| Obama: Meets WIth The View - Hillary Handles UN Meetings |
| Sep-24-2012 |
| Keywords: obama, un general assembly, jay carney, defend, hillary, meetings, world leaders, the view |
White House Press Secretary Jay Carney found himself in the unenviable position of having to explain why the president's schedule didn't include meeting with world leaders in New York City for the U.N. General Assembly.
Carney was asked a number of times at today's press briefing about the president's schedule, to which Carney implied random run-ins with leaders at tonight reception would be enough to address issues unfolding in the Middle East and north Africa.
"The president's obviously got a busy schedule. He has a busy schedule all the time," Carney said at one point.
But Carney did not appear to give a direct answer when asked why Obama was able to fit in 13 one-on-one meetings on the sidelines of last year's summit and none this year.
In his place, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton handled meetings this year while he and first lady Michelle Obama sat down Monday for a taping of ABC's "The View" -- sparking criticism that he was putting the election campaign above such issues as Iran's quest for nuclear capability and the violent, deadly protests in the Middle East and North Africa.
Carney stressed that, amid the violent unrest in the Middle East, Obama recently has had phone conversations with the leaders of Egypt, Libya, Yemen and other nations.
"The president has had extensive conversations with leaders in the region where there has been unrest of late, he will continue to have those conversations," he said. "He will see leaders from a variety of regions tonight at a reception in New York as part of the General Assembly and will deliver very important remarks tomorrow."
The wave of criticism about Obama allegedly putting his election efforts first began earlier this month following reports the White House declined a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, again citing the president's busy schedule. |
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Posted by Lou Dobbs Staff at 2:00 PM Email to a friend |
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