Stubb appreciation post from an Estonian.

33 comments

1. He kisses ass, gives his son nice jobs. What is not to like?

2. I think it does come easy to him. You can think whatever you want about that, but I think it makes him exceptionally suited for the job.

   I think it’s valuable for everyone in Europe that we have leaders who know how to deal with Trump.

3. Only the results matter, and so far I like the results.

   Abroad respect and likability for Finland has been on the rise since Stubb started as president. And that is basically the only thing that is the job for our president.

4. Imo, a leader of an entire population such as a president, needs to be able to get past how deplorable their counterpart is, cuz at the end of the day, they’re not just buddies doing their thing, they’re representing the countries as an organization that will still exist even after they’re gone from office (at least one of them probably thinks like that). Commerce and defense are still important no matter their opinion in controversial topics.

5. https://preview.redd.it/sy33s4rugjuf1.png?width=1536&format=png&auto=webp&s=020839fff841ef48633376ba978b799c0dcaba72

6. I guess he is trying to sell Trump some ships. And maybe the idea of supporting Ukraine against Russia. USA to remain a strong partner in NATO and such. And he knows Trump is rather susceptible to flattering, so it’s not a very complicated equation.

7. Personally, I think he’s a bit slimy and has no balls, but that might be useful dealing with all these other insane egomaniacs.

   His statement on recognizing Palestine was like “well if other countries do that first then we’ll also want to be on the right side of history”

8. If you want to befriend a monkey, bring some bananas. It’s really that simple.

9. This is what works with Trump. A tiny country like Finland doesn’t have much more than diplomacy as a means to affect the world at large. Yes, it’s cringy, but I’m glad we have the Trump whisperer as president right now.

10. He puts the interests of his country before whatever his personal opinions are. This is a rare quality in statesmen these days.

11. It’s not the way most of us would prefer to spend our day but Stubb is doing the hard work so Finland, NATO, and Europe can benefit.

12. I appreciate how stubb is handling international relations but I find it kinda humiliating how he gurgles trump’s testicles every time he opens his mouth around him.

13. He is good at handleing all the foreign leaders, he is a good speaker too. Compared to the rest of the papper flippers in out government, id rather not say.

14. We are realists. This is the world we live in and this is how we get the most positive end result as possible.

    Stubborn (😉) ideologies have no place in the global diplomacy. You need to play the game with the cards you are given, and right now Stubb is playing our cards extremely well.

    Stubb is a europhile first and foremost. I feel like he wants to represent not only Finland but kinda also the entire EU. I guarantee that deep inside he is shocked at how Trump behaves, but he knows that he cannot show that. I bet he rehearses constantly how to react to different curve balls that Trump likes to throw at him.

15. He may have found something (small) he likes in Trump. Crazy, I know, but to see Trump as a human being would be an asset to Stubb. Hell, I dunno, just think that he has met lots of people in his political career/life, and it is better to like people than not when you have to interact with them. It is much easier to dislike/hate people you never met. Why else could people so easily hate foreigners, even people from other areas of their country/of different religions?

16. A proctologist should keep professional, caress the asshole without giving a word even the nastiest haemorrhoid is right in front of your face, because it is the job. Stubb is the proctologist of world politics.

17. One of our past presidents, the social democrat Tarja Halonen, made no secret of the personal disdain she felt for George W. Bush and the republicans, and as a result our relations with US went pretty cold and there were no invites to the White House for more than a decade. To this day, Halonen is criticized as a misguided ideologue who made the cardinal political blunder of putting principles before pragmatism.

    Stubb is pretty much the opposite, a hardened diplomat who never lets personal feelings show or affect the job he has to do. I have no doubt he would never choose to associate with someone like Trump as a friend, but it’s his job to represent his nation and whatever his personal feelings may be, they are well hidden.

18. Stubb has been praised a lot for his overall performance as president (even outside Finland in the context of some specific speeches), so it’s not so bad to watch him see FIN-USA relations.

    If he sucked as a president or if him golfing with Trump was the only thing we saw of him, then yes it would be awful to watch. But thankfully that’s not the case.

19. At this moment, two of the best leaders to dealing with Trump is our Alex Stubb AND Canadian prime minister Mark Carney. Our president use his Golf-skills and special relationship to senator Lindsey Graham (the true Trump whisperer). Mark Carney is different. Hi is very skillful because his background at Britain Central Bank chief etc. He knows how world money trade really works, and that skill is very important just at this moment (tariff war). We must consider two important things, everything is about details. Meeting with Stubb, at the first time, Trump actually give direct security promise at Finland. That is first time we ever have that kind of security promise. But that isn’t the big thing. Big thing is, we are ONLY ones, Trump have give those at that direct. So it is possible to everyone, with negotiations. Another thing is, that ship-deal is actually real. That is congress approved and that’s not a bullshit. We must notice, Finland already build several World Largest Cruise ship at United States. Latest (Star of the Seas) left our Turku shipyard to Florida just couple months ago. Legend of the Seas is under construction. Our Nokia is largest mobile broadband carrier in USA. So why US bullshiting us with this icebreaker deal, if they don’t bullshitting us with those several others decades long deals? Our KONE corporation just seal the deal to make elevators and escalators at World Largest Tower (jeddah tower). So we actually are very capable to do business EVERYONE else but in the West-South-EU. All of the shit, Finland have, is always come from inside the EU!! Rescue packets to rich old countries? Our security need was demolished (Petteri Orpo get very bad news at “Drone wall”). So EU doesn’t hear our security needs but TRUMP promise our security?? Think about that. So yes, Trump is what it is. But reality is. Trump and USA before Trump is more important to “giving perspective” than rest of the EU at the moment. So why not? We don’t have anyone else “powerful” at the moment? We have Britain (direct security deal), Nordics, Baltics, JEF and … Trump.

20. He’s good at foreign diplomacy but he isn’t that popular in Finland cause he basically wants Finland to become a mini USA in terms of globalism and immigration or whatever

21. He’s holding a good line there and is a good fit for the job. The job is to smooch, not really to make enemies or grovel in front of anyone.

    Pretty sure he much prefers that to party politics of any level.

22. As an anti-Trump American I think Stubb is doing exactly what he needs to be doing.  

    He obviously has a very clear idea of who Trump is and is thoughtfully playing to his weaknesses.

    He is projecting strength and sanity against Trump’s corruption and frailty.

    From an outside perspective Finland is looking very good. You look disciplined, defensively strong, and above all, sane.

    I kind of imagine many Finns would not choose to sit at the same table as Stubb at a party, but he seems to be the right man for the job right now.

23. He is slimy and sleezy, and his years in different ministerial posts showed that he is dishonest too. He’s been on my top5 most disliked politicians list since, like, 2014.

    That said, his sliminess works wonders in diplomacy. He’s a suave people pleaser. His habit of listening what the other side says, praising it and kind of going along with their opinion without expressing one of his own was infuriating to watch in the election debates, but I can see how that skill is crazy useful when trying to win people over abroad. He has great language skills and looks the part. I also hate that Europe as a whole has had to suck up to Trump, but Stubb knows his realpolitik and knows how to play the game for Finland’s (and Europe’s, including Ukraine’s) benefit. As long as he keeps his nose all the way out of Finland’s internal affairs and focuses on foreign policy, I’m very content with him.

    It’s been a humbling and kind of wholesome experience to see a politician you so deeply dislike actually succeed and do stuff you can 100% stand behind. I feel I needed this in an era of growing antagonism and polarisation in politics.

24. We are proud of our very own Rudolph the Brown-nose reindeer, it was inspiring how well he hid his heartbreak that one time when Donny the Large had forgotten his name. I just hope he leaves Orphan at home the next time he goes places

25. This bromance will fly us to the moon!

26. I second this post.

    We need leaders now who know how to speak to Trump and also how to deal with Putin.

27. I personally do not like him but I see him as a necessary evil.

28. As a small country, we have to play “The Game”.

    Stubb is playing the game very, very well. Buttering up Trump and keeping close relations with the US despite the chaos their administration is sowing, while simultaneously pushing for a more independent Europe.

    It is unfortunate, that we don’t have the political power to enforce our values and will on a global scale like the i.e US or China, so we have to go with the flow and play the diplomatic game.

    Personally, I think the Trump admin is a threat to the west and western values as whole, but hopefully this crazyness is left in the past in 3 more years. The goal is, we come out with some good will and deals with the US and a lot of political influence in Europe.

29. But why is it special when it’s from an Estonian ?

30. Tbh I really think Trump is as simple as “hey he plays golf really good me play golf very good he must be very good business man”

31. You kind of answered your own question, he is doing what he should, haha.

    I also think he enjoys it at the same time. It’s very good for us.

32. Honestly, this is part of diplomacy. And he is doing it well. Might look strange from the outside, but would be much worse if they didn’t talk together at all.

33. It’s like you can’t win narcissist favor with insults or demands. You encourage them and make them feel they made the choice. I think Stubb is great at that.

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