Obama and Sarkozy Trash Netanyahu in Conversation

So, Barack Obama goes to Europe to attend the G20 and he's gossiping with Sarkozy about Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. They are lamenting the necessity of dealing with Netanyahu. Sarkozy calls him a liar. Obama agrees and whines about how difficult it is to have to deal with Netanyahu. And, their mics were open.

Oops.

If a French website, Arret sur Images, had not reported the snide remarks, we would not know of them. The press in the room decided to not report of the open mic remarks. There's your professional journalists at work.

The remarks were part of what the American and French leaders believed to be a private chat after a news conference in Cannes last week, during the G20 economic conference. The pair were still wearing microphones, and some journalists who still had their headphones on for translation caught the remarks, which were first reported by the French photo agency Arret Sur Images.


A Reuters news agency reporter who was also present has since confirmed the exchange.

As the two leaders discussion turns to Israel and the Palestinians, Sarkozy is first to express his distaste for the conservative Israeli Prime Minister.

"I cannot bear Netanyahu, he's a liar," the French president was heard to say.

In response, according to the account by Arret Sur Images, Mr. Obama sympathizes with Sarkozy's frustration, saying, "you're fed up, but I have to deal with him every day."

The initial topic of discussion which led Sarkozy and Mr. Obama to their apparent Netanyahu-bashing was France's support of the Palestinian's bid for membership in the United Nations cultural agency, UNESCO.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas sought unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state at the United Nations several weeks ago - first by the powerful U.N. Security Council, and then, when that failed, by UNESCO.

The United States has vowed to veto a statehood bid in the Security Council, and France likewise says it would not back the move, but Paris did vote in favor of UNESCO membership - a move which irked Washington.

Seems a bit odd that such a media savvy guy as Obama would make such a mistake.

I am working very hard so that President Obama no longer feels the heavy burden of working with Netanyahu after November 2012. I will be happy for him to return to the private sector and allow a new President in office who will truly support Israel.