Only as a housekeeping comment for Mr. Russ, Chavez, as far as I know, has not personally produced coke. Notwithstanding, he has done worse deeds. He has single-handedly managed to control all branches of power. Moreover, he has disposed of our country's wealth as it if were his own. This individual has caused more harm to Venezuela than all the 20th century presidents combined.

You (NPR for posting comments of the people and the people for posting comments) have renewed my faith in the average citizen/person. When the "news" media is all about conjecture, opinion, and exaggeration, it is so refreshing to hear the words of people with intellect, passion, and a sense of humor. If all people on the planet could voice their opinions and share their opinions, we (the people of this world) might find it easier to understand one another, trust one another, listen to one another and accept one another for who we are and not "see" one another as politicians and "news" agencies would have us appear.

"One must think like a hero to behave like a merely decent human being."

May Sarton

How predictable the comments posted here all are: CAPITALISM GOOD, ANYTHING ELSE BAD. POVERTY DESERVED WEALTH GOD GRANTED,HEGEMONY NATURAL SLAVERY ALL THE SAME, INJUSTICE WILL BE FIXED IN THE OTHER WORLD IN THIS ONE HAVE HOPE WHILE THE RICH AND POWERFUL EATS YOUR GUTS. I am surprised nobody has denounced Chavez bad breath and the color of his underwear. Think about it, it's important!

How predictable the comments posted here all are: CAPITALISM GOOD, ANYTHING ELSE BAD. POVERTY DESERVED WEALTH GOD GRANTED, HEGEMONY NATURAL SLAVERY ALL THE SAME, INJUSTICE WILL BE FIXED IN THE OTHER WORLD IN THIS ONE HAVE HOPE WHILE THE RICH AND POWERFUL EATS YOUR GUTS. I am surprised nobody has denounced Chavez bad breath and the color of his underwear. Think about it, it's important!

Brilliant! Well-read and well-informed. I heard him in interview today on NPR radio. If only he could speak in English... it would make your hair stand!

Hugo Chavez is the uber book seller. According to CNN, "Sales of a little-known critique of U.S. foreign policy have skyrocketed on Amazon.com after firebrand Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez brandished the book in speech to the United Nations on Wednesday. Noam Chomsky's "Hegemony or Survival: Americas Quest for Global Dominance" moved from the rank of 20,664 Wednesday to No. 4 by Thursday afternoon, according to an Amazon.com spokesman"

Man, I wish he could sell my book, if I had one.

From the bit of anecdotal evidence served with my morning coffee by a Venezuelan expat/waitress in Miami, Chavez has embarrassed Venezuelans everywhere. "He is brusque and vulgar and he assumes everyone is like him. To think this is the president of my country."

Asking the young lady behind the counter if she thought that "the left" would be less in love with their populist hero, she thought it wouldn't make much difference even if Chavez discredits himself with his words. "The poor people that got so excited about him have now cooled off; they see what it's really about. But he has already filled the Congress with his people. The voting machines are fixed. The other candidates for re-election are campaigning now in Venezuela, but Chavez is traveling here. It's as if he knows he will win no matter what. If the vote were clean he would lose."

For now Chavez seems to have an iron hold on power in Venezuela, having stocked the government with supporters distributed weapons to civilian militias and established Cuban-style neighborhood political watch committees. This feeling of power that of carrying an assault rifle, a rank and being connected to a police apparatus that you can "report" to, has its lure for angry, vindictive unemployed young men. But this kind of "citizen empowerment" seems a volatile foundation for a country, not leading anywhere near the supposed ideals of peace and equality. This sadly is the psychology exploited. Chavez has fed a violent self-image for his country, and can now count on the support of the most violent and desperate at the expense of reason.

There are valid critiques of Bush, the U.S., the West, capitalism etc. and you would expect to get them from an opponent. Indeed if we are smart we would master the art of gleaning the best information from the critic while brushing off the bluster. Chavez has said scathing but true things about American over-consumption of oil and infatuation with SUVs, things which play into the hands of oil producers who now have a way to bend American opinion and action because of our dependency.

But neither Chavez nor Castro nor Chavez's apparent intellectual mentor Chomsky qualify as tempered, reliable critics. Their posture is that of the envious: striving in all they do to negate whatever is good and to formulaically find their definition of bad ("imperialism") in it.

Honi soit qui mal y pense (the evil is in the one who sees evil)

Reporting from the coffee window in Miami, Florida...

It is my personal opinion that the U.N. does need to be reformed. However, I think it still (just barely) serves a purpose. As for Chavez's comments, I don't agree. Chavez seems to have sided with Castro. He has also allied himself with Iran's leader. Unfortunately, he is control of a lot of oil. So that means that as ignorant as his comments are, we (U.S.) still need to pay attention to him. We need to push away from foreign sources of oil and aggressively push ahead with a missile defense plan. That way, kook leaders of small fringe countries can't dance us around with threats and posturing. I currently believe that President Bush and his administration have done more to secure the U.S. and end external (Islamic extremists) threats than any other administration. Anyone can gripe about whose in charge, but if they can't offer a better, more realistic path, then their comments only weaken the U.S. (and ethically/morally right) position.

Chavez is the type of man who I watch speak and am perched on the edge of my seat, waiting to see spittle fly. I love it! I take him about as seriously as I take Bush (which is to say not at all and yet very much so), but man is Chavez entertaining. Personally, at the "empire" remark I kept waiting for a "strikes back" remark...

This guy used to produce cocaine. I think he is doing a little too much of his product. I also bet that he is still strongly connected with the drug cartels. Why would he like America when we really want the illegal drug trade destroyed? What does everybody else think?

The language may be over the top but the subtle message was received, snickered at and applauded by some in the U.N. body. This administration came into power dismissing the U.N. as irrelevant, Europe as old, the ICBM treaty as non-binding, etc. Shooting from the hip and insensitive to all but religious, neo-conservative, energy, and business. Some of the rhetoric was inexcusable. When Nations and people fear you they conspire and delight in the failures of Goliath. There has been nothing intelligent or thoughtful about the way the Bush administration has conducted the affairs of the American people. Frustration brings about simplistic analogies that hurt. Like a "C" student being president. Would you rather have a "C" student do your brain surgery or a Rhodes Scholar? The Presidency is that critical and I hope it never happens again for America's sake.