Here in New York the UN General Assembly is in session, and even from the relative safety of my garret in Harlem, it’s impossible to avoid the Sturm und Drang as world leaders, their critics and sycophants perambulate around the city, block avenues for protests or motorcades, and pop up in the media. On Wednesday Shashi Tharoor, undersecretary-general of the UN on leave and India’s candidate for the top spot, was on WNYC commenting the speeches; his is such a mellifluous, Britishized diplomatic voice that I was lulled into paying no attention at all, so I can’t tell you what he had to say. You can listen here. All I know is that Kofi Annan’s voice is a hard act to follow, but if the criterion is cosmopolitan polish, Brother Shashi got it goin’ on.
There’s interesting stuff happening at the UN this month but you won’t hear about it: like every other conference, the UN meetings are ones where the real action — private discussions between enemies, mediation of civil wars, horse-trading of all sorts — takes place in the hallways and back rooms, not in the auditorium. So we owe a huge debt of gratitude to Hugo Chavez, the irrepressible president of Venezuela, for livening things up yesterday when he stepped to the podium and said this:
The devil is right at home. The devil — the devil, himself, is right in the house.
And the devil came here yesterday.
Yesterday, the devil came here. Right here. Right here. And it smells of sulfur still today, this table that I am now standing in front of.
Yesterday, ladies and gentlemen, from this rostrum, the president of the United States, the gentleman to whom I refer as the devil, came here, talking as if he owned the world. Truly. As the owner of the world.
Now, I have no interest in getting into a discussion of the relative merits or flaws of Messrs. Bush and Chavez; last night I went to a show where a singer called politicians “all lyin’ sacks of shit” and, armed with my graduate training in political science, I can’t say I disagree. But as literature, as television, as performance, as art, this is really fantastic material.In his new book, The Greatest Story Ever Sold — and indeed in most of his weekly columns for the past few years — Frank Rich analyzes the success of the Bush administration in getting its way through well orchestrated staging and performance. Chavez is no different and just as effective, though his is a brilliant, slightly demented one-man act compared to the US administration’s ensemble piece.
As you may also have heard, Chavez performed with his own props: early in the speech, he brandished a 2003 book by Noam Chomsky, Hegemony or Survival: America’s Quest for Global Dominance, advising that the people of the world, beginning with Americans, read it posthaste. And someone is listening: as various papers have reported, in the last 24 hours Chomsky’s book jumped into the top 10 at BN.com and Amazon, where as I write this it thrones in first place (followed by Rich).
This morning on the BBC, Tariq Ali, the Brit-Pakistani critic and a self-described friend of both Chavez and Chomsky, was asked to comment on the “Hugo’s Book Club” effect and had absolutely nothing of substance to say, other than he was sure Chomsky was pleased with the plug. Somewhat more usefully, the New York Times confirms that Chomsky, whom apparently Chavez said he regretted not meeting in his lifetime, is in fact very much alive and had these comments:
Mr. Chomsky said he was glad that Mr. Chavez liked his book, but he would not describe himself as flattered.
“We should look at ourselves through our own eyes and not other people’s eyes,” he said.
Mr. Chomsky said he had taken no offense at Mr. ChavezÂ’s remarks about his being dead.
Most American papers, and some Venezuelan ones as well, have weighed in to condemn Chavez’s speech. Meanwhile, in a supreme display of irrelevance, Jesse Jackson sat down with Chavez and asked the kids to play nice: “My appeal to him is to get beyond the anger.” But from the US government, nary a peep. Walrus-man John Bolton said Chavez’s comments “warranted no reply.” Perhaps that’s the wise course of action; perhaps it’s chicken. But all the world’s a stage, and the audience must not be disappointed.
Apparently, after the most recent straw poll, ST came in a close second after the South Korean candidate.
Hugo looked, to me, especially after Latino version of blessing himself (kissing the thumb at the end) and the hand gestures after saying “…y todavÃa huele a azufre!”, like an evangelical minister.
This has indeed been a very theatrical session of the GA… one charismatic “minister”, one man brandishing coca leaves, and the little man from Iran in the wind breaker (or did he wear a suit?).
oil giveth and oil taketh. tith a sticky meth.
Sometimes I feel like this is the only real qualification needed to move up the ranks at the UN. I used to be a big fan of strengthening international institutions like the UN, but I think my mind is slowly changing. Having done some int’l enviro work in the past couple years, I realize that there is so much bureaucracy and so much of a disconnect between said institutions and folks on the ground, it’s really difficult to get anything done that has concrete results. Of course, it is also important to have a forum in which representatives of different countries can gather, especially in times of crisis.
As for Chavez, like Ahmedinijad, I just can’t take him seriously. They are obviously speaking to a very specific audience, and they provide entertainment value, but I don’t see either one of them being a part of a constructive solution to the political, economic, and military crises that the world faces.
Another scene to be included in this play is the one where Chavez made Pelosi play into US patriotism:
Plus, I love how Chavez provides cheap oil for Bronx residents to defray heating expenses. This all makes for sad theater. I’m surprised Bolton didn’t start in on the “Hugo, your mamma is SO FAT” jokes.
Can’t we move this stage out of NYC. Traffic is a bitch during these GA meetings. We should also consider stopping the funding for this boring play.
I second that. Only in US of A my friend. We can have people come in from other countries and criticize our president..i love it!
Yeah, Rangel too. I was very dissappointed. Just when I started thinking the Dems may pull defeat out of the jaws of victory, they wisen up.
plus, rangels comments are almost surreal, he basically said you can’t criticize the president on US soil if you are a foreigner. My guess is this is how he thinks conservatives think. Great theater.
I would pay to watch that! I don’t remember the name of that MTV show that Fez was supposed to host with these kind of jokes. We can make it a reality show on a pay per view channel.
I am sure Murdoch is already planning something along these lines.
This Chavez guy is a complete buffoon! I think we should not care what he says. Also,I heard that in Venezuela you are not allowed to criticize the president. I am not sure where I heard this. I could be wrong.
I am sorry but the conservative spokesman (Hannity and O’Reily) do say this. They were upset that Natalie Maines criticized the president on foreign soil. (I know these are not exactly the same but they are very similar.)
You’re so right, Manju! That silly Rangel, what was he thinking? I’m glad that you and I know how conservatives really think, buddy; namely, that conservatives don’t believe in criticizing the president at all. Being a foreigner doesn’t matter, since conservatives just blindly accept Bush’s justifications for attacking, murdering, and torturing others. Doing anything else would be un-American and certainly pinko liberal hogwash, right?
i was listening to an interview on the BBC a few months ago with an american (i didn’t hear the beginning), and i didn’t know who it was. the interviewer began to go on about how oppressive the US gov. was, and how civil liberties were being heavily curtailed. the american got very irate, and pointed out that american civil liberties are still superior to what one has in england and what not. the american? noam chomsky (as i found out as the interview was nearly over).
Great post, Siddhartha.
People, please watch the video. It’s priceless.
To me, Chavez’s storytelling is right out of the Borgesian-Marquezian tradition. It’s not that American politicians lie (of course they do), it’s that public morals have killed-off the power of storytelling. To be considered “colorful” is now the political kiss of death.
What I’m yet to see, though, is anyone approaching this from the point of view that the Devil, so to speak, doesn’t exist. Everyone takes it at face value. Chavez believes there’s actually a devil (I love that pungent detail of sulphur), and that he’s identical with George Bush. The preznit of the US, meanwhile, also believes that there is a devil, “the Devil himself,” but that he’s most definitely not it. You’re the devil! No I’m not!
Oh religionists. When will we recognize these childish metaphors for what they are? Being called the Devil is like being called the Grinch, or being called Rumpelstiltskin.
Razib, if you defend Chomsky, you will give your friends on the right headaches from the contradition.
Personally, I’m glad that Manmohan Singh is as dull as he is. Maybe he should have more flamboyance, more pizzazz, but I like a politican who has read the books he refers to and who actually has something of substance to say.
Less long-winded version (what’s wrong with these South American strongmen?), see this.
There are plenty of conservatives like McCain, Powell and Andrew Sullivan who have criticized this President on torture. The problem is the “spokesman” for the movement (Rush Limbuagh or wannabes) have taken over the political party that speaks for the conservatives these days.
‘Plus, I love how Chavez provides cheap oil for Bronx residents to defray heating expenses’
Now now! Just write an endearing letter to Chavez teeming with anti-Bush diatribe ( you shouldn’t have a problem there, right?) and he’ll send all of Brooklyn free heating oil too.
‘Also,I heard that in Venezuela you are not allowed to criticize the president’
Damn right.
‘I am sorry but the conservative spokesman (Hannity and O’Reily) do say this. They were upset that Natalie Maines criticized the president on foreign soil.’
You are right Nara on this. O’Reilly and Hannity are idiots ( though O’Reilly has begun to see a little light lately ). But I don’t think they speak for all Republicans/Conservatives/Libertarians. Even though I might not agree with Natalie Maines, I don’t think she need to apologize at all for what she said. And those ignorant bastards who went stomping on Dixie Chicks’ CDs after her remark well they should apologize.
Last night Sharpton on TV was saying he doesn’t like it when Bush calls other nations evil either. This needs to be cleared. Bush has never called the Iranian people for example evil. He is calling their regimes evil which is not totally untrue. By the way it is Danny Glover who organized the Chavez lovefest in Harlem. This is the same guy who a few years ago went on a campaign against cab drivers ( mostly South Asian ) for ignoring Black fares. He should know a thing or two about root causes and look into the data of how many South Asian cab drivers have been mistreated, mugged and murdered by people who look like him.
JJ is pure political performance art. B/f the afghan war he claimed the Taliban wanted to meet him to discuss a peace deal. The taliban said they never called him. Now, i don’t think there is a group of people more despised by americans than the taliban. But when a poll was conducted, a majority of americans said they belived the taliban’s account.
when mlk was killed, JJ was at the same hotel but not present at the time. he somehow managed to get king’s blood on his shirt. the next day he appeared on tv, wearing the same shirt, and implyed he held the dying king in his arms. The king family never really trusted him after that.
At least Chavez (or I guess the translator) used the correct word for where he was speaking from. What is popularly known as a podium is actually a rostrum.
Razib, if you defend Chomsky, you will give your friends on the right headaches from the contradition.
i’ve defended chomsky plenty, though that’s because we agree on cognitive science 🙂 (or, i tend to agree with him, more than not)
Boss Hugo speaks w/ Democracy Now.
BB: you have much more in common w/ rush, ann, and sean than you think.
Well if nothing else it makes for an entertaining GA. After all, “politics is the entertainment wing of government”
Sriram, here I have to quote Shashi Tharoor – who when faced with a similar comment replies “If the UN didn’t exist, someone would have to invent it” – and say that I have to agree with him there. As imperfect as it may be (and what large organization with 190 disparate members is perfect?), I don’t think the baby should go out with the bathwater.
I’ve definitely been caught up and delayed by the motorcades this week (and saw Dubya), but, the UN being in NYC is a great source of income, and every time someone (like Germany) comes a-courtin’, the Mayor’s office gets involved to make all the right noises about how welcome the UN is here.
I gotta admit, aside from the traffic nightmare, it does make the East Midtown area very colorful and there is a certain frisson from all the cops and secret service around. The mind boggles at the logistics of hosting so many heads of state on such a densely packed space, especially from a security point-of-view.
Chavez’s comments may have seemed inflammatory to many at the UN as well as our own grandstanding ‘leaders’ across the nation. However, to any person whose life has been ravaged by extremely horrible US foreign policy measures– nuestro ‘presidente’ nunca se parece como angel!! No se si es el diablo….pero no se todavia…
sorry, i’m a bit of a ditz here and there– but isn’t the UN area of NYC technically an international zone? and if so, can our stupid politicians stop saying things like “don’t insult our president on US soil?” sigh…
Nara, and JiltedManhood — that’s not true. As far as I know. Venezuela has a pretty free press. Here’s quoting Greg Grandin on Democracy Now yesterday :
This is also what the Irish film-makers of “The Revolution Will Be Televised” (about the anti-chavez, allegedly-US-condoned coup) said.
For Dem lovers like me who are absolutely giddy with excitement about the Dems taking over the house, the above quote is a reminder of the enemy within. This clown will be the chairman of the influential ways and means committee. What a buffoon! This is the most pathetic pandering by a Democrat since Tipper Gore launched her jihad against lyrics.
Chavez defends his rants
I didn’t mean to imply that the UN is irrelevant and should be dissolved. I’m just saying that the problems within the UN go beyond imperfection and stretch to ineffectiveness on several fronts. There are many arguments to be made as to why that is, lack of U.S. cooperation, the inherent problems of bringing together disparate interests, etc. But, I do agree with people like John Bolton when they say the UN is in need of some major reform, starting with the Security Council. I mean, why should a country like France have a permanent seat when India does not? Nowadays when I see Mr. Annan speak on the news, I can’t take his words that seriously because he needs to balance so many interests and ideologies that his words just seem like a bunch of diplo-policy wonk gobbledy-gook.
Yes, they do all look alike, don’t they?
I am just so freaking outraged by Rangel’s comments. This is the same kind of insanity which led Romney to deny free state escorts to Khatami.
I’m not sure it’s pandering as many of his constituents probably disagree with him. So it’s not like he’s winning any points with cats Uptown.
I’m not sure it’s pandering as many of his constituents probably disagree with him.
Charles Rangel is well aware of the fact that the Reps are scaring their base with the thought of Rangel as chairman of ways and means committee or Pelosi as speaker etc. etc. if the Dems win the house. This is an attempt by him to show the other side that hes not crazy and so to de-motivate the Rep base from showing up.
‘Yes, they do all look alike, don’t they?’
Oops! You got me!
‘Nara, and JiltedManhood — that’s not true. As far as I know. Venezuela has a pretty free press’
I’d like to read an editorial or two critical of Chavez in the Venezuelan press to believe that. I don’t doubt that he has been elected democratically though. He embodies extreme populist politics.
ylrsings, that’s what I thought too. But apparently, it is still US soil. The Wiki entry, for instance, reads
So, it’s like someone standing in a foreign embassy in the US and saying something.
Wow. The irony of this statement is astounding. You just demonstrated why Golver might have felt a need to campaign in the first place. We should pay for comments like these.
Ask and you shall receive. If you’d bothered to click on the link in my post where I refer to some of the Venezuelan press being critical, you would have found this:
From the paper’s website:
The rest of the editorial is behind the subscriber wall but this should make it pretty clear where they stand and how vociferously they are prepared to say so. (In case it isn’t obvious, the paper is taking the words that Chavez applied to Bush, and applying them to Chavez.)
its called FREEDOM of speech. he has the right to say it and we have the right to disagree with it. I do disagree with him. I also disagree with Bush trying to remove Hugo from power. No wonder Hugo hates Bush.
But I like Bush anyway as he is a good bloke who did what he could to pound the terrorists after 9/11. OK Iraq is a mess. But at least NYC is no longer….
… I was supposed to say at least NYC is no longer a mess like it was after 9/11. We have not been attacked in teh United States since 9/11.
You can be critical of Bush but that is a victory of sorts.
I dunno Al. I’m from NY so I see Rangel up close and he’s usually a straight shooter, so for once I don’t think it’s a case of a politician being so calculated. This is the same guy that introduces a bill every year in the House to reinstate the military draft just so his fellow pols will vote against him. Don’t always with him, but always entertaining.
Also I think he misspoke out of passion. He’s a vet so you could understand the argument, no one gets to demean my president ‘cept for me.
sirc, I agree with you on #40 and disagree with you on #32, in that I think plenty of Rangel’s constituents and supporters would agree with what he said. For exactly the reasons you put forth in #40. Just because folks are uptown, Black, and Democrats doesn’t mean they can’t be touchy on subjects like these.
ylrsings,
You are correct, the land and building that houses the United Nations is in fact an international zone. More here
Chavez could have a great career a dialog writer for the WWF… if he survives long enough to retire from office.
Ethnic,
It’s indeed an international zone in some sense, but it’s still not wrong to say it’s “US soil”.
The U.N. might be international territory but if any of you commies wanna use any of our other vaunted cultural institutions you asking for a bytch slap.
RUDY 2008!
While Chavez is colorful, the bit about the devil was new and exceeds his past language. Though all in all, how predictable. Hugo says something childish at a grown-ups session, gets childish reaction from supposed grown-ups.
This bible-based name-calling isn’t all Boss Hugo though. When US chief of state throws out ‘axis of evil’ for a few countries, sure, its fair game for some counter-name-calling even if its not done by reps from the axis of evil countries. If he’s being a baffoon, the baffoonery was begun not by him, and some time ago might I add.
Right now this is what some people on the globe see – a nation with resources led by fanatics who take law in their own hands and abduct innocent citizens from their land to torture and incarcerate them without due process.
This UN gathering made for a sad display of the decline in diplomatic gravitas.
LOL! What does Jesse Jackson do for a living anyway?
Kurma,
I didn’t see the wiki entry before posting the link, you are correct in saying that it is still on U.S soil, I had no idea that about Journalists, when reporting from the complex, can’t NY as the identification of their location and also Chavez has suggested that the headquarters be moved to Venezuela:)
‘Wow. The irony of this statement is astounding. You just demonstrated why Golver might have felt a need to campaign in the first place. We should pay for comments like these’
Irony? Unless you are just as profound a reader of my last few innocuous words as Kraptastic is in comment # 30.
These cab drivers don’t land in America with a preconceived bias against Blacks. If anything they may carry the colonial baggage and probably some resentment towards the White man. These people haven’t been schooled in sensitivity or political correctness. Most who work late night shifts in rough urban areas make spur of the moment decisions ( sometimes life and death ) based on their own and their colleagues’ experiences. And the fact remains that they usually suffer more at the hands of members of the African American community than from people of any other ethnicity. Are they wrong to treat all Black people ( the great majority who are harmless) as if they were going to be harmful? Yes they are. My larger point is Glover and others of his persuasion who usually look hard for grievances ( particularly among the less educated underclass ) to explain violent or hateful behavior failed to look compassionately at the plight of these immigrant cab drivers and rushed to asking the city to penalize them.
‘We should pay for comments like these’
I hope you reserve a little from your vast reservoir of compassion for some of your blog’s commenters as well. No need to jump your PC meter before you find out what one is really trying to say.
Actually, my problem with the UN goes beyond ineffectiveness. I’m a pretty ineffectual person in the grand scheme of things, but no harm done, right? The UN, on the other hand, often makes matters worse by legitimizing points of view, people, and policies via a so-called democratic process. Now, I’ll agree that the UN has done a lot of noble things like their World Food Program and their fight against AIDS, TB & Malaria, but everytime they pass some ridiculous UN Resolution picking on some country (Turkey, Morocco, and most notably, countless resolutions against Israel such as demanding they give up their nukes) they are making matters worse. Fortunately, they have no real power but if they did, it would be a classic example of majority rule without minority rights. The policy making arm of the UN is actually a very effective forum — for lending legitimacy to a plurality of countries who want to pick on the odd man out.