Joe Biden Insults America's Most Important Ally Great Britain, Pandering to a Democrat Donor Crowd That Went to Dublin to "Make Sure the Brits Don't Screw Around With Northern Ireland"

America is back, baby! We've got the Respect of the World and Our Allies again!

Don't get me wrong: I'm aware of Britain's 800 years of colonization of Ireland.

But Ireland isn't even part of NATO.

If we wanted to insult Great Britain like this, we could have just changed the Constitution to make Obama El Presidente for Life.

Joe Biden said he traveled to Northern Ireland last month "to make sure the Brits didn't screw around" with the region's peace process -- a blunt take that drew gasps from U.K. and unionist politicians.

The remarks, contained in a White House transcript of the U.S. president's remarks at a Democratic Party fundraiser, clash with his carefully worded speech April 12 in Belfast marking the 25th anniversary of the U.S.-brokered Good Friday peace accord. Biden started his four-day visit throughout the island of Ireland in the Northern Irish capital, where tensions over post-Brexit trade rules have torn apart the region's unity government.

According to the transcript, Biden told party supporters at a private New York residence that he had visited Belfast "to make sure they weren't -- the Brits didn't screw around and Northern Ireland didn't walk away from their commitments."

Those words drew predictable fire from the Democratic Unionists, the main pro-British party in Northern Ireland. The DUP has spent the past year blocking the revival of a cross-community government with the Irish republican Sinn Féin party in protest against trade rules that make it easier for Northern Ireland to trade with the Republic of Ireland, an EU member, than with the rest of the U.K. Power-sharing between British unionists and Irish nationalists was the central objective of the Good Friday deal.

"It's unbelievable and frightening to think this man is the leader of the free world," said Sammy Wilson, who criticized Biden's remarks as both hostile to unionists and politically incoherent. "If you believe that there should be a special relationship between the U.S. and U.K., then at least show us some respect."

Even the leader of Northern Ireland's middle-ground Alliance Party, Naomi Long, was taken aback when told of Biden's remarks.

"Oh dear," she said, before drawing a distinction between such "Brit-bashing" rhetoric versus Biden's practical help, particularly his appointment of an economic envoy, Joe Kennedy III, to promote increased U.S. investment in Northern Ireland.

Biden's comments also provoked infighting among Conservatives in the UK, because the "commitments" Biden spoke of are impacted by Brexit. Biden's comments suggest that the UK should ignore Brexit. Something that Establishment-oriented Tories agree with, and more nationalist Tories don't.

Biden has only one move: lowest-of-the-lowbrow ethnic pandering. He must think that this kind of Erin Go Bragh appeal is still working class political dynamite, because his galloping dementia causes him to believe it's still nineteen fifty-five.

And, as no less an expert than Obama said: "Never underestimate Joe Biden's ability f*** everything up."

When the Indonesian Dog-Sampler says you're incompetent, hoo-boy.

But at least Muh Normzzz are all restored. (Or so NeverTrump tells me.)

posted by Ace at 02:18 PM

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