comment is totally inappropriate. I think we all know what you meant by "re-nig". Shame on you. Our cause doesn't need comments like that!
9fingers? You ain't got no class.
Never fear. The country is in excellent hands. Go crawl back under the rock
Really? Maybe that is the entire problem....
WTF, you bought a German gun from Russian? I know you're from TN but man that was stupid.
Check it out, all the collapsed comments by the community. Must be because they are expressing one of the few freedoms we still have (aka. freedom of speech) but is in danger of peril at the hands of our incompetent leaders seeking another term as usual, election before America.
I thought the same thing jm!
After opening and reading many of the "collapsed by the community posts", it appears to me that many of them are critical of our Failure-in-Chief. Could it be that those collapsing the comments don't want people reading the truth about how he can't be trusted and that he is a betrayer behind our backs?
Assbagma=WORST PRES. EVER!!!!!
I love all the variations of his name hahahaha
Apparently, the "hot mic" is about the way the public will hear an honest statement from a certain Marxist ideologue now living in the White House. The communist President of Russia understood very clearly the implications of President Obama's statement and vowed to pass on that bit of information to Vladimir Putin. It's only liberal Americans that don't get it. They'll still be blaming George Bush and the Tea Party when all our freedoms are gone.
What a line up we have for this years election candidates. Obama is lobbying to have important issues shrugged off till AFTER his election, because that's all he is concerned about right now. Romney, who is hiding his money in offshore accounts so that he doesn't have to pay taxes on it, and Santorum who can't even keep his cool when he is under pressure around a few reporters. If he can't even stay cool around a few reporters how is he going to keep his cool under the pressure of running an entire country? America we have some real "winners" lined up for this year's election let me tell you.
anybody but obama..
ABO2012
I personally don't see what the issue was here, but to me it seems that many people are looking for any reason not to elect President Obama because many do not want things to get better. One must admit that things have picked up, and things have been getting better under the current administration prior to the previous administration of Cheney and Bush. Jobs are on the rise, wars slowly calming down, and the economy is slowly being brought back into a stable condition, so whats the problem?! Many people who lack knowledge constantly keep yelling "Time for Change" but yet cannot understand that their ways of thinking is the first priority in change. (Just look at the Re-Nig comment above for further proof!)
To those that keep yelling get rid of Obama, and time for change I ask you this, "Who would you put into office that will do a better job at making the economy, and many situations in America more stable than whats happening now?" Who?
Rick Santorum? A man who hates the gay population, a man whose idea is to set the times back to the 1900 where slavery was more dominant, and woman was considered nothing more but a human incubator and had no voice to vote for what she believes in, a man who is trying to force his views on religion to those who have free will to believe what they choose to believe in?
Mitt Romney? A man who will say anything and everything just to get votes to be in a power of position to implement more confusion. Enough said
Newt Gingrich? A man who constantly screams and point the finger at others for their mistakes, while making those very same mistakes himself, proving that he is also a hypocrite and cannot be trusted.
Ron Paul? A man who is saying what we all know that needs to improve, but yet secretly shares the same ideals as those mentioned above, proving that many of you are getting manipulated out of votes just to put the same individuals in power who cares nothing about your best interests.
In truth many politicians say what they think you want to hear just to get into positions of power, but lets be honest things have and is getting better under President Obama, many of you are just buying into all the hate propaganda provided by the manipulated mainstream media, and just cannot agree with any decision our current president provides based on his skin complexion. Many people have never step foot into a country where socialism is implemented, but yet scream at it like its a plague or make it out to be a form of evil based on their lack of knowledge.
Socialism:
a theory or system of social organization that advocates the vesting of the ownership and control of the means of production and distribution, of capital, land, etc., in the community as a whole.
the community as a whole would refer to US THE PEOPLE. If implemented here, this means that the american citizen would be responsible for production of goods, land, and others things and we wouldn't depend solely on corrupt government officials. Since many Americans lack knowledge, or are materialistic or greedy, many cannot understand the meaning of socialism. Many people have no idea that some of the government programs they are on are a form of socialism but yet lack the knowledge to understand. If you take medicare, food stamps, or any other free government assistant, or feel that everyone should be treated as equal and share to better increase production or believe that the power should lie within the people YOU SUPPORT SOCIALISM.
Please understand that this is not a bad word or way of thinking. This just simply means you want to see the country progress as it should, and that the old primitive ways of putting the corrpt in rule over you need to cease to exist, to usher in a new age were peace, love and wisdom is the true way to live so that humanity can finally grow up and evolve as we truly should. Good luck guys!
Shadow, you asked who could we could put in office that would do a better job than the current President; I suggest you pick a name from the phone book, any name will do.
I do agree with you that the Republican Party line up is lacking to say the least, but compared to this president they're like comparing Ronald Reagan to Jimmy Carter.
shadowland..
heed the words of winston churchill..
"The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings; the inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries."
pick your poison..
i would rather have the chance to choose my own destiny..
you will wallow in mediocrity in an entitlement society..
And just how have they gotten so much better in 3 years?????????????
I understand everyone's frustration, but again things are getting better under Obama. I myself do not agree with everything president Obama has done, but when I see change and when I see things getting better, I would not put more individuals in power that will only dismantle the little progress that is going on like in earlier times. Many people elected Bush Jr for two terms even though the country was spiraling out of control under his administration and they knew about it, but yet many are trying to give president Obama one term even though the country is being repaired from the mess of the previous administrations only because things are not changing as quickly as many would like or because of racial profiling.
If I had the choice to pick my poison, I would rather have the inherent virtue is the equal sharing of miseries. Why? because in truth we are all in this together. We are all looking for solutions to better our world, we are all breathing air that is polluted, we are all eating foods with toxins that are damaging our future generations, and we are all tired of the wars and separation brought on by hate and lust for power. We can all change this situation around and we can all help each other find our destiny as a whole, but first we must understand that we are all connected and if one of us is miserable we are all miserable. In truth mankind shares only but one destiny, and thats to live in peace, love, and wisdom and grow to be the best as we were meant to be throughout this universe and more to come.
Just look around you. Do you not see people working again? Do you not see the economy slowly rising when it was once non-existent? Do you not see how many people are bonding together in tragedies, when before the mentality was once "oh well atleast it wasn't me"? The world is changing, and as a whole we need to change with it, or get left behind in the old primitive ways of hate, war, greed, and violence where the only person is it going to effect is you. 2012 signifies change, change within the world, change within the people, and change within the universe and universes that we have not discovered yet. I know they are not changing as fast as many would like, but to all who are impatient, and cannot see past the hate GROW UP! we do not always get what we want, and we do not always get them when we want them, how we want them. (the simplest of children can understand this, why is it that their parents are having a hard time learning this in the year 2012?!)
The road to evolution and wisdom is very long and very hard, but as a whole we can make it pleasant for each other while we are waiting to get there.
shadowland get a life..
our founding fathers founded this country to escape the persecution of socialism and the ruling class that was enslaving the country..it was founded to seek peace, wisdom, individuality, and most of all, freedom..
i would never share a commune with the likes of you, living off society, and begging for food..
hippies live an easy non-stressful live.. off the backs of hardworking tax paying citizens..
you are living in fantasy land.. waiting to get where our founding fathers fought to get away from..
the proletariat and the ruling class in the realm that you speak of will eat you up and give you a shovel
ready job picking up their excrement..
minorities will not be included into the ruling class..
ronaswyhod
shadowland get a life..
our founding fathers founded this country to escape the persecution of socialism and the ruling class that was enslaving the country..it was founded to seek peace, wisdom, individuality, and most of all, freedom..
i would never share a commune with the likes of you, living off society, and begging for food..
hippies live an easy non-stressful live.. off the backs of hardworking tax paying citizens..
you are living in fantasy land.. waiting to get where our founding fathers fought to get away from..
the proletariat and the ruling class in the realm that you speak of will eat you up and give you a shovel
ready job picking up their excrement..
minorities will not be included into the ruling class..
There are too many errors in your post, to even begin to try to explain them to you would be irrelevant, so I will ask you two quick question:
1. When our Forefathers came over across from over seas and so called discovered America, when they sat down with the natives that were already living here and shared food, ideas, wisdom, pleasures, and negotiations of living in peace and wisdom was this a form of Socialism? or Communism?
2. Since there was already peace, freedom, and wisdom in America BEFORE our forefathers got here, when they decided to rape, kill, burn, and destroy the natives to claim America for their own, were they truly seeking Peace love and wisdom?
oh and by the way I make a living just like you and everyone else in the middle class, who wish for wars to end, and a healthy living for our loved ones. For you to say I am begging for food is foolish, when all I am speaking about is that as mankind we should all look out for one another no matter of race, gender, or wealth status. In short WE ALL LOOK OUT FOR ONE ANOTHER RICH AND POOR.
ronaswyhod, you tell shadowhand to get a life, I strongly suggest you get an education beyond the third grade.
once you learn little things like history, then you can talk to the adults
Pres. BO is the greatest Commander-in-Chief of the last 50 years.
I'm beginning to see how God really does bless America. Obama will be re-elected and he'll take us back to being a peaceful nation. Remember how passionate Reagan was about proliferation?
Bullet dodged (literally) with McCain and Romney defeats
You must be typing in your dreams ....
You're truly and idiot if you actually believe that.
Kate is BEYOND an idiot if she believes that!
Katewins - She got a trifecta!
Kate wins??? Biggest MORON prize??!!!
Kate..WAKE UP!!!!
Ok KATE now you have me confused because all your other lib friends are claiming how Reagan wanted to reduce miliraty nuclear arsenal???
I'm confused!!!! Please help????
barack huessin obama...hmmm...hmmm..hmmm
end the error
abo2012
Doesn't seem like much to me. But of course the bloodhounds will undoubtedly find something sinister in his comment.
Fetch idiots. Fetch.
When he fronts a hard-line stance toward Russia to assure his re-election and then sets a deal with Putin off the record for after his "re-election," then yes, he is being pretty damned sinister.
If you cannot see his willingness to lie to you for his political benefit there, then it is YOU who is the idiot.
Go watch your purple dinosaur on the TV.
And how much is he going to be able to accomplish, while having to deal with the new freshman class, in order to get re-elected?
I don't see a direct correlation between asking for time, and changing from a hard-line stance.
But i'm sure you do in your fictional world where purple dinosaurs exist.
what the hell do you mean 'caught'...?! caught doing what? saying he's "tired of swatting flies" so we should manufacture evidence and attack a different country?
Who manufactured evidence?? when ....where?? tell me smarty pants????
...The danger to America is not Barack Obama but a citizenry capable of entrusting an inexperienced man like him with the Presidency.... It will be far easier to limit and undo the follies of an Obama presidency than to restore the necessary common sense and good judgment to a depraved electorate willing to have such a man for their president. The problem is much deeper and far more serious than Mr. Obama, who is a mere symptom of what ails America--- Blaming the prince of the fools should not blind anyone to the vast confederacy of fools that made him their prince.
The Republic can survive a Barack Obama. It is less likely to survive a multitude of Idiots such as those who made him their president....
You sold yourself down the river with norquist, walt.
FINALLY!!! YES!!! The most open and transparent administration EVER!!!
Too bad it was while trying to hide the truth ....again.... in another election just to get elected. Wonder how much more twisting, lying, and cover ups he'll engage in before Nov????
Obama LIED...The economy DIED
For those liberals out there who post on this website. MSNBC is one of the most pro Obama (and therefor most liberal) media outlets in the US. Yet if you notice here that the overwhelming responses are for the removal of Obama.
It seems to me that we have the grand ol' case of covert espionage. What we have is two strong nations bound together by a peace treaty act attempting to defuse any nuclear strikes or wars by testing their defense systems of the such and on the other hand we have a third country who was once a great power during the cold war known as Russia demanding an approach on the issue for the sole purpose of becoming a [soviet union]. I think the telephone conversation was compelling yet not informative enough to even for a moment think that Korea and United States were planning what a Russian reporter believes as treason.
When conspiracy enters into the playing fields of war such as the circumstances discussed in this topic two great countries ruled by progression, strife and wealth can easily get diverted and cause a catastrophe because a third party wants to remove the restrictions of what two countries are forming otherwise known as a peace treaty and defense response system in case of a nuclear strike.
Why do you think russia has the evil eye pointed towards the U.S and mitigating Koreas role in the agenda?
listen...
russia, like the mooslems, are out to destroy america..
i would feel a lot safer if we had our missiles pointed towards the evil empire..
with their new found oil wealth, the red army are again building their weaponry..
odumbo, in all his naivete, is downgrading this country..
if russia becomes the world dominant power.. which they will if odumbo stays in office..
we will be known as amerika..
there are people that want to destroy this country..
obama and some of you on this vine are recognizable by your feedback..
trolls from Media Matters..
the dark side..
BigBenAlaska and Nevada-Brett, get a room, if you want to continue to kiss each other's arses. Feel free to take any of your new con friends on this thread here with you.
Wow...do you people HONESTLY think there's anything wrong with what he said? All he said was to wait until after the election before they talked more about it. He deferred to a later time. The more I read some of these posts, the more I'm convinced America is full of idiots!
yes missy cause he is a failure on the topic...doesnt want to he failure to show BEFORE the election so he can hide and LIE to the american people on just how ignorant he is???
AND he knows theres NOTHING he can do about it and doesnt want to admit it!! HE CAN NOT enter into a treaty WITHOUT congress and he KNOWS they will NOT go along wiht ANYTHING that would comprimise the security of the USA.......contrary to his disdain for the Constitution
Thank goodness we have folks like you Missy to enlighten us....what's it like to live on a higher plane, trusting implicitly in the words and deeds of this administration? After all, President Obama and his Marxist thugs have shot straight with us so far haven't they?
You are right and we are being led by one.
Typical politician' selling out the American public - he really thinks you people are dumb a$$e$.
But then' if you are a Demwit ' er excuse me I mean Democrap..............you probably are an idiot.
I don't trust any of the Ba$tards and Bitche$ their all low life scum.