Ottawa's refusal to take Gitmo inmates irks U.S.

By GottaLaff

The Rushpublics will use this to point out what an abysmal failure Obama is, of course. Then they'll cheer and rave and laud their boy Bush's Canadian clone:

An apparent snub by the Canadian government has dismayed officials on the Obama administration's task force who are working to resettle dozens of detainees here and close the prison, a high-ranking White House official told the Star. [...]

But the official, who has intimate knowledge of the negotiations and who spoke to the Star on the condition he not be named, said Canada abruptly stopped talks earlier this year. He said the task force was surprised to learn of Canada's decision through a press release.

Keeping secrets, snubs, being non-communicative... That's not being a very good neighbor, now is it?

"I just found it puzzling," there were no phone calls or diplomatic meetings, the official said. "A public rejection was odd."

Maybe they have a crush on a new country? Anyone know if they've returned our CDs?

Canada's position is in contrast to other countries eager to curry favour with the U.S. administration by helping Obama's apparent Sisyphean task to close Gitmo. [...]

But Prime Minister Stephen Harper's press secretary told the Star that Canada's position under both the Bush and Obama administrations had been consistent.

"We're not interested in bringing detainees from Guantanamo Bay to Canada," said Dimitri Soudas. "In the case of other detainees who are not Canadian citizens and don't have a connection to Canada, there is no justification for us to bring any such individuals to Canada."

Right from the Rushpublic talking points. Those sly foxes. Have they been streaming Boss Limpdong again?

"We're still hoping Canada will help," he said. "We can't do this alone."

That was the message Obama's Guantanamo czar tasked with closing the prison brought to Ottawa this spring.

Okay, there it is. It's that whole "czar" thing. I may have to start a "czar rights" movement. Who's up for a Million Czar March? Hands?

The official told the Star the Canadian government was keen to keep quiet the meeting that U.S. Special Envoy Daniel Fried had this spring. Various options for the detainees were discussed and Obama's task force was told that the meeting had been "promising."

But only a week later, Harper's office told journalists that Canada would not accept any Guantanamo detainees – surprising the task force, the official said.

Advocacy groups have argued that Canada's position on Guantanamo has stained its international reputation as a leader in the field of human rights.

"The Obama administration is trying to do the right thing, the very thing Canada was asking the United States to do for so long. It's pathetic that Canada now won't lift a finger to help, especially since so many other NATO allies are doing their part," said Tom Malinowski, Washington director of Human Rights Watch. [...]

The official would not speculate whether Canada's apparent snub would hinder relations between the two countries.

But Gar Pardy, the former head of Canada's consular programs, said he would be surprised if it didn't create a chill.

"The administration is saying, 'Look, we've inherited all this stuff. We're looking for a solution here and we would expect getting some help from our friends and we're not getting any.' "

Harrumph! Some bff. Maybe we should have started by asking for a simple detainee sleepover and taken it from there.

H/t: Tymlee

Sarah Palin Snubs Washington Insiders at Senate-House Dinner

By GottaLaff

Snubby Sarah needs some face time with Miss Manners:

[I]t's not the Washington big shots she's wooing: It's her grass-roots backers outside the Beltway.

Several Washington Republicans contacted by Whispers said that Palin was quick to leave the Senate-House Dinner, apparently ignoring a line of those who wanted to meet her. (Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, in contrast, stayed late to shake hands.) "She came, she stayed the entire event, then at the end, a buddy and I headed to her table—my buddy actually set eyes on her—and then, poof, she was gone," said a GOP source with ties to House and Senate conservatives. "There were 40 people standing around her, just wanting to say hello and wish her well, and she just ran out the back door."

Snubby Sarah, aka Poof! Palin, may be in for some bad press if she's not careful. Why, here come some sneers now! Heck!

A big deal? Yes, for the Washington crowd that likes to control the party. "For a 'woman of the people,' she has got some learning to do," sneered the insider. "Heck, she has a whole lot to learn. And get some decent staff around her. Most of the mistakes since November are not people out to get her. They are 99 percent self-inflicted by her own staff who are simply not up to the job of effectively serving a national political figure, which is what she has become."

But should she be worried? Not if many of those same Washington insiders waiting to see her are right, because most say that Palin's base of power in the party is what we'll call the Carhartt set: working parents and suburban-rural voters way outside the Beltway who could be influential in early primary and caucus states like Iowa. [...]

[A] former aide to Ronald Reagan tells me: "She had a gut connection with the base at one point. It was instinctive. Almost tribal. She was outside D.C., normal, refreshing."

Yeah, refreshing like week-old white bread.

Her allies say to stay tuned because she is fast moving to take on the GOP establishment, especially Mitt Romney , who's acting like it's his turn to be the nominee.

Speaking of Mitt and Poof, that whole Rushpublic re-branding effort needs re-branding.

TPC EXCLUSIVE: Sarah Palin snubs teachers at school event

By GottaLaff

This poll will be meaningless if Grabby McEarmarks continues to behave through 2012 as she did at the school event described further down:

According to The Mudflats, Iowa and New Hampshire voters are already getting phone calls asking for their impressions about Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R).

One interesting question is whether respondents in the two early presidential voting states thought it was important that Palin was re-elected as governor in 2010.

Meanwhile, Commenter Marti sent me an e-mail that reveals what we here at TPC already know about Miss Congeniality:

After hearing about Palin saying she wants to turn down about one-third of the Stimulus dealing with education, special ed, extended unemployment benefits I emailed some AK teacher friends since I retired from teaching in Juneau awhile back and continue friendships there. I was curious about the teacher reaction to her announcement. I found out she announced it as the teachers were going on Spring Break and many didn't hear about it. I think they call that Political Timing.

I did see that there was a demonstration on the Capitol steps on Saturday. [I posted about that here] I think the governors turning down the Stimulus know that it can be instated without them so aren't worried about public outrage.

I mentioned her comment about Pres. Obama's whoopsie Special Olympics remark and how it seemed hypocritical to me that she would turn down the special ed funding. My friend said Gov. Palin doesn't even support the Special Olympics in AK.

My friend told me that several weeks ago they were holding Read Across America in their school and since Piper goes there that they asked Gov. Palin to come and read to the children. My teacher friend and another teacher friend were asked to greet Gov. Palin at the door and escort her to the gym. She told me the blow for blow description of how Palin walked through the door and didn't make eye contact with them as they greeted her and made friendly comments. She neither looked at them nor spoke to them while they walked alongside her trying to be welcoming. In fact she ignored them and took out her Blackberry and started doing business. My friend was amazed at her rudeness and she said that since her high public profile she would probably win a re-election there if she ran again.

We'll add that to our archives to be mined in 2012.

Has Palin snubbed Oprah?

By GottaLaff

The ultimate sin:

Did Sarah Palin snub Oprah Winfrey? [...]

"I said I would be happy to talk to Sarah Palin when the election was over… I went and tried to talk to Sarah Palin and instead she talked to Greta [Van Susteren]. She talked to Matt [Lauer]. She talked to Larry [King]. But she didn't talk to me.”

Winfrey’s comments came in response to rumors she refused to invite the former vice presidential candidate on her popular daytime show.

Remember the Winfrey-Letterman feud? This would be potentially, exponentially more non-vice-presidentially entertaining. Palin doesn't stand a chance.