The Good, the Bad and the Ugly at the Munich Security Conference

European leaders got a good look at the glaring difference between the Republicans and the Democrats this week at the Munich Security Conference, which has been held since 1963. Even with all the issues Europe has with President Trump, they were greatly impressed and, by their own admission, relieved to hear our Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, speak. I watched the entire speech, and it was impressive to say the least. Rubio spoke frankly about the need for Europe to build up its strength and protect its Western culture, but he did it in a professional and diplomatic manner. Indeed, the moderator told him during the short q and a that followed that they were relieved to hear his words. Rubio assured them that they have an everlasting friend in the United States.

For some strange reason I can’t fathom, California Governor Gavin Newsom was in Munich after having embarrassed himself at the January 19-23 Davos, Switzerland World Economic Forum. Has he actually been in Europe all this time, forgetting that he has a state to run back home, or did he saddle the California taxpayers with two trips to Europe? On second thought, as a resident of California, I guess it’s a good thing if he’s been absent so long. The latest scheme is to saddle us with a 6-cent mileage tax on our cars, while gas is back up to over $5 a gallon. 

Then there was Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. What in the world was she doing in Munich? Maybe she was auditioning for a barmaid job at the next Oktoberfest. I don’t know if they actually let her into the main assembly, but she did appear at some town hall/panel in which she totally embarrassed herself. When asked what the US would do if China attacked Taiwan, she sat there silently for what seemed an eternity before stumbling around and saying essentially nothing. Kamala Harris and Miss Teen South Carolina would have been proud. Too bad they didn’t ask her where Taiwan was.

Speaking of geography, when the subject of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro came up, she wowed her audience by saying that Venezuela was below the Equator! Who knew?

Not only that, but she also accused Israel of committing genocide against the Palestinians, apparently unaware that she was sitting in the very city where Nazism was born. The offensive irony could not have been lost on her German audience. No doubt the Germans and their European partners are wondering why she was in Munich in the first place and why this woman is considered a possible presidential candidate.  

Rubio, on the other hand, clearly demonstrated who the American adult was, not Ocasio-Cortez, not Newsom, but Rubio. I am sure many in the room walked away hoping that Rubio is the next president of the United States. Can you imagine a debate between Rubio and either Newsom or Ocasio-Cortez?