March 4th, 2013
02:23 PM ET
Official Washington brushes off Rodman visit to North Korea
Dennis Rodman, The basketball diplomat, is back from his trip to north korea-
And he's delivering a message from its leader to President Obama: "call me."
Rodman, the former NBA star, went to North Korea to film a documentary about basketball. And he got to sit courtside next to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who's a huge basketball fan.
Rodman got closer to the dictator than U.S. diplomats have.
The man who was known as “The Worm” while playing basketball says he's got a new friend, calling Kim Jong Un a very humble man who loves power and control.
Elise Labott reports.
@natlsecuritycnn on Twitter
Hi, Mr. Kim Jong Un, if we saw that the US magnate Bill Gates has dinner with you at that moment, we would think that his efforts on vaccine research must be good for your country and your people. What's more is that Bill Gates has many good friends who are the very good businessman.
We don't know whether or not Dennis Rodman has a very good relationship with President Obama, but North Korean President Kim Jong Un is that great, as we see he has asked a former NBA star to present his greetings to the President Obama like an old friend rather than asking a politician.
The VP says Obama isn't Bs-ing on Iran with their 'nukes' but with North Korea he's mum – guess the reason is there's no Jews in North Korea. Seems the Jews have the United States on a short leash lately
Finally a democratic shinning star. This man truly represents the best of the party. Good job Mr. Prez in selecting such a stealthy representative of your administration. Did you hear the part about Bill Clinton in his interview? Already laying ground work for 2016 maybe? Look out Hilary there's a new sheriff in democratville and his badge is a ring through his lip.
Gotta love all the Clovers out there losing their collective sh!t over absolutely nothing.
I agree James, not to mention the female journalist called Kim Jong Un several times Kim Jong Il...
Hey you, we're talking about a stupid move Obama made and you post such a meaningless comment above saying nothing at all! Senseless posts like these are irritating and stupid!
Good grief Tom, don't you believe in free speech? I do, although these right-wing nutjobs here irritate me with their Tea Party stupidity.
No surprise here! Such is to be expected from those right-wing, lame brained politicians in Washington who only use the American peoples' ignorance in order to get more votes. This is revolting indeed!
Such is to be expected from a clown like Barack Obama whose only concern is to be politically correct, Joseph. This bozo renegged on most of his promises like closing down Gitmo and getting us out of Iraq and Afghanistan. Besides, he is now butchering more people with those godless drones of his that Bush did, and that makes me want to puke!
How about it? How about sports diplomacy? Remember JFK's call to diplomacy in his inaugural address - "...remembering on both sides that civility is not a sign of weakness, and sincerity is always subject to proof. Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate." Ping pong diplomacy between the US & China was met with more interest and welcome by both populations than the "blah blah" stuffy nuanced dance of traditional diplomatic channels. If Kim Jong Un is such a hoops fan - and we're the nation that gave birth to and remains the center of gravity for that sport - why not give it a shot? The cost would be relatively small, and the potential for gain, huge. President Obama could send quite likely send someone with ten times the intelligence and equal or greater basketball bona fides than Rodman to North Korea as a special envoy. Someone like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar or Magic Johnson. Bill Bradley or David Robinson. Dave Bing or Bill Russell. Maybe even a famous coach - Zen Master Phil Jackson or Bobby Knight or Pat Summit or perhaps outgoing men's olympic coach, Coach K (would have to wait till after the big dance, in his case). Of course, stack the deck for success by including a couple mid-level bureaucrats and one or two North Korea analysts. But the point is that the North Korea situation is bad already and only getting worse. What's been tried for the past decade or so has not shown much promise. Whether's it's "hear no evil" by putting our hands over our ears or Bush-esque "bring it on" tough talk, none of our recent formal diplomacy with North Korea has approached the successful connection and communication realized in one weekend by... "the Worm." If America, by extension (figuratively speaking, of course), can do that much, in so little time, with so little effort, with one hand (and one brain) tied behind its back, think what we might accomplish if we actually tried. If it doesn't work, I don't think the world would think less of the US. Let's say DPRK spurns someone popular and well-known like Magic - bad press for Un and more international favor and political capital for the US. Why not? Why not? Lives of US servicemembers are precious! War should always be a last resort after trying cheaper and more peaceful means... even basketball diplomacy. And yes, I'm a veteran.
Anyone who thinks Rodman actually made some kind of diplomatic breakthrough here is seriously deluded. Rodman was used by the North Korean regime to prank the U.S. in an ongoing charade. None of this deserves a second thought.
and any idiot who thinks that having this kind of close encounter to the leader of a hermit crab is just a "joke" is seriously deluded. I love how you just brush this off. Sure Rodman is an idiot but still it's one of the little ties we have and we could try to use that as a means of diplomacy. We haven't achieved anything like this since the Korean war. HAHA. I love how they just assume this is no big deal.
Please – explain to us all how this non-event is such a "big deal"? Do you really think that the masses of overweight dolts are going to continue giving a sh!t two weeks from now, let alone remenber?
should be 'remember'.
According to the CIA, Rodman knows more personal info on Kim than any agent right now. Rodman says to give Kim a call and that he doesn't want war. Now my question is, how did Washington or the CIA not do that first? What are we doing arguing about Rodman being a nut and missing the point of an opportunity for dialogue with a rogue nuclear nation? Kim's a very isolated young man who loves basketball. Are you saying we couldn't arrange to have any body, not a single person, who could better represent us and go on another trip? Or do you work for an organization that would profit by bombing them?
Why isn't the Obama administration taking advantage of this? We have never been this close to North Korea and yet they assume that Dennis Rodman is just some kid who is worshiping a celebrity or something. While he is a fool we can still use him as a tie to this hermit crab nation. Obama would be absolutely stupid to throw away the one thing that would allow us even remote access into this reclusive nation.
The President can't call him because every single phone line and computer around the World is monitored by the C/I.A
For those who thought Rodman did right thing, let's ask why didn't Rodman ask Kim to call Obama instead? I came here from escaping a communist country. Rodman is such a propaganda tool used by dictatorship regime. Look at the truth, here we have all basic human right and freedom of express our opinion while N. Korean are forced to worhship their dictator like God for 3rd Kim' generation. N. Korean have been suffered and isolated from the outside where they could not even read foreign magazine or surf internet. Rodman should have learned the fact how N.K regime treat and isloate their people without basic human right before you go and come back here to advise our government.
Paul, the same media company who arranged the meet, VICE.com, also traveled there before. That time they showed exactly how horrible the conditions are and complete the dictatorial rule. No one advocates that here and to frame the argument of having conversations with that leadership in that manner suggests a myopic and propagandist view of the situation.
rodman will be at the white house in a week or less
Why the hell is this even news? Unless the suggestion is our citizens need white house approval before visiting another country...
Try going to Cuba. You might be surprised when you book your flight.
What's going on in Washington that no one thought to pick up the phone and say hello? Even worse, to reject the idea when publicly asked to do so? This is an opportunity to create a dialogue with a rogue nuclear power. We're willing to sanction the population into starvation but dismiss the opportunity for peace talks?
What an epic failure of US diplomacy and public discourse. We should probably organize a public tax strike until our government represents the peaceful nature of the US people internationally.
Why didn't Rodman ask Kim to call Obama instead? I came here from escaping a communist country. Rodman is such a propaganda tool used by dictatorship regime. Look at the truth, here we have all basic human right and freedom of express our opinion while N. Korean are forced to worhship their dictator like God for 3rd Kim' generation. N. Korean have been suffered and isolated from the outside where they could not even read foreign magazine or surf internet.
Who's to say he hasn't tried. When looking at Washington's response to the plea for conversation, they publicly dismiss it. Why do you think they would take the call?
I agree with you Geoff, this could be a missed opportunity by the Obama administration to take advantage of this. Dennis Rodman has done what no US diplomat has done since the Korean War.
In fact, Clinton's administration had tried all diplomacies even give them aid of foods for exchange their stop developing nuclear. Unfortunately, it turned out that N. Korea had black mailed us and still developed then tested nuclear bombs. N. Korea was the one who walked out from the 6 nations party talk, not the other five nations.
Look at the picture: The lady in the white shirt, she kept her eyes away from the game but him and she might wonder: Is he a typical American?????
Violation of allegiance toward one's country or sovereign, especially the betrayal of one's country by waging war against it or by consciously and purposely acting to aid its enemies.
Did she say Rodman met with Kim Jong Il? The current leader of North Korea is Kim Jong Un. His father, Kim Jong Il, is dead.
The president will call him when hades freezes over and this guy stops starving his own people.
LOL... "A very humble man who likes power and control."
i don't think Rodman is intelligent enough to understand oximorons 🙂
More of a paradox.
he is a secret agent :-p
obama was asked "should we send in the seal team"
obama replied " no send in rodman"
He's the new chuck norris
You know I agree. Ill bet at night when basketball was finished and he had finished his shaken not stirred martini. He slipped into his black jumpsuit and slipped around photographing nuclear stuff
i smell an "ARGO" !
I have a hard time looking at Dennis Rodman with all his facial piercings and tattoos,
but I have to admit that he is a better diplomat for trying to make peace with his enemies.
Call him the worm, but at least he doesn't bury his head in the sand about North Korea
like all the paid diplomats in DC do. Instead they bow to the war profiteers in DC,
and think of peace as something to be avoided because it ruins the bottom line
of Bechtel, BP, Exxon, Halliburton, and all the other blood money billionaires.
Obama might as well take Rodmans advice. Both of them basically represent the same segment of their race and both have about the same background in international diplomacy. If Rodman picked up a Koran i wouldn't be able to tell them apart.
You are really far outside the beltway, go a little bit further and ask the slaves being raised (yes the children of prisoners in the North stay and become slaves themselves) by the N. Korean Dictator so he can meet with the Worm what they think of their Nation.
The problem isn't in Washington regarding N. Korea, it is the leadership of the Slave State that is the issue.
If Obama had some balls (and maybe a leader like Reagan) he would pick up the phone and call the little punk on it.
The "Worm" should just stay in Pyongyang and simultaneously raise the IQ of both countries.
Elise a "foreign policy journalist" doesn't even know who the leader of North Korea is. Just listen to how she keeps referring to him as Kim Jong Il. Um, Elise, he's dead. Kim Jong Un is the leader who met with Rodman.
Of all the Ambassadors representing US Basketball its Dennis Rodman? I know he was requested by Un but Rodman?
Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, or Jerry West would have been far superior than Rodman? It kind of tells you what the young Ruler's thinking is.
Dwight, why would you say something like that. The man is a basketball fan pure and simple, and Dennis Rodman was a great basketball player. Say what you will, but Dennis has a down-to-earth disposition and he tells it like it is. No put ons, shows, etc., he was absolutely perfect for that trip. Also, the Harlem Globtrotters were there - an American icon. Come on, let's give the guy a break.
Besides, no one with a lick of sense or honor would be willing to betray his country as Rodman has. Thanks to Rodman's "diplomacy' this tin-plated dictator with no credibility has become the story of the day, prompting some idiots to say that the Leader of the Free World should call him. Kim is suitable for ignoring. Shame on Rodman for not doing so.
LaRue,
"Dennis has a down-to-earth disposition, and he tells it like it is. No put ons, shows, etc." . . . Are you being serious? Dennis Rodman is one of the most egotistically self-centered, superficially flamboyant, and completely pretentious personalities I can think of. His interview with George Stephanopuolos was beyond pathetic. I don't think that any of us will be seeing him again.
That doesn't make any sense. Rodman is all show and mouth. I agree with Dwight. SO MANY better choices than him. Of course who would want to go? He is one of the few people that if Kim threw a fit and kept him, no one would even care. More power to him.
This article is highly unprofessional. Why isn't North Korea even capitalized?
Not to mention the article doesn't have anything to do with the headline, which itself is not a recognizable sentence. Also, "he got". This doesn't even look like a first draft.
Who cares. The only news they should post about north korea is when we drop a bomb on their ass.
Who is this "we" you speak of, Sam? Afterall, it sure as sh!t won't be courtesy of the likes of you, you spineless chickenhawk.