NEW YORK – President Barack Obama, in New York City to attend the United Nations General Assembly and the Clinton Global Initiative, has inexplicably decided to shun most of the visiting dignitaries.

No time for the Israeli prime minister, the deputy prime minister, the Libyan president, the new French president or Iraq’s prime minister.

But there are some people the president of the United States did make time for.

Barbara Walters and Whoopi Goldberg.

Walters, Goldberg and the ladies of “The View,” the daytime talk show on ABC.

The White House announced Obama and first lady Michelle will make a joint appearance on the TV gabfest Monday.

Today on “Fox News Sunday,” host Chris Wallace asked Obama’s senior campaign adviser Robert Gibbs: “You don’t have a problem with the fact that he’s not meeting with any world leaders, but he’s going to appear on ‘The View?’”

Gibbs responded: “I have no problem with that, because, Chris, you’re the president of the United States every minute of every day.”

Obama will address the U.N. on Tuesday morning, followed by an appearance at the Clinton forum that afternoon, before heading back to Washington.

More than 120 world leaders will be in New York City for the two conclaves, but other than a brief meeting with new Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, nothing else is scheduled for Obama.

A high-level meeting of the Security Council is also scheduled.

No Obama.

There will be one opportunity to “mingle” during a state lunch being held by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, but that will only last about an hour.

One person who has not passed on the opportunity to make the most of his New York visit is Iran’s controversial president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Ahmadinejad, in his last year in office, will spend almost a week in the city.

The Iranian will huddle with Egypt’s president, Libya’s new president and Iraq’s prime minister among others during his “swan song” in New York.

The Obama schedule has raised eyebrows in U.N. diplomatic corridors.

The Iranian nuclear standoff, recent riots in Libya and Egypt which led to the deaths of four U.S. diplomats, including U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens, yet Obama has little time to consult with dignitaries from the region.

Most of the “encounters” have been left to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, herself an already declared “lame duck” departing in January.

Sources inside the Romney campaign tell WND the Republican presidential nominee is likely to meet some of the same VIP’s Obama has passed on, but insisted such meetings are still being negotiated.

Romney is expected in New York to address the Clinton summit on Tuesday.

One person not surprised by the Obama strategy is former U.S./U.N. Ambassador John Bolton who told WND, “Campaigning triumphs over governance once again.”

Was this article written by you, or did you just neglect to include source information?

It's spelled GOOGLE.

does it really matter? it's not hard to figure out, he was on the view today, and the delegates are already arguing in new york...what else do you want? was obama taking care of business, or trying to get votes?

great way to gain respect!

Meant to catch the "View" this morning but I forgot all about it! Dang!...Maybe I'll see some clips from the show on the nightly news...Anything that either candidate does or doesn't do in the weeks before the election is going to be criticized (and under scrutiny) on a daily basis...I'm used to it! It's the norm now...Whatever!.. I only react to big gaffes or stories.

As world leaders gather at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, President Obama and the first lady gathered with the women of the daytime talk show,“The View,” sadly choosing show business over the business of foreign relations. Leadership is about priorities, what does this say about the priorities of our president?

The White House says the scheduled appearance on the couch of “The View” didn’t allow him to meet with world leaders. On the heels of the worst terrorist attack since 9/11, the question in the White House scheduling office shouldn’t have been whether the president has time to meet with world leaders, the question should have been “does he have time for ‘The View?’”

While President Obama will address the UN Assembly Tuesday, but has turned the face-to-face meetings over to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The leader of the free world chose to sit on the couch with Barbara, Whoopi, and Joy when he should be engaged in bilateral talks with the likes of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Libyan President Mohamed Magariaf and Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari.

The Obama campaign insists the president is not shunning the visiting dignitaries. Senior Campaign Adviser Robert Gibbs told Fox News Sunday's Chris Wallace "they have telephones in the White House ... we don't need a meeting in Washington just to confer with leaders.”

That’s not true, there’s no substitute for face-to-face meetings. Foreign relations is about relationships; you build on them in person. A true leader doesn’t find time in the schedule for such critical talks, a true leader makes time for it. When you have diplomats and heads of state from 193 nations gathered in this country, you move things around, you work them in. I’m sure the crew of “The View” would be willing to reschedule.

I understand the value of campaigns using non-traditional media, like “The View,” which is often the sole source of political news and information for many voters. Unfortunately for voters, information about the current $16 trillion debt number escaped the president’s memory on his most recent Letterman appearance. Every campaign has sought refuge in a safe, soft-ball interview; but President Obama continues to do so at his own peril.

Despite his packed schedule, he has given exclusive access to non-political publications like ESPN, Glamour, and radio host “Pimp with a Limp.” These interviews often include the “gentleman’s agreement” to avoid talk of politics.

With “The View” interview, clearly, the Obama campaign is looking at the fact they can reach millions of people, six weeks out from the election. The problem is, two weeks after the terror attacks that killed our Libyan Ambassador and three others, our president needs to be in private meetings with foreign leaders. Leading from the front starts with getting in front of people to discuss important issues.

What are the priorities of a president who has missed half of his daily intel briefing, declines a meeting with Netanyahu, yet has time for Beyonce, Jay Z, and Sarah Jessica Parker? This is the tail wagging the dog, our president refuses to see what is truly important, choosing instead what is not.

Every campaign strives to avoid bad optics; an event or photo that would create a negative view on public perception. The irony is not lost in that “The View” itself here is bad optics. Not just for the campaign, but our country.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2012/09/24/obama-picks-view-over-foreign-policy/#ixzz27SfeycI7

This lady hit it right out of the park!

Remember when Obama was busy golfing in Florida while the Gulf of Mexico was filling with raw crude?

Chose to go to a rally in Ohio when hurricane Isaac hit La?

He stepped away from the White House once again while Japan was reeling from their earthquake that destroyed Fukishima.


Yep, Obama sure takes being president seriously!

when you have 193 dignitaries visiting you 'fit them in'


this person is clueless,,,,,does she suggest all 193 be given time seperately? how much time? should he pick a select few? how would the others feel? are they not welcome to request to meet with him like they would any other time of year?

isnt the event actually going on from 09/24 thru 10/01?

what is it they would have to discuss during this BUSY event, that they cant discuss just as well with a normally scheduled and planned meeting?

rather unusual not meeting any of them,and meeting with his Showbusiness Friends on a TV-Show instead!
Send a bad Message!

Actually he is meeting with one of the leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood. We now are seeing his priorities.

I love the View

I missed his appearance unfortunately

I also missed Dr Phils interview with Trayvons parents


....havent watched much tv lately, probably because of how turned off the political ads have made me,,,,

All of the daily "tattle-tale" stuff really gets on my nerves...It brings back memories of how I felt when my sons were young and they tried to "tattle-tale" on each other and pull me over to their "side." YUK! It got "old!".. I was so glad when they grew-up a little more and stopped the silly (and annoying) "tattle-telling" all the time!...With adults I guess it falls under the category of "gossip!" Some people launch a "slash" and "smear campaign" and spread daily gossip...Oh another term for it might be "nit-picking!" Watching and waiting for someone to "screw-up" then going in for the "kill!"...I wouldn't want to be placed under "24-hour scrutiny." (With people sitting on the sidelines waiting to "attack me" over any lIttle thing!) The "attackers" have a "set agenda." (To bring someone "down.")...I don't want to be this way with either one of the candidates. I want to be fair...I may not agree with something they "say" or "do!" But I'm not out to "rip" either candidate to "shreds!" This is just not my "style!" And not respectful as far as I'm concerned.

I've missed a lot of shows lately too. YUK! The negative ads sure make me sick!..I want to be able to feel proud of our country and proud of the way we conduct elections and "do business" in general!...But it's sure hard to feel proud these days with all the "negative smears" and "cut-throat tactics."...It all starts to seem so juvenille and "kid-like" after awhile. Where are the grown-up adults? Where is a sense of respect? Or "fair-play?"

It should be clear now that those empty chairs hanging are symolic of the importance Hussein exibits in his neglecting our country and doing business of important world business.

Emty chair and empty suit.

you're watching Doctor Phil?

I m watching the Presdient and the Mrs.
on The View right now, almost over.
They are wonderful, as always.

wonderful is not the adjective i would have used there... I'm just glad that the election is more important to them than world affairs... the whole time the worlds delegates are in new york, he is only scheduled to talk with the leader of Egypt, and leader of the muslim brotherhood....(same guy)

I didn't catch the entire show but did see a good portion of it...Enjoyed seeing them too.

He had to go promote himself on national tv, that's more important than foreign affairs. I'm actually surprised he didn't go, he could have bowed to all the other "leaders" and apologized for America some more.