Prime Minister congratulates Obama

Corinne Vella

Nov 6th 2008, 19:36

Joe del ceppo & I M Dingli: Frankly, I can't see why you feel the need to defend Joseph Muscat's gaffe. This is not a zero sum game. Anyone can offer their congratulations to anyone they wish to anytime they want to do so. And once they're going to do that, then why not do things properly?

Corinne Vella

Nov 6th 2008, 19:27

M Farrugia: It's not a situation we lump. It's a situation we live with. There is a government, and there is an opposition. The leader of the former speaks officially on behalf of the government and the leader of the latter speaks officially on behalf of the opposition. That's called democracy. When the leader of the opposition speaks 'officially' on behalf of the nation, that's called a gaffe.

Corinne Vella

Nov 6th 2008, 19:24

Steve Rogers: Joseph Muscat has the same right to offer his congratulations as everyone else does. As leader of the oppostion, however, he is diplomatically incorrect in presuming familiarity where none exists and equally incorrect in presuming to speak officially on behalf of a nation when he does not officially represent it. Rules of protocol wash over the head of those who do not know they exist and do not understand them.

And the president of the United States of America is white, not black.

Daniel Baldacchino

Nov 6th 2008, 19:19

Don't any of you "grown ups" have anyhting better to do than to have a dig at eachother about who wrote this flippin letter. Why does it always have to be about red or blue and who is best in this country ! It's just a letter. Don't turn this into another political showdown - we have enough of that going on as it is!

Steve Rogers

Nov 6th 2008, 09:16

@Eman Costa

Its called creating a smoke screen

@Corinne Vella

The PM, being the leader of a MINORITY government is right in congratulating the President of the United States (being of a MINORITY ethnic). JM also has a right since the Labour Party and the Democrats are both left leaning parties!

joe del ceppo

Nov 6th 2008, 05:58

@corinne vella

Ghalkemm fil prezent nemmen li l prim jirraprezenta l minoranza xorta naqbel ma parti mill comment tieghek , biss zomm go mohhok li l kap tal oppozizzjoni jirraprezenta nofs il pajjiz ukoll u ironikament huwa tal istess partit . Dejjem zomm go mohhok li meta kien hemm bzonn dejjem sabu apogg mill partit demokratiku amerikan u nqraw ittri ufficjali pubblikament jekk forsi issegwi inti u laffarijiet huma reciproki. Insomma dat tip ta comments juru kemm huwa difficli biex tikkritikaw lil Joseph fil mument ghax kull haga li jaghmel qed tippruvaw tispinjawa . I do not blame you la m hemmx fuq xiex

Joseph Grima

Nov 6th 2008, 01:55

Let's be serious

There's a comment below, where the author seems to be implying that Gonzi congratulated Obama because Muscat did so...

Now let's make this clear once and for all. Whatever Muscat does, be it a meeting with Gaddafi, congratulating Obama, organising protests or whatever he comes up with, he is not and for a couple of years will not be the prime minister or the president of this country. Full stop.

He did NOT need to congratulate Obama. The Prime Minister is our spokesperson and that's that. Rather, when Gonzi congratulated Obama, he did so also in Muscat's name.

What Muscat is doing here is drawing a line which divides the country in two. The duality between MLP and PN ceases the day election results are published.

T Mifsud

Nov 6th 2008, 00:48

JM is first to jump protocol where it suits him to discredit the state. It has become a modus operandi to discredit the order of establsihed protocol. Immaturity starting to emerge in political actions. BUT THEN ... he is not pole position to take a stand on Immigration, he also cowards the entire party to take a stand on Hunting! Hmmm let's see who's two faces

M.Farrugi

Nov 6th 2008, 00:13

@Corinne Vella

In our case, A Prime minister represents half the Maltese voters plus some 1500 votes, whereas the leader of the opposition represents the others. Well, that is the situation, I guess you've got to lump it hun!

victor vella

Nov 5th 2008, 23:26

Well what if the prime minister took longer to congratulate Mr Obama and the leader of the opposition beat him to it, ara veru tfal intom ta.

alan Falzon

Nov 5th 2008, 23:18

.. never taught so many people had nothing else to do then complain even about this!!
ufff what a boring group of people ...

I. M. Dingli

Nov 5th 2008, 22:45

@ Corinne Vella

I didn't know you need to be a PM in order to congratulate someone. Tikber u titghallem!!

Eman Costa

Nov 5th 2008, 20:03

@ Aquilina Spagnol

Well at least they are worried about the Leader of the Opposition congratulating the first Afro-American President of the United States. Most people are thinking about other matters... how they are going to cope with the cost of living, electricity and water tariffs, increased car licences and the other 'green' measures.

Costa

Liam Kelly

Nov 5th 2008, 20:03

What a lot of poor comments today.

Damned if he does, damned if he doesn't! what do you expect him to do? its obvious he's going to congratulate the newly appointed president.

Get over yourselves.

P Debono

Nov 5th 2008, 19:24

As always happens in this country, the leaders of both parties are late to address a situation!

M. Camilleri

Nov 5th 2008, 19:17

Ah ara stenbaħ.
He got jealous of JM writing to Obama earlier, and so rushed to write to him as well....not knowing that his apologists, who defend him so gallantly, have attacked Joseph Muscat for doing the same precise thing.....
poor old Lawrence

Corinne Vella

Nov 5th 2008, 19:12

Clive Aquilina Spagnol & Eman Costa: A prime minister represents the state. A leader of the opposition does not.

Clive Aquilina Spagnol

Nov 5th 2008, 18:54

@ Eman Costa

they don't even dare because they are shameful of themselves!

Chris Borg

Nov 5th 2008, 18:36

wakey wakey

Eman Costa

Nov 5th 2008, 18:36

Will the bloggers who commented on Joseph Muscat's congratulatory letter (see news on this published earlier this afternoon) post the same comments now?

frans spiteri

Nov 5th 2008, 18:35

bongu sur ministru . About time . jekk tara it tv ta barra dan kollhu sar mall hinijiet ta filghodu.