Reporting from China this morning, the BBC’s John Simpson told the Today show that the Chinese government was “relieved” that Barack Obama — “the devil” they “know” — was reelected. Why? A “senior and well connected source” within the Chinese government informed Simpson that:
“We know that, actually, when the chips are down we can push Obama around. He will back down in front of us…They don’t think he’s a powerful, strong president.”
“They believe,” Simpson continued,
“that the United States anyway is now weaker than it has been, so of course they want that combination of a president that they feel is not particularly strong in a country that they feel is visibly weakening.”
And what does Benjamin Netanyahu think of a second Obama term?
“I should think he’s really disappointed. He threw everything that he could, including calling Mr. Obama — effectivelly calling him — weak in dealing with Iran. Including saying more openly that he wasn’t the kind of friend that Israel would have chosen. He didn’t use those words but that was very clear, so he must feel that he’s got the wrong president there.”
Well, as long as we’ve got our priorities straight.