Archive for the ‘Foreign Policy’ Category
Monday, March 9th, 2015
Forty-seven Republican Senators have done something both appalling and unprecedented: They communicated directly with Iran in order to undermine Obama’s nuclear arms negotiations.
Now it’s one thing to try to convince Obama that Iran can’t be trusted to comply with a nuclear arms deal, or to try to impede an arms deal legislatively. But it’s quite another to essentially tell Iran not to bother complying because Obama deals aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on.
And the latter is precisely what they did. Here’s their open written message to Iran’s leaders, translated into a limerick:
Dear Iranian leaders, Obama
Might make you a nuke deal with drama.
But don’t bother to heed it.
We plan to defeat it.
So it’s worthless — each, word, clause, and comma.
Tags: Barack Obama, Foreign Policy, GOP, Iran, Politics Satire, Republicans Humor
Posted in Barack Obama, Foreign Policy, GOP Humor, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, Republicans Humor | Comments Off on The Republican’s Open Limerick To Iran
Thursday, September 5th, 2013
I do not support U.S. military intervention in Syria — seriously!
War Weary Limerick
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Though I’m constantly knocking and mocking
The Republican habit of blocking
The President’s moves,
I think it behooves
Both parties to thwart his war hawking.
Tags: Military, Military Intervention, Syria, War Hawks, War Powers Act
Posted in Barack Obama, Foreign Policy, Military Humor, Political Limericks, Political Verse, War & Antiwar Poems, Washington, White House | 12 Comments »
Tuesday, October 23rd, 2012
Mitt Romney’s Final Debate Message (Limerick)
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Dear voters, I’m not into war.
I’m really a peacenik full-bore.
Scary things I once said
Are just in your head.
And teachers, I really adore!
*****
Update: Mitt Romney’s campaign reminds me of HBO’s True Blood: You have Romney, the Shape Shifter and Paul Ryan, the Vampire. And pushing Romney’s foreign policy buttons (except at the foreign policy debate) you even have Neo-Con Paul WereWolfowitz.
Tags: Campaign Humor, Debate Humor, Education Humor, Election Satire, Foreign Policy, Mitt Romney, Teachers, War and Peace, War Mongers
Posted in Barack Obama, Campaign Humor, Debate Humor, Education Limerick, Election Satire, Foreign Policy, Mitt Romney Humor, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, Republicans Humor | Comments Off on Mitt Romney’s Final Debate Message (Limerick)
Monday, October 8th, 2012
So, is everyone impressed with Mitt Romney’s big deal foreign policy speech?
I didn’t think so.
Limerick Ode To “Tough Guy” Romney
By Madeleine Begun Kane
He’ll speak loudly and wave a big stick:
That would summarize Mitt Romney’s schtick
Foreign policy-wise.
Sounds a lot like those guys
Who made rather a mess — Dub and Dick.
Tags: Campaign Humor, Election Satire, Foreign Policy, George W. Bush, Mitt Romney, Political Speech, Richard Cheney
Posted in Campaign Humor, Dick Cheney Satire, Election Satire, Foreign Policy, George Bush Satire, GOP Humor, Mitt Romney Humor, Political Limericks, Political Speeches, Political Verse, Politics Satire, Republicans Humor, White House | 4 Comments »
Friday, September 14th, 2012
Romney Unleashed (Limerick)
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Mitt the “robot” is suddenly hot,
Unpredictably stirring the pot.
Once disturbingly guarded,
Now caution’s discarded.
I’m starting to miss the old “bot.”
Tags: American Embassy, Barack Obama, Benghazi, Campaign Humor, Diplomacy, Election Satire, Embassy Attacks, Facial Expressions, Foreign Policy, Inappropriate Smile, Libya, Mitt Romney, Muslim Riots, Robots, U.S. Consulate
Posted in Barack Obama, Campaign Humor, Election Satire, Foreign Policy, GOP Humor, International Affairs, Mitt Romney Humor, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, Republicans Humor, White House | 9 Comments »
Thursday, September 13th, 2012
Mitt Romney’s weird facial expressions during yesterday’s press conference about the killings at the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, inspired me to write this limerick:
Limerick Ode To Smirking Romney
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Can a person be judged by his smile?
I’d say yes, when it hints at his bile.
If like Mitt’s, it’s a smirk,
Then a creep may well lurk
Underneath, one whose essence is vile.
Tags: American Embassy, Barack Obama, Benghazi, Diplomacy, Election Satire, Embassy Attacks, Facial Expressions, Foreign Policy, Inappropriate Smile, Libya, Mitt Romney, Muslim Riots, U.S. Consulate
Posted in Campaign Humor, Election Satire, Foreign Policy, GOP Humor, International Affairs, Mitt Romney Humor, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, Republicans Humor | 6 Comments »
Wednesday, September 12th, 2012
Mitt Romney really stepped in it this time:
Mitt Romney’s sharply-worded attack on President Obama over a pair of deadly riots in Muslim countries last night has backfired badly among foreign policy hands of both parties, who cast it as hasty and off-key, released before the facts were clear at what has become a moment of tragedy.
Foolhardy Romney Strikes Again (Limerick)
By Madeleine Begun Kane
In his quest for political gain,
Romney rushes to judgment, it’s plain:
Lashing out before learning
The facts, he risks burning
Our nation with statements insane.
Tags: American Embassy, Barack Obama, Diplomacy, Election Satire, Embassy Attacks, Foreign Policy, Libya, Mitt Romney, Muslim Riots
Posted in Barack Obama, Campaign Humor, Election Satire, Foreign Policy, GOP Humor, International Affairs, Mitt Romney Humor, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, Republicans Humor, White House | 5 Comments »
Wednesday, August 1st, 2012
Mitt Romney’s image-bolstering trip to Great Britain, Israel, and Poland was jam-packed with gaffes. Yet according to Mitt, none of this is his fault: The biased media’s to blame.
But as Maddowblog’s Steve Benen puts it:
…it wasn’t news organizations’ fault when he insulted the British; it wasn’t news organizations’ fault when he misquoted the Australian finance minister; it wasn’t news organizations’ fault when his campaign kinda sorta gave the green light on a unilateral strike on Iran; it wasn’t news organizations’ fault when he used borderline-racist language at his Israeli fundraiser; it wasn’t news organizations’ fault when he praised a socialized health care system he claims to abhor; and it wasn’t news organizations’ fault when his press secretary said, “Kiss my ass. This is a Holy site.”
Limerick Ode To Mitt “Foreign Fumbler” Romney
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Mitt Romney’s big trip. Oy Gevalt!
A tri-country gaffe-filled assault:
Poland, Israel, Great Britain—
Still reeling from Mitten.
But of course it’s the “media’s fault.”
UPDATE: Cool news! KPCC’s Patt Morrison announced the results of her political limerick contest on her show and here. The two winning limericks are the one I posted above and one by Mason Kroll.
Tags: Campaign Humor, Election Humor, Foreign Policy, Foreign Relations, Great Britain, Israel, Media Humor, Mitt Romney, Poland
Posted in Campaign Humor, Election Satire, Foreign Policy, GOP Humor, Media Satire, Mitt Romney Humor, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, Republicans Humor | 2 Comments »
Thursday, July 26th, 2012
Dear Mitt Romney: How on earth did you manage to cause a diplomatic incident in Great Britain?
Just what we want in a president — someone so desperate to show off his knowledge about the Olympics, that he insults our best friends, the Brits, while a guest in their country.
LONDON — Mitt Romney’s carefully choreographed trip to London caused a diplomatic stir when he called the British Olympic preparations “disconcerting” and questioned whether Londoners would turn out to support the Games.
“The stories about the private security firm not having enough people, the supposed strike of the immigration and customs officials, that obviously is not something which is encouraging,” Mr. Romney said in an interview with NBC on Wednesday.
That prompted a tart rejoinder from the British prime minister, David Cameron. “We are holding an Olympic Games in one of the busiest, most active, bustling cities anywhere in the world. Of course it’s easier if you hold an Olympic Games in the middle of nowhere,” an allusion to Salt Lake City, which hosted Games that Mr. Romney oversaw.
Limerick Ode To Mitt (The Diplomat) Romney
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Mitt’s Olympian need to convey
Expertise nearly caused a huge fray.
A prez needs the skill
Of diplomacy: Shrill,
Blow by blow game-host insults? Bad play!
Tags: Campaign Humor, Diplomacy, Election Satire, Great Britain, International Incidents, Mitt Romney, Olympics Satire
Posted in Campaign Humor, Election Satire, Foreign Policy, GOP Humor, Great Britain Humor, International Affairs, Mitt Romney Humor, Olympics Humor, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, Republicans Humor | 6 Comments »
Thursday, May 3rd, 2012
It can’t be easy to simultaneously piss off liberals, conservatives, gays, and homophobes. But Mitt Romney managed to do it.
How? By hiring and (under pressure from anti-gay conservatives) speedily muzzling and forcing out his openly gay, misogynistic, wingnutty foreign policy spokesman Ric Grenell.
Mitt Romney’s Grenell Gaffe (Limerick)
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Mitt Romney would love to dispel
His panicked farewell to Grenell:
Bigots bitched, so he jumped —
His gay spokesman, he dumped,
Selling out at alarm bells, pell-mell.
Tags: Bigotry Limerick, Campaign Humor, Election Satire, Foreign Policy, Gays, Homophobes, Mitt Romney, Richard Grenell
Posted in Campaign Humor, Election Satire, Foreign Policy, Gay Rights, GOP Humor, Homophobia, Mitt Romney Humor, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, Republicans Humor | 5 Comments »
Friday, October 21st, 2011
Those Classy Republicans (Limerick)
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Republican pols praise the killing
Of Gaddafi, but most seem unwilling
To credit Obama
For staging this drama.
I can’t wait for George Bush to get billing.
Tags: Barack Obama, Foreign Leaders, Foreign Policy, George Bush Satire, Libya, Muammar Gaddafi, Qadhafi, Republicans Humor, War
Posted in Barack Obama, Foreign Policy, George Bush Satire, GOP Humor, Hypocrisy Humor, Partisanship Satire, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, Republicans Humor, War & Antiwar Poems | 2 Comments »
Friday, March 25th, 2011
I have very mixed feelings about Obama’s handling of Libya and U.S. involvement in military operations against Muammar Gaddafi’s Libya. But unlike Newt Gingrich, I don’t routinely contradict myself on the topic, while pretending to think about running for president.
That Newt’s A Beaut
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Newt Gingrich is caught in a bind
Cuz he can’t resist changing his mind.
Unable to choose
From his Libyan views,
He’s had lots of them — all ill-defined.
There’s a method behind Newt’s mad song:
It’s condemning Obama as wrong.
If Obama should do
What Newt counsels, on cue
Mister Newt to that view says “So long.”
Tags: Barack Obama, Foreign Policy, Libya, Military, Muammar Gaddafi, Newt Gingrich, Presidential Campaign Humor, Republican Hypocrisy, War
Posted in Barack Obama, Foreign Policy, Hypocrisy Humor, Newt Gingrich Humor, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, Publicity Hounds, War & Antiwar Poems, White House | 4 Comments »
Thursday, January 27th, 2011
Speaker of the House John Boehner apparently can sleep with his eyes open. How else do we explain his odd (and objectively wrong) criticism of Obama’s State of the Union Speech?
If there’s one thing President Obama did go on about a bit about in the State of the Union, it was American exceptionalism — as the National Journal’s Ron Fournier noted at some length.
Two who didn’t entirely notice were Speaker John Boehner and Kathleen Parker. From Parker-Spitzer:
BOEHNER: Well, they — they’ve refused to talk about America exceptionalism. …
It should also be noted that Obama called Boehner Speaker of “The Greatest Nation on Earth.”
Boehner’s nonsensical complaint inspired my latest limerick:
John Boehner — Exceptionally Wrong
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Exceptionalism was missing
From the SOTU says Boehner, dismissing
Obama’s big speech
Which he tries to impeach.
Not list’ning enables the dissing.
Tags: American Exceptionalism, John Boehner, President Obama, SOTU, Speaker, State Of The Union Address
Posted in 44 Humor, Barack Obama, Foreign Policy, GOP Humor, John Boehner, Patriotism Poems, Political Limericks, Political Speeches, Political Verse, Politics Satire, Republicans Humor, Speeches Satire, White House | 5 Comments »
Monday, June 7th, 2010
It turns out that Mark Kirk’s problems with the truth go well beyond exaggerating his military resume. As the Chicago Sun-Times reports, the Illinois Republican nominee for U.S. Senate has a habit of telling international tall tales about Iranian oil imports, France’s handling of pirates, and the China-drilling-for-oil-off-the-Cuban-coast fable.
Are these deliberate lies? Or is Mark Kirk woefully ill-informed? I’m not sure, but neither explanation would speak well of a would-be senator who’s ostensibly an expert in foreign affairs.
That brings me to my latest limerick:
Kirk’s “Factual” Quirks
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Mark Kirk is astoundingly lax
When he spouts international “facts.”
Be it China or France
Or Iranian rants,
He’s deceptive and wrong to the max.
Tags: Campaign Satire, China, Cuba, Election Humor, France, Illinois, Iran, Mark Kirk, Pirates, Tall Tales
Posted in Campaign Humor, China Humor, Election Satire, Foreign Policy, Mark Kirk, National Security Humor, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, Republicans Humor | 8 Comments »
Sunday, April 11th, 2010
It’s bad enough to write an anti-Obama column packed with falsehoods about President Obama’s national security policy. But Rep. John Fleming of Louisiana has managed to go way beyond that. He essentially and casually accuses Obama of being a traitor:
Simply put, President Obama is disadvantaging the United States one step at a time and undermining this country’s national defense on purpose.
Rep. Fleming, you’ve earned yourself a limerick:
Inflammatory Fleming
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Dear Rep. Fleming, your piece packed with lies
About nukes and Obama — unwise!
For political reason
You charge him with treason.
The traitor is you, I surmise.
Tags: Defense Poem, GOP Lies, House Republican, John Fleming, Louisiana, National Security, Nuclear Limerick, Obama Verse, Traitors, Treason
Posted in Congress Humor, Foreign Policy, Military Humor, National Security Humor, Nuclear Weapons, Political Commentary, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Republicans Humor | 6 Comments »
Saturday, February 27th, 2010
Right-wing activist Frank Gaffney is at it again. His latest tin-foil hat paranoia involves the Missile Defense Agency’s website logo which, according to Gaffney, is part of a “nefarious” pro-Islam, submission to Shariah plot. As Gaffney sees it, the logo evokes all sorts of evil stuff:
… the new MDA shield appears ominously to reflect a morphing of the Islamic crescent and star with the Obama campaign logo.
The alleged plot is ever-so-slightly undermined, however, by the timing of the logo’s design — a full year before Obama’s presidential election.
So it’s back to the conspiracy drawing board for Frank Gaffney. I guess I’ll celebrate with a limerick:
Frankly My Dear Gaffney, You’re Nuts
By Madeleine Begun Kane
At Obama Frank Gaffney takes aim.
A “nefarious” plot is his claim.
What’s his latest complaint?
Logo’s “Islam”-like taint.
What a shame that Bush-Cheney’s to blame.
Tags: Conspiracy Theories, Frank Gaffney, Islam, MDA Logo, Missile Defense Agency, Nefarious Plots, Right-Wing Paranoia, Shariah
Posted in Barack Obama, Foreign Policy, Frank Gaffney, National Security Humor, Political Commentary, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, White House, Wingnuts | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, December 30th, 2009
Republicans have been treating Nigerian Abdulmutallab’s failed Christmas Day bombing of Flight 253 like a Christmas gift from Al Qaeda — something really juicy to exploit.
In fact, the Republicans’ partisan response to this attempted terrorism has been so shameless, even Politico noticed.
Republicans like Pete Hoekstra, James DeMint, Dan Burton, and many others have earned themselves a triple limerick by playing politics with national security:
Shameless Republicans On Christmas Attack
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Exploiting a terror attempt
Is surely beneath all contempt.
But that never would stop
Such a GOP op:
“Bash Obama! He failed to preempt.”
There is plenty of blame they should share
For that terrorist scare in the air.
We’ve no TSA head:
DeMint “held” him instead
Of a vote. It’s Republican guerre.
As for funding our air travel screening,
They vote no. Seems they’re pro-terror leaning.
Though their record is poor,
They keep spouting full-bore.
Please Republicans, spare us your preening.
NOTE: Here’s some unrelated, but timely, New Years Resolutions humor: It Is Hereby Resolved.
Tags: Abdulmutallab, Al Qaeda, Dan Burton, Detroit, James DeMint, National Security, Pete Hoekstra, Politico
Posted in Barack Obama, Blame Game, Dan Burton, Foreign Policy, GOP Humor, James DeMint, National Security Humor, Pete Hoekstra, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, Public Safety, Republicans Humor, Terrorism, Transportation Safety, White House | 5 Comments »
Wednesday, November 18th, 2009
Fox News and all the usual wingnut suspects are simply horrified because President Obama, in a show of diplomatic courtesy, bowed to Emperor Akihito of Japan. This was a shocking and unprecedented show of weakness and subservience, according to sundry Obama bashers, including Karl Rove, Steve Doocy, and Dick Cheney.
It seems only Republican Presidents are allowed such bows (Richard Nixon to Japanese Emperor Hirohito, Dwight Eisenhower to Charles De Gaulle).
But as far as I’m concerned, President Obama can bow to as many foreign leaders as he likes. Although perhaps he should leave the Saudi Prince lip-kissing and hand-holding to George W. Bush.
And now it’s time for a limerick:
Bowing … And Scraping Bottom
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Kissing princes and hand-holding’s fine
For a Prez on the GOP line.
But a bow from Obama
To emp’rors — what drama!
Such nonsense, this sham wingnut-whine.
Tags: Diplomacy, Japan, Obama Bowing
Posted in Barack Obama, Diplomacy Humor, Foreign Policy, Fox News Humor, George Bush Satire, Hypocrisy Humor, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, Wingnuts | 2 Comments »
Thursday, June 11th, 2009
Few people are better at creating a Krauthammer-lauded “alternate reality” than Fox’s Sean Hannity. Columnist Dick Polman provides an excellent example:
On his Fox show one week ago, Sean Hannity told his credulous fans that President Obama had made a deliberate effort during his Cairo speech “to give 9/11 sympathizers a voice on the world stage.” … Hannity even backed up his reporting by airing a video clip from the speech, with Obama saying: “I am aware that there are still some that would question or even justify the events of 9/11.”
…
… Hannity’s video clip of Obama was truncated after that single quoted sentence, omitting everything that followed. Here’s what Obama said next, none of which was aired for the Fox viewers:
“But let us be clear. Al Qaeda killed nearly 3000 people on that day. The victims were innocent men, women and children from America and many other nations who had done nothing to harm anybody. And yet al Qaeda chose to ruthlessly murder these people … These are not opinions to be debated; these are facts to be dealt with.” …
For that outrageous deception alone, Sean Hannity deserves a limerick:
Hannity Insanity
By Madeleine Begun Kane
There once was a fellow named Hannity
Who strutted and showed off his vanity.
From his Fox chair he lied,
Took his fans for a ride,
And showed utter disdain for humanity.
Tags: 9/11 Sympathizers, Al Qaeda, Alternate Reality, Dick Polman, Fox News, Krauthammer, Lies, Media, Obama, Sean Hannity, Talk Show Hosts, Terrorism
Posted in 9/11 Satire, Foreign Policy, Fox News Humor, Media Satire, Political Commentary, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Sean Hannity Verse, Terrorism | 6 Comments »
Monday, May 25th, 2009
The omni-presence of Dick and Liz Cheney on (as Rachel Maddow loves to call it) “the TV machine” is nearly enough to get me to toss out my televisions. Of course, to have even a shot at avoiding their tortured lies, I’d have to cancel my Net connection, throw out my radios, and avert my eyes in the unlikely event that I encounter a newspaper.
Ode To The Deceitful Cheneys (Limerick)
By Madeleine Begun Kane
There once was a daughter named Liz
Who joined in the family biz.
The business was lying,
With all members vying
For liar-in-chief — each a wiz.
Tags: Dick Cheney Satire, Gitmo, Liars, Lies, Liz Cheney, Media, National Security, Newspapers, Rachel Maddow, Television, Torture
Posted in Dick Cheney Satire, Family Values Humor, Foreign Policy, Gitmo Humor, GOP Humor, Liz Cheney, Media Satire, National Security Humor, Political Commentary, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, Rachel Maddow, Republicans Humor, Torture Humor | 8 Comments »
Inflammatory Fleming
Sunday, April 11th, 2010It’s bad enough to write an anti-Obama column packed with falsehoods about President Obama’s national security policy. But Rep. John Fleming of Louisiana has managed to go way beyond that. He essentially and casually accuses Obama of being a traitor:
Rep. Fleming, you’ve earned yourself a limerick:
Inflammatory Fleming
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Dear Rep. Fleming, your piece packed with lies
About nukes and Obama — unwise!
For political reason
You charge him with treason.
The traitor is you, I surmise.
Tags: Defense Poem, GOP Lies, House Republican, John Fleming, Louisiana, National Security, Nuclear Limerick, Obama Verse, Traitors, Treason
Posted in Congress Humor, Foreign Policy, Military Humor, National Security Humor, Nuclear Weapons, Political Commentary, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Republicans Humor | 6 Comments »