Apparently, I don't agree with Obama that Bush should boycott the Olympic Opening Ceremony, after all.
It's my fault, really. I made an assumption.
By Moe Lane Posted in 2008 | Obamafiles | Olympics | Soo-eee! Soo-eee! Soo-eee! — Comments (22) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
I assumed that, simply because the status of Tibet under the PRC is a hot-button issue for progressives; and because the progressive movement is taking this opportunity to bring up the status of Tibet, loudly; and because it is also a hot-button issue that I happen to agree with; I expected, therefore, that my endorsement of Speaker Pelosi and Senator Clinton's call for the President to boycott the opening ceremonies would be very likely shared by Senator Obama.
Obama has not followed Clinton's lead in calling for an opening ceremony boycott to protest China's human rights abuses in Tibet and Darfur.
"It's very hard to tell your banker that he's wrong," Obama said, after talking about the need to restore America's stance in the world, "And if we are running huge deficits and big national debts and we're borrowing money constantly from China, that gives us less leverage. It give us less leverage to talk about human rights, it also is giving us less leverage to talk about the uneven trading relationship that we have with China."
Obama never once mentioned the Olympic Games in his response.
(H/T: Glenn)
I will admit surprise, however. It seems such an obvious stance for the man to take...
The junior Senator from Illinois has a particularly tricky balancing act when it comes to the subject of the Olympics: Chicago is vying to host the 2016 games and one of Obama's top campaign advisors and close friends, Valerie Jarrett, is the vice chair of Chicago's bid committee.
Oh.
(pause)
It's like the man combines the worst qualities of the machine and reform politician. You get all of the mutual back-scratching and none of the mutual loyalty; and all of the self-serving twaddle, but none of the overriding moral sense.
Roll on August.
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Apparently, I don't agree with Obama that Bush should boycott the Olympic Opening Ceremony, after all. 22 Comments (0 topical, 22 editorial, 0 hidden) Post a comment »
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"If we want to take this party back, and I think we can someday, let’s get to work." – Barry Goldwater
...are in this country, apparently.
What's disturbing is the implication that he thinks we should speak more softly just because some countries hold a lot of U.S. debt.
"No compromise with the main purpose, no peace till victory, no pact with unrepentant wrong." - Winston Churchill
Now he must speak softly? Don't upset the totalitarian repressive government....
___________________________________
Two thirds of the world is covered by water,
the other third is covered by Champ Bailey.
if only we were carrying a big stick at the same time...and willing to use it.
"Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first."
Ronald Reagan
Obama would love to model his government like Red China
He has similar economic philosophies.
It's as silly as the Bushitler stuff. It demeans us all at this site.
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"If we want to take this party back, and I think we can someday, let’s get to work." – Barry Goldwater
Is this what Obama's "hope" and "change" are about? Please. How does he think that he can live up to the old lefty canard about "restoring America's moral standing in the world" if he is unwilling to take any kind of moral stand? I shudder to think what his talks with hostile foreign leaders would be like.
Shoving a load of dreck in China's face at their big party is not going to play well. Now if you don't care about tibet and are out to tweak the heck out of the Chinese its definitely the play. The preferred play would have been to quietly get the Chicoms to lighten up on Tibet and let them benefit from being publicly benevolent in front of the world.
Oops seems its getting too late for the optimum plan, Guess we don't have a choice either now.
"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it."
-Thomas Paine: The American Crisis, No. 4, 1777
When someone invites you to dinner, you don't show up and say "Your house is dirty, I'll skip the introductions, but I'll be back for dessert."
Countries we don't like will get the nod to host the Olympics, from time to time. The purpose is the sport, not the politics.
As time goes on and we see more of Obama, I'm discovering that he's not just your average politician with a nice veneer. He's worse.
I didn't think it was likely that we'd ever seen another politician to rival the Clintons for the potential damage they might do, but I think we've found him. This guy has Bill Clinton's lack of scruples -- and that's saying something -- but I think he's more of an ideologue.
I never thought I'd say this, but I sincerely hope Hillary Clinton wins the Democratic nomination. Not only will she be easier to beat in the fall, but she'll do less damage than Obama if she wins.
(Unrelated to this topic, please visit my political blog, "Plumb Bob Blog: Squaring the Culture," at http://www.plumbbobblog.com. Thanks.)
I believe that they were sure that, given the chance, we'd drop everything to finish her off.
The Fuzzy Puppy of the VRWC. I've been usurped!
Fighting for conservatism one day at a time.
Levittown PA, 4/9/07
"If the Chinese do not take steps to help stop the genocide in Darfur and to respect the dignity, security, and human rights of the Tibetan people, then the President should boycott the opening ceremonies," he said in a statement. "As I have communicated in public and to the President, it is past time for China to respect the human rights of the Tibetan people, to allow foreign journalists and diplomats access to the region, and to engage the Dalai Lama in meaningful talks about the future of Tibet. I am also deeply concerned about China's failure to support efforts to halt the genocide in Darfur."
"Regarding the Beijing Olympics this summer," he added, "a boycott of the opening ceremonies should be firmly on the table, but this decision should be made closer to the Games."
-Obama
Lovely little equivocation there - "firmly on the table," forsooth! - but I suppose that he's just waiting to see how well this version polls before he fiddles with it further.
This is what a real call for a boycott looks like, by the way. I only mention this because you apparently have never actually seen one.
Moe
PS: Link, next time.
The Fuzzy Puppy of the VRWC. I've been usurped!
This guy is a curse.
He must be destroyed. I just wonder if McCain has the cajones.
Even if Obama has reason to believe that he needs to speak softly in the presence of the Chinese, why would he say so publicly? Why let China know he views them as his superior? Why let North Korea and Iran know?
The Chinese already know Obama is intimidated by them. That is not going to help the Tibetans much. Or anyone else.
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