Chavez Delivers Democratic Response

I'm sure many Dems were upset that they didn't have a chance to respond to President Bush's speech at the UN yesterday, but not to worry, Dems. Somebody did it for you. In fact, here he is holding up his copy of the Dems "New Direction for America":
In what was probably the most juvenile display by a world leader at the UN since Nikita Khrushchev took off his shoe and beat it on the table, Venezuelan strong man Hugo Chavez gave a speech which was highlighted by his decision to call President Bush "El Diablo":

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez took his verbal battle with the United States to the floor of the U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday, calling President Bush "the devil."

"The devil came here yesterday," Chavez said, referring to Bush's address Tuesday. "He came here talking as if he were the owner of the world."

The leftist leader, who has joined Iran in opposing U.S. influence, accused Washington of "domination, exploitation and pillage of peoples of the world."

"We appeal to the people of the United States and the world to halt this threat, which is like a sword hanging over our head," he said.

He also said the U.N. "doesn't work" in its current system and is "antidemocratic." He called for reform, saying the U.S. government's "immoral veto" had allowed recent Israeli bombings of Lebanon to continue unabated for more than a month.

"Venezuela once again proposes today that we reform the United Nations," he said. He drew tentative giggles at times from the audience, but also some applause when called U.S. "imperialism" a menace.

While speeches like this might get him some yucks from the other members of the Star Wars Bar on Turtle Bay, the left consistently mistakes how their words will be received by the American people. Because they read the American press (and probably some of the lefty websites) they assume that most Americans will agree with them and laugh along with their jokes. Sorry, Hugo, it isn't going to work that way.

Remember the Osama bin Laden tape that basically endorsed John Kerry and came out a few days before the 2004 election? Osama made the same mistake Chavez and Mahmoud AhmedI'manutjob made in assuming widespread agreement with their views among Americans. In fact, I predict that Bush's approval rating, which has been on sharp rise lately, will rise even more as American bristle at the likes of Chavez and AhmedI'manutjob criticize our president and our country. Americans don't much care for outsiders meddling in our affairs.

And regarding the ovation that Chavez received from the other UN delegates, Jonah Goldberg has a good idea:

If I were John Bolton, I would send photos of each delegate who applauded wildly for Chavez to the relevant embassies and capitals with a note detailing how much those countries get in aid of one kind or another. And then I would simply write, "What's wrong with this picture?"

Cut 'em right off at the knees and then see who they clap for next time.

Chavez did have one good suggestion - move the UN out of New York. I could get behind that idea, though I wonder if the assembled diplomats will find as many good restaurants and evening entertainments in Caracas as they do in New York? The UN post is not supposed to be a hardship position.

UPDATE: Is Chavez El Pollo Loco?