Tulsi Gabbard enters the presidential race

[Ant22]

Tulsi Gabbard was interviewed on The View to discuss her 2020 presidential run, and at one point Meghan McCain confronted her over Syria.

At 1:58 she is asked about being a strict non-interventionist. She answers that the invaded countries are not better off as a result of the US interventions. There is more suffering as a result.

At 5:20 Meghan McCain joins the conversation and calls Gabbard an "Assad apologist" who thinks Assad's "gassing his own people" caused less suffering than the US intervention there. Tulsi replies that there is "no disputing the fact that Bashar al-Assad and Syria is a brutal dictator" who has "used chemical weapons and other weapons against his people."

Interesting. Next thing we know they'll portray Gabbard as someone who prefers to allow children to suffer in the hands of an evil dictator than allow America to "save" them. The war promoting agenda hasn't changed much since the poor children in incubators.

I can imagine Gabbard would be shot down in flames if she started claiming publically that Assad is not an evil dictator and the whole narrative was stitched to justify yet another intervention to an ignorant nation.

I guess she does think Assad is evil and it reminds me of Jordan Peterson's views on geopolitics and evil dictators. The Middle East is such a blind spot for the good guys.

Here's an article summarising the interview:

'He's used chemical weapons': Meghan McCain confronts Tulsi Gabbard over Syrian president

Meghan McCain didn't hold back any criticism of 2020 hopeful Tulsi Gabbard on Wednesday during an appearance on ABC's \

eu.usatoday.com

WASHINGTON – Meghan McCain didn't hold back any criticism of 2020 hopeful Tulsi Gabbard on Wednesday during an appearance on ABC's "The View."

During Gabbard's appearance on Wednesday, co-host McCain questioned the Hawaiian Democrat's views on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who earlier this month she said was not an enemy of the U.S.

Gabbard's appearance started warm. She told hosts why she was joining the large pool of Democratic candidates vying for the White House and talked about her military service overseas in Iraq.

But as she started talking about her views on when the U.S. should get involved in regime-change wars and stressed her non-interventionist approach, including with the ongoing conflict in Syria, McCain stopped her.

"Can I interrupt you?" asked McCain, the daughter of the late Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain.

"When I hear the name Tulsi Gabbard, I think of Assad apologist," McCain started. "I think of someone who comes back to the United States and is spouting propaganda from Syria."

She continued, seeming to target Gabbard's heavily criticized visit to Syria in 2016 where she met with Assad, who is accused of war crimes including using chemical weapons on his people.

Gabbard said at the time it was important to meet with adversaries if "you are serious about pursuing peace."

McCain thanked Gabbard for her military service then questioned Gabbard's stance on Syria and Assad.

"You have said that the Syrian president, Assad, is not the enemy of the United States yet he’s used chemical weapons against his own people 300 times," McCain said. She questioned Gabbard's view on regime-change wars being hurtful and asked wouldn't his use of chemical gas on children be more harmful overall.

"It's hard for me to understand where you come from, from a humanitarian standpoint if you were to become president," McCain said.

Gabbard replied by saying that McCain had put words in her mouth and said that what the issue boils down to whether U.S. involvement has helped the situation in Syria.

"This regime change war we've been waging in Syria has not helped the Syrian people, it has made their lives worse off," Gabbard said. "It has also undermined our national security."

She added that there was "no disputing the fact that Bashar al-Assad and Syria is a brutal dictator" who has "used chemical weapons and other weapons against his people."

But, she added while the U.S. has been involved, al-Qaeda has formed a stronghold in the country. She said as president she would push to solve the conflict in a peaceful manner.

Gabbard's presidential campaign has gotten a rocky start since she announced in last month.

She apologized over her past remarks and actions against members of the LGBTQ community and has had hiccups with her staff. She has also faced backlash over her comments about Assad and her previous visit with the leader.

 

[Hi_Henry]

I'm of the opinion that "The Machine" needs to destroy itself. I do not believe that an individual as a president will do it. Hence Gabbard for me is just a feel good candidate as were the previous two presidents.

By the way, about 17 minutes into that interview, Rogan opines that the US is in the state it's in because "there must be way more sociopaths out there than '1 in 100'," before suggesting it's as high as 10%.

ADDED: Ugh, he's still pretty dumb though. Believes the 'Russia-hacked-our-elections' BS

Yes, in this interview Rogan is singing the Deep State tunes, the evil North Korea, Libya nuclear weapons etc. Gabbard brings truth to this issue but I doubt CNN/FOX News fed viewers will understand the arguments she makes. To these people evil is evil and we must "help" to remove it as they are fed this "news diet" since cradle.

The "Libya and the Nuclear Weapons" canard.

With relations severed with Pakistan, Gaddafi normalized relations with India in 1978, and Gaddafi reached a mutual understanding with India for civil nuclear cooperation, as part of India's Atoms for Peace program. With the Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi visiting Libya in 1984, a nuclear energy pact was signed by Libya and India, but it is unclear how much interaction and cooperation took place.[3][19] Throughout the 1980s, Libyan efforts continued to push for acquiring nuclear weapons from various sources. In an ingenious persuasion to uranium enrichment in 1978, Libya made an effort to gain access to uranium ore, uranium conversion facilities, and enrichment techniques that together would have enabled Libya to produce weapons-grade uranium. The approach failed in 1979, and in 1980 Libya decided to pursue a plutonium-based pathway to nuclear weapons. Libya imported 1,200 tons of uranium ore concentrate from French-controlled mines in Niger without declaring it to the IAEA, as required by its safeguards agreement. In 1982, Libya attempted to enter in an agreement with Belgium for purchasing a small plant for manufacturing UF4. At the time, Libya had no declared nuclear facilities that required UF4, and the purchase was refused.[3]

To have a weapon operational you NEED TO TEST IT. Did Libya test a bomb ? Answer is NO. Whatever it had WEST knew it all as seen by the names of the countries in the above quote. So talking about a threat of nuclear weapons and Libya is pure propaganda and fake news spreading.

The "We don't learn from ..." is another one of those popular memes offered the sleeping Public. Complete meaningless nonsense.

 

[Windmill knight]

I can imagine Gabbard would be shot down in flames if she started claiming publically that Assad is not an evil dictator and the whole narrative was stitched to justify yet another intervention to an ignorant nation.

Yes. It's a bit like the Israel issue. A US candidate will simply not even make it to the primaries if s/he is not totally on board with adoring Israel. In the case of Syria, the whole US media agrees in unison that 'Assad is a brutal dictator', so realistically she has no hope whatsoever of convincing the public is not like that, or even suggesting there are nuances, and on top of that having them vote for her!

I guess she does think Assad is evil and it reminds me of Jordan Peterson's views on geopolitics and evil dictators. The Middle East is such a blind spot for the good guys.

I don't know. She's met Assad, she sounded pretty smart before, and her knowledge of geopolitics seems to be much more detailed than Peterson's, so for now I'm guessing she's just trying to be 'wise as a serpent'. But we'll see!

 

[genero81]

She's going to be torn to shreds in the media from now until November 2020. I hope she's up for it.

I'm just seeing this thread. You were spot on with that comment, Beau.

 

[Mark7]

I like her but I fear she will pander to the climate change and identity politics factions too much.

 

[DianaRose94]

Yes. It's a bit like the Israel issue. A US candidate will simply not even make it to the primaries if s/he is not totally on board with adoring Israel. In the case of Syria, the whole US media agrees in unison that 'Assad is a brutal dictator', so realistically she has no hope whatsoever of convincing the public is not like that, or even suggesting there are nuances, and on top of that having them vote for her!



I don't know. She's met Assad, she sounded pretty smart before, and her knowledge of geopolitics seems to be much more detailed than Peterson's, so for now I'm guessing she's just trying to be 'wise as a serpent'. But we'll see!

I second that. She's met Assad and I'm about sure I saw a comment of hers stating that she believed the US should work with him, granted this was a few years ago. But on this occasion, she's probably being strategic and playing a long game.

However, as much as I like Tulsi, I don't see much significance in her entering the race. The show ends the same anyway, does it not? This -- the US election, Brexit, the newest sensation, the so-called Isis Bride, and all the other political shenanigans -- they're all smoke and mirrors. Besides, matters may escalate in such a way that there might not even be a 2020 US election!

 

[angelburst29]

Tulsi Gabbard was interviewed on The View to discuss her 2020 presidential run, and at one point Meghan McCain confronted her over Syria.

I just watched the 9 minute video and I'm not impressed with her - running for "any" public office - let alone the Presidency! I've seen other video clips of her and she always sounds like she's been "coached" and doesn't deviate from a set pattern?

I also have a problem with the way Gabbard answers questions? No matter how straight forward the question might be, she will start out with a narrative on a related topic and try to side step the question, itself. Just like when Meghan McCain interrupted Gabbard twice, "If Assad was a dictator"? Then Gabbard answers in the "affirmative" and goes on a tangent on how Assad has used chemical weapons on his own people ...

Oh, PLEASE ... we have enough squirrels nesting in Washington ... we don't need to adopt another one!

 

[3DStudent]

I've seen other video clips of her and she always sounds like she's been "coached" and doesn't deviate from a set pattern?

As much as I am rooting for her and would like to see her win, if just for a small victory to balance things, I noticed that too. To me it comes off as a lack of personality and a sort of leveled demeanor without any extremes. But maybe it's a sort of stoic politician demeanor? I'm basing this on mostly having listened to her Joe Rogan interview that took place a few months ago.

Maybe I'm looking too much into it. But I guess I am a hopeful for her. Again, if only as another win for the underdogs. And maybe I should just focus more on being a better me than yesterday?

 

[angelburst29]

As much as I am rooting for her and would like to see her win, if just for a small victory to balance things, I noticed that too. To me it comes off as a lack of personality and a sort of leveled demeanor without any extremes. But maybe it's a sort of stoic politician demeanor? I'm basing this on mostly having listened to her Joe Rogan interview that took place a few months ago.

Getting down to basics, Tulsi Gabbard gave a formal announcement as a potential 2020 presidential candidate. Think in terms of a job interview. ... you submit an application and on the resume' - you list your qualifications and education status and any other qualifying attributes that can/could enhance your talents for the job. So, let's see what Tulsi Gabbard has in experience and educational background to warrant a top position in the White House as an elected President?

Jan 12, 2019 - Who Is Tulsi Gabbard? Everything You Need to Know About the 2020 Presidential Candidate
Everything You Need to Know About Tulsi Gabbard, Who Just Announced Her 2020 Presidential Run

Here's what you need to know about Gabbard as she gears up for her presidential run in the Democratic primaries.

1. She was born in American Samoa
Gabbard, who is only 37 years old, was born in Leloaloa, American Samoa in 1981 and moved to Hawaii when she was two.

2. Her Congressional election made history in multiple ways.
If elected, Gabbard would be the first woman to become president of the United States. It's a big challenge, but one Gabbard, who is no stranger to blazing trails and making history, is more than up for facing. When she was elected to Congress in 2012 (and then sworn in in 2013), she became both the first American Samoan and the first Hindu elected as a congressional representative in the United States.

3. She's a war veteran.
In 2004, Gabbard joined the Hawaii Army National Guard. She served in a combat zone field medical unit in Iraq from 2004 to 2005 before being deployed to Kuwait for a time. She returned from duty in Iraq in 2006 and began working as an aide for Hawaii Senator Daniel Akaka in Washington, DC, but continued her involvement with the National Guard.

While working as an aide on Capitol Hill, Gabbard enrolled in Officer Candidate School at the Alabama Military Academy and once again made history when she graduated as the first woman in the school's history to be selected as the distinguished honor graduate.

4. She served in Hawaii's state House of Representatives before taking her platform national.
Before she served in the armed forces, Gabbard was a member of the Hawaii House of Representatives from 2002 until 2004. She was elected to Hawaii's state legislature when she was just 21 years old, making her the youngest woman ever elected to a state legislature in the U.S.

She initially filed for reelection in 2004, but ultimate chose not to campaign for the seat after she decided to enlist in the Hawaii Army National Guard.

5. She currently serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
During her time in Congress, Gabbard has supported anti-interventionist foreign policy positions, CNN reports. In 2017, she was criticized for meeting with Syrian dictator Bashar Al-Assad.

"Initially, I hadn't planned on meeting him," Gabbard told CNN's Jake Tapper in January 2017. "When the opportunity arose to meet with him, I did so because I felt it's important that if we profess to truly care about the Syrian people, about their suffering, then we've got to be able to meet with anyone that we need to if there is a possibility that we could achieve peace, and that's exactly what we talked about."

6. She supported Bernie Sanders in 2016.
Gabbard previously served as a Vice Chair of the Democratic National Committee, but resigned in 2016 in order to formally endorse Bernie Sanders during his presidential run.

7. She's known as an environmentalist and a proponent of women's reproductive rights.
When Gabbard ran for office in 2012, she was endorsed by the Sierra Club thanks to her strong stance for environmentalism.

8. She's already named her key issues for 2020.
In the same interview for The Van Jones Show in which she announced her intention to run for office, Gabbard also shared the issues she considers key to her platform: health care access, criminal justice reform, and climate change.

"There is one main issue that is central to the rest, and that is the issue of war and peace," Gabbard added during the interview. "I look forward to being able to get into this and to talk about it in depth when we make our announcement."
~~~~~~~

This short bio basically starts out in 2004 when Gabbard was 21. I wasn't able to locate any info on her former education and what her status was upon Graduation or if she enlisted into any Colleges or Universities?

In the Hawaii Army National Guard, she served as a field medical unit in Iraq for one year (2004-5), then "for a time" in Kuwait and returned in 2006 - and began working as an aide for Hawaii Senator Daniel Akaka in Washington, DC. For the 2 year stunt in the National Guard - "She's now a war veteran"?

Then she served as a Vice Chair of the Democratic National Committee, but resigned to formally endorse Bernie Sanders. Somewhere along the line, she found a position with the House Foreign Affairs Committee in Congress.

Any position or employment Gabbard has set her sights on - has only amounted to "entry level" in the profession. She takes "flight" from one thing to another, without getting any real experience, in any one field. But she wants to be .... (drum roll) ... PRESIDENT?

 

[Alejo]

I have just started listening to this and oh boy, it’s like she reads SOTT (sort of).

You may disregard some of Joe Rogan’s kool aid drinking antics about Russia and so on, but overall this interview shows why she’s getting so much hate and why she may not make it to the Oval Office, but also why her mind and heart are in the right place, she restores my faith in elected officials.

For your consideration:

 

[luc]

Thanks @Alejo, watched this yesterday.

Listening to Tulsi I think I realized something: she is right in making regime change wars her top priority. This is the crux. The US (and the West) will never, ever tackle its domestic issues without addressing the elephant in the room. You cannot be a murderer and rapist by night and a loving husband and father by day. It doesn't work like that.

The US interventions and foreign policy have destroyed its very soul. It's rotten inside. So while I applaud conservatives trying to bring the US/West back on track domestically and culturally, they cannot succeed if they don't acknowledge the absolute horror their country unleashes on half the planet. THIS must be addressed, the horror must be faced, the sins repented. Otherwise, there's no hope and everything will degenerate further.

As for Tulsi, she made it clear that she won't budge on this. That makes her the most dangerous candidate for the establishment IMO. I think they will do everything to prevent her from winning and would be prepared to JFK her if there's no other way.

 

[Alejo]

Yeah, not only that but the internal policy is informed to a large degree by the foreign policy, foreign ties and well... that’s where the money that could address some of the internal issues is going to.

And yes, Joe Rogan even joked about her getting assassinated as he’s realized that her ideas are too good for people to allow her to enact them, time will tell.

 

[Renaissance]

The first round of the democratic debates were last night and, unofficially, it looks like Gabbard knocked the socks off the watching public.

Drudge poll shock: Tulsi Gabbard runaway winner of first Democratic debate

Posted this on FB a short while ago:

Drudge's poll currently has Tulsi winning 46% of the votes, NJ.com has her winning 38%, and Heavy.com also has her winning 38%. No one came close to her in public polls. She dominates by large margins especially in the Drudge poll, but you wouldn't know that by reading any mainstream reporting. An NBC News 'analyst' declared President Trump the winner. CNN lists Castro, Warren and Booker as the winners and doesn't even mention Gabbard. Vox's reporting was similar, but included de Blasio, and also incorrectly reported that Booker was the most searched during the debate. It was actually Tulsi who was the most searched - and she dominated google trends just like she did in the polls. The media marginalized her going into the debates, and this tactic is unsurprisingly backfiring. Aside from core supporters, no one really likes the front runners. They're uninteresting at best. And now that Tulsi has some actual attention, people are like, 'Whoa, who is this?'

I'd also suggest that Tulsi is the only one who could defeat Trump in a debate because she is someone the majority of people can take seriously. None of the other candidates come across this way. They're pretty much all tools, and Trump excels most at trolling tools. Tulsi also appeals to much of the Trump base for her non-interventionist foreign policy. She'd easily win the democratic ticket if 'The Party' and the media got behind her. But that won't happen. Instead, we're likely to see the same dynamics of 2016 play out again, only my guess is that it will be even more 'in your face' since the corruption of the DNC has already been brought to light for all to see.

https://www.facebook.com/shane.lachance/posts/10156940183565073

 

[Tuatha de Danaan]

Re Tulsi Gabbard.

The hype has got to start now as a build-up to 2020. More distraction and circuses are required as Trump is yesterdays news and nothing gripping to report across the globe for the population of USA. The puppet masters are just providing another storyline-nothing more.

 

[Beau]

The first question to each of the candidates were such softballs - "Tell us about yourself", blah blah blah

But for Tulsi: "Why do you hate gays?"

Such ridiculous BS, but what can you expect when it's NBC.