Obama's baseball bat draws criticism in Turkey

[longnecker]

Whoever thought a baseball bat would cause a diplomatic flap?Lawmakers in Turkey are criticizing President Obama over a recent White House photo showing him on the phone with Turkish Prime Minister Recip Tayyip Erdogan while holding a baseball bat.
"The photo reveals from whom our prime minister receives orders to rule the country," said Metin Lutfi Baydar, a lawmaker with Turkey's main opposition party to Erdogan.
Another opposition member, Umut Oran, called the photo "an implicit insult to Turkey and its citizens."
Erdogan dismissed the entire flap, calling Obama "a friend who never falls short of respect or politeness."
(It's not just any bat, by the way; it's been autographed by former home run champion Henry Aaron.)
The White House was concerned enough about the criticism to issue a statement about the photo:

"We released the photo with only one purpose in mind, to highlight the President's continuing close relationship with Prime Minister Erdogan and draw attention to the important conversation they had about the worsening situation in Syria.
The President values his friendship and close partnership with Prime Minister Erdogan on a range of important issues on which the United States cooperates with Turkey."
http://content.usatoday.com/communit...p#.UB_3I_aPVqy

[Curly]

Boo fricking Hoo. Mr. President, next time call them with your d&*k in your hand. Don't take a picture though.

[Kid Lester]

Boo fricking Hoo. Mr. President, next time call them with your d&*k in your hand. Don't take a picture though.

Yeah. Turkey needs a bastin'.

[Jessica]

I don't see what the big deal is. If Obama was squeezing a stress ball in the shape of the Turkish president's head, then I can see him being offended. I think Turkey has bigger problems to worry about.

[longnecker]

I don't see what the big deal is. If Obama was squeezing a stress ball in the shape of the Turkish president's head, then I can see him being offended. I think Turkey has bigger problems to worry about.

There certainly could be an implication there with the guy signing the agreement and Obama holding a baseball bat. really stupid picture IMO.

[max1]

It is a matter of perception.

[Jessica]

There certainly could be an implication there with the guy signing the agreement and Obama holding a baseball bat. really stupid picture IMO.

What's the implication though? That Obama is on the bully pulpit forcing Turkey to take orders or something? I can see that, to a point, if it was intentional. I fiddle constantly on the phone, and when I was in banking I closed huge deals while twirling around a stretchable figure of a dentist that I got from my healthfair. It seemed to me that he was just doing the same.

I think I missed where the Turkish president was signing something at the time... I thought they said it was a conversation.

Anyway, I'm not Turkish, so it doesn't matter what I think about it. It seems that the Turkish president himself wasn't offended either, and that's good enough for me.

[Curly]

Damn Muslims are offended with everything.

[max1]

The implication is that obama has used bad judgment, just put the bat down and have them take the picture.

[Bellicose]

I don't see what the big deal is. If Obama was squeezing a stress ball in the shape of the Turkish president's head, then I can see him being offended. I think Turkey has bigger problems to worry about.

Not to drag it into this, but funny how you can see that, but yet a statement is completely thrown around to be about bashing gays, and you are all over it. Its not like they put a sign on the door. I mean geesh hes just holding a bat while talking to someone of importance, which in turn is kind of like saying I relly dont care about this conversation, so I will hold a bat and do things while we talk.

Yes, I do that, but my conversations are not that important, just friends palying catch up for the most part.

The implication is that obama has used bad judgment, just put the bat down and have them take the picture.

Bad judgement Max, no never, no one ever uses bad judgment in this world. Let's all bash him for it, actually I have a better idea, lets all protest eating Turkey, or doing anything that has to do with the word turkey, or its product, to take a stand! Hell let's protest baseball, since Obama is holding a bat!

[Jessica]

Not to drag it into this, but funny how you can see that, but yet a statement is completely thrown around to be about bashing gays, and you are all over it.

Then please don't. Seriously. I'm happy just to talk about Obama and his bat.

[Bellicose]

Hey I was just trying to figure out, how one is different from the other. I know one is just a pic and the other a statement. But judging from the sounds of it, the pic is that statement.

[max1]

Then please don't. Seriously. I'm happy just to talk about Obama and his bat.

"But, until then, it's something lighthearted to talk about instead of guns, Obama v. Romney, etc. "


LOL I'm confused......can we talk about obama or not :-)

[Chase]

[Bellicose]

Figured it was coming Chase, glad I could start it to make it happen