Pompeo Shuts Down Reporter on Venezuela: “You Shouldn’t Ask Questions Like That”

This guy is so out of his depth it isn't even funny

“Because Pompeo is a bully and an ideologue, he likes denigrating journalists publicly and he wants to shut down any line of inquiry that might contradict his assertions that ‘America is a force for good'”

It is fitting that the Secretary of State who boasts about bringing “swagger” to U.S. diplomacy should be the most hypersensitive snowflake when it comes to tough and challenging questions from the press:

Pompeo shouldn’t have interrupted before his colleague could answer, and he was wrong to attack the journalist for asking a fair and legitimate question about the effort to force Maduro from power. This isn’t an isolated episode for Pompeo, but fits into a pattern of berating reporters for doing their jobs that goes back to the early days of his tenure at State.

The Secretary of State has an allergy to tough questions, and he bristles at the slightest criticism of the administration’s destructive and questionable policies. This is one of the many things that distinguishes Pompeo as one of the worst Secretaries of State in recent memory:

I first noticed his habit of objecting to “ridiculous” and “ludicrous” questions last summer when he was busy spinning the lack of results from the Singapore summit. He was asked why the summit declaration included no details about verification, and in addition to calling it ridiculous and ludicrous he dismissed the question as “silly.” This is what I wrote about that at the time:

It is appropriate and indeed necessary for people to raise questions about what the government is doing, and it is not “silly” to point out flaws and omissions when they actually exist.

If most observers are emphasizing that the statement released after Tuesday’s summit was weak and lacking in specifics, that is because the administration is trying to sell it as a major success.

It is the job of journalists and experts to question official claims and to challenge them when they are false. If Pompeo doesn’t like “insulting and ridiculous” questions, perhaps he and the president should not say ridiculous things that insult the intelligence of informed people.

When he was called out last fall for issuing the bogus Yemen certification over the objections of department officials to protect current and future arms sales to the Saudis, he took offense that someone would dare point out what he had done.

The Secretary of State has done this so many times since then that has become impossible to miss:

When pressed by journalists on the administration’s policies, Pompeo — especially in recent months — acts highly defensive. He has regularly cut off reporters, dismissing their questions as “ridiculous” or otherwise expresses his impatience, tsk-tsking reporters by repeating their first names.

In the latest episode, Hudson was raising a fair point about the potential negative consequences of U.S. sanctions, and he was asking the Peruvian foreign minister whether the governments aligned against Maduro would consider changing their approach if the humanitarian crisis grew worse as a result of the sanctions. Pompeo didn’t want to hear what his colleague had to say because he was in such a hurry to shoot the messenger for his supposed “lack of understanding.”

The adverse effects of sanctions on the civilian population has been a chief concern of critics of administration policy, and it was absolutely appropriate to ask one of the regional governments involved to explain their position.

Because Pompeo is a bully and an ideologue, he likes denigrating journalists publicly and he wants to shut down any line of inquiry that might contradict his assertions that “America is a force for good.”

Like many hawks, Pompeo isn’t interested in talking about the possible downsides to U.S. policy, and he thinks that the administration’s “deep intent” is all that matters. If U.S. sanctions contribute to starvation and disease in Venezuela, Pompeo won’t ever take responsibility because his “intent” was supposedly to help them. Hawks always want to be judged by their intentions as they portray them to us, and they never want to be held accountable for the consequences of what they do.

The fact that Pompeo always responds so defensively to the mildest questions about administration policies shows how out of his depth he is in his job, and his unconvincing responses underscore just how awful the policies he is trying to sell really are.

Source: The American Conservative

21 Comments
  1. CHUCKMAN says

    “I first noticed his habit of objecting to “ridiculous” and “ludicrous” questions last summer…”

    Yes, but this is exactly what we see in many of Trump’s big appointments.

    Look at Sarah Sanders.

    Look at Nikki Haley.

    Look at John Bolton.

    Look at Elliott Abrams.

    It’s just something in the genes of this savage branch of humanity.

  2. John C Carleton says

    This Rat minion was director of the Mossad twin, the war criminal, drug running, head of state assassinating, child sex slave trafficking, Anti-American crime cabal, the CIA.

    One thing when you can just have the opposition murdered, another when you are a hive mentality zionist zombie, who’s gray matter has been eaten by the zionist virus, and the zionist zombie triess to express itself in other than zionist Speak.

    1. Jake321 says

      LOL…The only eaten grey matter on display here is yours, Igor, from way too much Vodka binging.

      1. John C Carleton says

        So you approve of the CIA murdering heads of States, starting revolutions to benefit the Rats, trafficking in Children for sexual purposes, bribery, drug running, theft on a massive scale, mass murder, Holocausting, Genociding, Anti-Americanism.

        Why did you not just identify yourself as a Kazarian from the Steppes of Russia spawn?
        Folks would have understood you were for all those evil Kazarian practices.

        1. Jake321 says

          Do you always rape your kids or only when allowed out of the Nut House on weekends to visit with them, Igor? Or is it Adolf?

          1. Andrew Bennett says

            Hassidim are permitted to police their own communities. Hence cases of child sexual abuse are not reported in that community.

  3. P J. says

    Here is something to consider. When you are finally confronted by the Eternal God, who
    does exist. You will give an account for every word, including idle words, every deed, every thought and get this, every intention. At a time when self worship, which is idolatry dominates the political arena, all of our shepherds, political, religious, financial, and the overt perverts, are going to find that they will wish that could die, but they are already dead, so their next stop is their personal specific space in hell. The suffering will be worse than they can ever imagine. They will see all their victims and how they suffered,
    and they will suffer the very same things endlessly for the time decreed by the sentence.
    There is no escape nor hiding place.

    Imagine from the person at the very top of the wicked system, right down through

    the entire chain to the person who carries out the deed will suffer. What you believe
    is irrelevant. Everyone will reap what they have sown. It is an immutable law,
    not like our perverse laws where the innocent are condemned and wicked are celebrated. Unfortunately we do not hear this today, never the less it is the case.

    1. Tura Krana says

      Yes, I think that you are right. I know what you are talkin´ bout. Gods law is immutable, eternal, nothing can change it. Religions doesn´t matter. Only your deeds and thoughts, and words.

      1. P J. says

        Thank you Tura for your comment. I also include intentions because the sin starts with the intent which is mentioned in the article. It is the same as intention, as you know to lust after a woman in your mind is considered sin, the end result is that their actual condition is even worse than they think.
        I should have made it clear that I fully agree with your comment.

        1. Tura Krana says

          “We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ…” 2 Corinthians 10:5

          Every thought captive, to obey Christ, that´s it.

    2. chris chuba says

      I would love someone to remind Pompeo that he (and all of us) will have to give an account before God. Especially because he considers himself such an outstanding Christian.

      His lying is enabling genocide in Yemen. I see that as his biggest crime to date. I absolutely will not vote for Trump again.

      1. P J. says

        As I understand it, Pompeo is a Deacon, and it says that he teaches Sunday School. Mr Pence is an Evangelical Pastor. Others have their bible open on their desk or what ever. Maybe they should read it. President Trump is surrounded by all sorts of people who are classified as Christians, plus Jesuits, the False Jews of Revelation 2:9 and Chapter 3:9, who now run the counterfeit state wrongly called Israel, the Free Masons, Mormons, and others. Evangelical Churches like Hagee’s want all Arabs to be killed. What sort of Christian is that? It will speed up Christ’s return they say. Nonsense. I have had all this information and much more on my website for a very long time. President Trump says that he is a good man and can see no need for him to repent !! According to the Eternal God,
        no human being is good.

        People vote in elections, but that does not put them in power.
        The Basest of men are who are put into power by the Eternal God, therefore the people get the rulers they deserve.

        Daniel 4:17

        the most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomsoever he will, and sets up over it the basest of men.

        We are now seeing the demise of what I call the Biblical Israel Nations, I know that others view things differently, but I also explain
        why I say what I say. It is clear to many people that we are seeing the demise of the English speaking nations, the French, the Dutch, the Scandinavians, and others. These and others are in a chaotic situation right now, they are ungovernable.

        I read the reports from excellent contributors, which can be helpful,
        but the real issue is that the military equipment is not what wins
        wars. What is called the Old Testament is full of it.When the Eternal God says I Myself will fight against you as He has said you have already lost before you start.
        It is because of our rebellion against Him, that anyone will obviously lose, before they start. I can tell you that I belong to no church, nor group of any kind. I have nothing to join and I ask for nothing. I can also tell you that absolutely everything that I do is monitored. The Vatican, and many other groups and governments monitor me, and
        want me dead. I am not being dramatic. It is a simple fact.. So they are fully aware of what I am saying even on this noticeboard. I also know that some of the N.W.O. are panicking greatly, but as you said
        everyone will give an account in due time.

        The entire world is founded on wealth/debt and lying. Trump put it
        as ‘The art of the deal’, or as I put it “How to steal” ! I do not like putting my website name on other peoples sites, but as I have mentioned it, and I might be asked try peterjamesx.com.
        Sadly the entire world situation is going to get worse, much worse than we can ever imagine, starting with the Biblical Israelite countries, because we are much worse than Sodom, and even the Days of Noah, but that is another issue. Reaping what we sow,
        and Cause and Effect will take place.

  4. DENIS YOVANI SALMERON CRUZ says

    That face denotes a manipulative behavior.

  5. chris chuba says

    Pompeo was more upset that someone was directing a question at one of our vassal states rather than going through him. How dare he!

  6. Inferior says

    That this hippo is SecState of US tells us a lot about US itself.

  7. Mohale says

    Surprise? give me a break, Your job is to report what he says, and not try to be clever, the puppet beside him has no views either, his so-called government have given instructions. I like Pompeo, he has no time for this gimmicks of a ‘free press’ ‘sovereign states’ no, he is the imperial overlord, and does not hide it. these ‘journalists’ must not forget their place and act surprised.

    1. Garry Compton says

      Once the populace is Demoralized, they No longer can assess truthful information. “We can now legally use propaganda Against our own Citizens” signed into law 2013 B. Obama.

  8. Muriel Kuri says

    All these neocon psychopaths see others as having their own faults – looking in the mirror, not seeing their own evil mugs, but faces of others. They constantly blame people for the sins they themselves are guilty of.

    1. Garry Compton says

      NWO West Projectionists – Blaming others , for what , They – Themselves are doing in the world.

  9. ALTERNATE HISTORY says

    This non-entity POS can’t see foreign policy beyond dogma.

  10. Bailey rd says

    Lest we forget.he was trained to lie,steal and cheat. a born pig and bully

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