Chavez and Obama, sittin’ in a tree…

The United Colors of Benetton has a new ad campaign that purports to get people not to hate each other by posting images of world leaders locking lips.

Kim Jong Il and Lee Myung-bak, Merkel and Sarkozy, Abbas and Netanyahu. Even the pope gets a turn, with the sheikh of the Al Azhar Mosque in Cairo. (Don't panic, kids. They're all Photoshopped.)

It's a real testament to President Hugo Chavez that he and Obama get to play tonsil hockey. Chavez famously takes every opportunity to criticize the West, and most particularly, the US. Though, frankly, his insults have gotten a bit softer of late. (What's the deal, Hugo?)

Of course, Obama gets a second go-round, with China's president, Hu Jintao, since they clearly have some issues to work out. 

But you have to hand it to Chavez. Not nearly the most powerful economy and certainly not one of the most influential leaders in the world. Yet when you do a global roundup, he somehow always winds up in the mix.