Hillary to Bush: Boycott the Olympics’ opening ceremony
posted at 4:50 pm on April 7, 2008 by Allahpundit
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See-Dub says yes, I say no. Either way, it’s a perfect microcosm of Clintonian “pragmatism,” avoiding the hard option (a total boycott) for a half-hearted symbolic gesture that achieves little beyond cheap antagonism. See also the Clinton administration’s response to the embassy bombings.
Why do I say no? Simply because we have our foreign-policy plate full at the moment with jihadists of various stripes and should do what we can in the meantime to avoid problems with China by maintaining decent diplomatic relations. If you disagree, explain why boycotting the opening ceremony is appropriate but not the entire Games. Granted, you’d be killing the dreams of a few hundred American Olympians by going the latter route, but if you’re serious about protesting human rights abuses, that’s a small price to pay. Vote it out!
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Why should Bush boycott. I don’t get all these calls…I thought the dems wanted us to engage with other countries. This is a confrontational play.
Chudi on April 7, 2008 at 4:52 PM
Bush should ask Hillary to boycott PRC campaign donations.
NoDonkey on April 7, 2008 at 4:53 PM
The last time we boycotted the Olympics it caused a useless fiasco. Bush needs to tell Hillary to take a hike.
rplat on April 7, 2008 at 4:54 PM
Dare we offend a country that can control the very weather?
VolMagic on April 7, 2008 at 4:54 PM
Boycotting the games or even the opening ceremonies would cause China to lose face — which would cause a big rift between the US & China. We should be looking at being friendly with China, not pissing them off for no good reason or effect.
Did Carter’s boycott in 1980 help in any way? No.
Just tell China that if they want the world’s eyes on them for the Olympics, those eyes are also looking at Tibet.
rbj on April 7, 2008 at 4:57 PM
We’ve already got plenty of problems with China, so what exactly are we risking by skipping the Olympics? Whether it’s Chinese spies, or wargames with the Russians, they’ve been a thorn in our side that we’ve only ignored for economic reasons.
MadisonConservative on April 7, 2008 at 4:58 PM
The whole world will be laughing at the chinese by the time this is over? why miss the opening act?
lorien1973 on April 7, 2008 at 4:59 PM
Who cares? It’s the Olympics. They’ve been on the wrong side of all sorts of issues: 1936 Berlin Olympics, Munich Massacre, Steroids, Figure Skating judging, that synchronized swimming crap.
Boycott, don’t boycott.
This is a blatant attempt by Hill to curry favor with people who are disgusted by China’s Human Right policies. yet if she were President (not bloody likely), she’d go to score some free stuff…
mjk on April 7, 2008 at 5:00 PM
Look, we all know China has a horrible record of human rights. They have for a long time. But China was awarded the host country of the 2008 Summer Olympics years ago. And only now people are protesting?
Even though in a perfect world politics shouldn’t enter an athletic competition, the Olympics have always been a platform for politics. At this point, a boycott would prove nothing.
JetBoy on April 7, 2008 at 5:01 PM
Or sell some…
MadisonConservative on April 7, 2008 at 5:03 PM
QotD nominee, Allah?
warrenmr on April 7, 2008 at 5:03 PM
Should have protested back during the selection process if it was that important.
brak on April 7, 2008 at 5:03 PM
And will Hillary boycott Chinese campaign contributions?
VolMagic on April 7, 2008 at 5:03 PM
NoDonkey on April 7, 2008 at 4:53 PM
dang, I should read the other comments first. :)
VolMagic on April 7, 2008 at 5:04 PM
I thought the purpose was to forget about disagreements during the Olympics. Imagine if we boycotted the Berlin games in 1936, would anyone know who Jesse Owens is?
infidel on April 7, 2008 at 5:05 PM
I said that I thought see dubya was right over at MM, but I am so torn. I remember what happened in 1980…. but I am so sick of everything made Chinese, our kowtowing to them and looking the other way. You either are for freedom and capitalism( the trade with China is not equal therefore not capitalist) and against collectivist , socialistic regimes or your not
MNDavenotPC on April 7, 2008 at 5:05 PM
Do we really want our athletes to go to China?
Bad Air?
Here is a picture!
The Chinese (and the police and animal control) killing their own pets, mostly cats right now?
Not to mention Tibet!
Or the fact they keep sending the U.S. lead laced items?!
Sorry this is one time I think we should stay home. China isn’t on my list of “good” countries right now, even if they did give nuke documents to the UN.
upinak on April 7, 2008 at 5:07 PM
The Olympics shouldn’t be about politics, period.
KCB on April 7, 2008 at 5:08 PM
Instead of a gov’t-led boycott, why not let public pressure force sponsors and athletes to avoid a giving a propaganda boost to a fascistic oligarchy?
I think these flames should be fanned. Let the protesters focus on a real oppressive regime instead of trying to make Bush into the second coming of Hitler. Let people consider which gov’ts around the world are really crushing dissent. Let the protests extend to things about Saudi Arabia, Syria and North Korea.
Clark1 on April 7, 2008 at 5:08 PM
Why am I the only one excited about hearing Allahpundit’s name and piece on Clinton’s mis-statement of fact on the hospital story read on national radio? Is this such an every day occurrence?
Blake on April 7, 2008 at 5:08 PM
Why should we penalize kids who have worked much of their lives for this opportunity when US businesses are lining up to work with the bloody communist Chinese government.
We should not do any boycotting unless we are also willing to stop importing to and exporting from China. If we did that, then fine, add in the Olympics.
For pete’s sake we do business with butchering Saudis and the other Islamist pedophiles…Pres Bush holds their hands and BillyJeff takes millions from them for access.
Leave the kids alone and let them have a good event. This is typical of the can’t pass the bar exam brainiac Hillary. All she is good for is politics. Someone should throw it back in face and say lets the Olympics go on, For the Sake of the Children
georgealbert on April 7, 2008 at 5:09 PM
Boycott so the U.S. can be made to look as weak as Jimmuh made us look? That’ll show China. Kinda like sticking our fingers in our ears and saying LA LA LA LA LA LA LA Can’t Hear YOUUUUUU LA LA LA LA LA LA LA
oakpack on April 7, 2008 at 5:11 PM
What? The ChiCom butchers are going to declare war on us unless we attend their
BerlinBeijing Games?I must have missed that memo.
Then again, we didn’t boycott Hitler’s charade either.
Of course, he only murdered a fraction of the number of innocents that the ChiComs have, but that still brings up the question: At what point have you brutally murdered enough millions of innocent people that it is no longer kosher to attend and lend legitimacy to your propaganda orgies?
Misha I on April 7, 2008 at 5:14 PM
I would prefer just a boycott certain events like:
Fencing- Summers are awfully hot in China and I’m not sure if they even have lemonade over there. Plus imagine the costs of transporting the cement, the nails and the pickets.
Modern Pentathlon- I prefer the older version.
Sailing- Although I do like to sail, Pirates are a very real threat these days.
Handball- Shouldn’t the Olympics be safe for the family?
Equestrian- Really? Doesn’t the Horse do all the work? (I’m sure that will offend someone)
Badminton-I love this sport, and play it quite often, that’s why I don’t think it should be considered sport.
Shooting-don’t we need these guys in another part of the world?
Softball-The US women’s team totally kicks the S*** out of everyone. Should this really be considered a competition?
20km walk- Come on now, does that sound Athletic to you?
knat on April 7, 2008 at 5:15 PM
Who read it?
Allahpundit on April 7, 2008 at 5:17 PM
Keep something in mind: We’re talking about a boycott only of the opening ceremony.
Boycotting Olympic games doesn’t work. Like oakpack said:
amerpundit on April 7, 2008 at 5:18 PM
Can someone explain to me why we need to maintain “decent diplomatic relations” with China? We’ve had pretty good diplomatic relations with Beijing for a couple decades now and I’m not seeing where it’s done us or the people of China a whole lot of good.
They’re still crushing Tibet.
They’re pumping defective goods into the country.
They’re pirating virtually every American-made product they can get their hands on.
They’re dumping all over our currency.
They’ve been spying on us without any real reprisal since the Clinton administration.
They’re physically intimidating freedom advocates inside our own country without shame.
Whatever will they do if we don’t keep decent diplomatic relations with them? There isn’t a whole lot else they can do right now. The ChiComs are just a little bit busy with a couple domestic problems that could become existential unless we start treating them like they’re just another happy little ally. They’re facing an employment problem that could blow up on them in a really big way. The problem they have with pollution is not a trivial one either. The crackdowns in Tibet are only the latest (and most minor) thing that’s showing the tyrants in Beijing to be not even close to suitable to handle the task of running a prosperous country.
Jimmie on April 7, 2008 at 5:18 PM
As to the Hildebeest’s proposal: Sure it’s just a gesture, that’s all either of those two clowns were ever capable of, but I’m sad to say that it’s still a damn sight more than what the Spineless One in the White House can muster up.
George needs a new middle name. How about Kung Pao?
Cluck, cluck, cluck.
Misha I on April 7, 2008 at 5:19 PM
Realpolitik, Misha. It’s back in style after only, what, six years or so?
Remember how terribly well that worked for us in the Middle East? I do. Let’s go rushing right back to that again!
Jimmie on April 7, 2008 at 5:21 PM
Oh BTW the Modern Olympics has ALWAYS been about politics, even it’s creation.
MNDavenotPC on April 7, 2008 at 5:21 PM
Can we please leave the politics out of the Olympics. There are enough games being played in DC and all local governments with out these thugs, we call politicians, sticking there useless noses into the Olympics.
Wade on April 7, 2008 at 5:22 PM
Boycott? C’mon, if it weren’t for the Communist Chinese, where would we get body parts off of executed prisoners???
DfDeportation on April 7, 2008 at 5:22 PM
Michael Medved.
Blake on April 7, 2008 at 5:23 PM
Bush to Hillary: You first
ScottMcC on April 7, 2008 at 5:23 PM
Then explain to me, please: If boycotting Olympic games is so wholly irrelevant and doesn’t do anything anyway, how come it’s such a big hairy deal that we shouldn’t, under any circumstances, engage in?
No, it didn’t bring down the Soviet Empire, nor is Phred Phelps likely to shut down his church if I refuse to come over to his house for dinner, but it’ll be a cold farkin’ day in Hell before I break bread with THAT swinish bastard.
But I suppose that’s mean or irrational of me. After all, my kids would miss the delicious desserts that Phred’s wife might serve up.
I’m such a horrible person, I know. Refusing to associate with swine and all.
Misha I on April 7, 2008 at 5:24 PM
Realizing it’s an empty pointless gesture that hasn’t and won’t work, all the while potentially creating a foreign policy disaster if you carry it out, doesn’t make you chicken.
amerpundit on April 7, 2008 at 5:25 PM
You’re joking, yes?
Jimmie on April 7, 2008 at 5:25 PM
Your not attending his house isn’t going to potentially create a foreign policy disaster the United States can’t afford right now.
amerpundit on April 7, 2008 at 5:27 PM
Where were the Clintons back in 2000 when China was one of the finalists for the 2008 games? Did it take the Tibet killings to get a reaction?
The athelets have been training for the games to be held in China. Why are we all of a sudden surprised at China’s behavior? No, we don’t boycott them, nor do we sit out of the opening cermonies. We participate for the entire duration because we agreed to go along with China being the host!
Pam on April 7, 2008 at 5:28 PM
I ask again: What are the ChiComs going to do to us? Cry on us? Commit economic suicide by refusing to trade with us? Pass really, really stern resolutions against us in the U.N.?
On the other hand, I don’t think I’m far off when I guess that our esteem in the eyes of a great number of FREE nations would go up considerably.
Not that it matters. I must have missed when it became a good conservative value to give two flips about what the world thinks of us.
I DO care, however, a great deal about how I think about us.
So refusing to take the grand tour of Buchenwald with obligatory oohs and aaahs because it won’t make the Nazis shut down the camps and it might even make them mad at you isn’t chicken?
Funny how that definition seems to change every time Dubya switches the car into reverse and starts Doing The French Mistake, isn’t it?
Misha I on April 7, 2008 at 5:32 PM
It’s most definitely not a pointless gesture to refuse to endorse the ChiCom’s dog and pony show. There are a whole lot of people who are practically begging us free people of the West for some tangible sign that we stand with them and against their oppressors. It might seem pointless to you to have a George Bush-shaped hole next to President Hu, but it’s not pointless to a lot of people being worked over by Hu’s goons in a Chinese prison.
And, pace my earlier comment, what disaster is likely to happen that isn’t happening already? They’re going to spy on us more? they’ll send over more lead=painted kids’ toys? They’ll dump on our currency even more?
Jimmie on April 7, 2008 at 5:33 PM
The smog is so bad in Communist China, the athletes are not staying anywhere close to the Olympic Villages. They’re flying in on their event dates. So much for Global Warming partners eh?
DfDeportation on April 7, 2008 at 5:33 PM
I don’t know. What if he has the only lawnmower on the block and refusing to come over will make him refuse to lend it to me in the future? I’d be screwed, not to mention that the Homeowners’ Association would come down upon me like a ton of brick after a couple of months.
Misha I on April 7, 2008 at 5:33 PM
First of all, China has been alerting us to nuclear activities by North Korea. Second of all, China has been handing over intelligence on Iran’s nuclear program. Those are just two very important assets we can’t afford to lose in order to make an empty, pointless gesture.
France & Company will continue to despise us on climate change, Iraq, fighting terror, etc. regardless of whether or not we boycott.
amerpundit on April 7, 2008 at 5:38 PM
How about we be realistic here. You’re comparing missing a dinner at Phelps’ house and possibly losing the ability to borrow a lawnmower to a foreign policy disaster between two major world powers. You can buy a lawnmower; China’s handing over intelligence on the nuclear programs of our enemies.
amerpundit on April 7, 2008 at 5:43 PM
See: Moscow 1980. See also: Los Angeles 1984. Futile and stupid gestures, both times. Yes, China should be pushed on Tibet, Taiwan, Falun Gong, and all its other faults. The Olympics is not the venue for that.
Yeah, politics keeps getting dragged into the Olympics, but that’s not how it’s supposed to be, and “everybody else is doing it” shouldn’t be an excuse. If you want to throw out the part of the Olympic Charter that says that the Olympics is not supposed to be politicized, then go ahead, but as long as it remains there, we should try to conform with the spirit of it.
Besides, the Olympics is most definitely not about politics. This is what the Olympics is about. An Olympics without Misty May is an Olympics that I’m not going to be watching.
OK, except maybe when the Brazilian team’s playing.
Alex_SF on April 7, 2008 at 5:44 PM
And both of them were still, last I checked, busy going right ahead with whatever they want to be doing regardless. I agree. It’d be the end of the world if the Butchers in Beijing didn’t continue to pass on useless information about programs that we already know about and intend to do nothing about (because doing anything would “create a foreign policy disaster that we cannot afford right now.” Or ever)
Heck, if it weren’t for the Extermination Camp Commandants of China, we would probably not even know that the NorKs and the Mullahs were trying to build nukes!
I see what you’re getting at now. Losing all of this is a disaster compared to providing the murderers with a nice, flashy propaganda event. Not that anybody care about a few million Tibetans and Chinese anyways. They’re just gooks, right?
Misha I on April 7, 2008 at 5:47 PM
Uh, the nuclear intelligence is kind of important in keeping track of their developments and knowing when we’d have to intervene. But why continue that when we can not appear at the Opening Ceremonies, which will have no impact except to strain our shaky relations?
Boycotting the opening ceremonies won’t help the oppressed Chinese. All it does is potentially compromise the intelligence sharing they’ve been doing and relations we’ve established.
Potentially losing a vital information source on the developments of a rogue Islamic regime’s nuclear weapons program would kind of bad, so yeah. And do you think simply boycotting the opening ceremonies will significiantly damage China’s propaganda force? I doubt it. The U.S. team is still there, many most other Western nations will attend, and China will just decide not to mention whether or not the U.S. attended.
amerpundit on April 7, 2008 at 5:56 PM
Anyway, I’m done arguing this. You’ve hear everything I’m going to say, it’ll just be a matter of rephrasing it now. I think it’s pointless and will only damage our crucial relations with China, but you disagree. We’ll just have to agree to disagree.
amerpundit on April 7, 2008 at 6:03 PM
We’re going in circles here, so we’ll just have to agree to disagree.
My point is: I don’t care how “pointless” it might or mightn’t be (again: if it’s all that pointless and insignificant, I don’t really see where this horrid “crisis” would come from), there are limits to what I want to be associated with, and mass murderers responsible for the wholesale slaughter of millions are way past that limit.
If Hu wants his ChiCom version of “Triumph des Willens” and he’s dug up a Chinese Leni Riefenstahl, then so be it. I just don’t want us starring in it.
(And, by the way, I voted for boycotting the Olympics altogether for that very reason. Just boycotting the opening dictator adulations is a half-measure. Still better than a NO-measure, but a half-measure nonetheless).
As to “dire consequences”, I do believe that you’re overestimating them quite a bit. The ChiComs need US way more than we need THEM. If they were to disappear from the planet, we’d still be here. If WE were to disappear from the planet, they’d be starving to death.
In the dark.
Misha I on April 7, 2008 at 6:05 PM
GMTA! :-)
You’re right. But thanks for the discussion anyway.
Misha I on April 7, 2008 at 6:06 PM
A full boycott is pointless. A point is wasted along with the time, hard work and dreams of our olympians.
A partial boycott is near the same.
You really want to make a point? Participate in the opening ceremonies and give the U.S. delegation the option of wearing a Tibetan flag armband. Just sit back and watch a couple billion butts collectively pucker.
Brad on April 7, 2008 at 6:15 PM
This is nothing more than Hillary’s back-door maneuvering to curry favor with Pelosi and the superdelegates. Pelosi cares about the issue and can at least claim a modicum of China-cred speaking out against the government. The Clintons stand up to the ChiCom government? Gimme a break. How much money did Clinton Inc. pocket from Bejing in return for military tech and favorable trade deals in the 90’s? Hillary knows she’s got no hope left for the nomination except to play Kirstin to the party elites’ Spitzer.
sanguine4 on April 7, 2008 at 6:20 PM
IF we go, I don’t think we should do anything. We should behave properly. They were awarded the stupid games by that crackpot organization, and we agreed to participate. If we don’t like something they’ve done since, then don’t go. The silly protest is a eurolibweenie way of doing things.
JiangxiDad on April 7, 2008 at 6:26 PM
No boycott.
Agree.
Domino on April 7, 2008 at 6:42 PM
I dare you to run a couple of miles at the pace at which these guys walk 12.2 :)
mikeyboss on April 7, 2008 at 6:57 PM
If you’re going to pick a futile gesture to “make a point”, you might as well pick one that doesn’t hurt you.
Regardless of what we boycott, the real effect on China will be negligible (or so I suspect).
No significant harm is done (to the U.S.) by boycotting the Opening ceremonies; but the full boycott would have larger effects, many borne by the U.S.
Why take the painful route for no noticeable gain? Unless you really like doing pointless and painful things, the full boycott seems iffy.
If you plan on getting me fired for a cause, I’d like some idea that its going to be a worthwhile sacrifice. I suspect the athletes who have trained for a decade to compete feel in a similar manner.
Throwing away their effort for no gain? Questionable.
Now if you really believe that this gesture would be useful, sufficient, or significant in the goal of changing China’s Human Rights abuses; then promoting the full boycott would be rational.
I can’t see that being likely, but perhaps you feel differently.
However, if you think (as I do) that it would be more of a symbolic gesture that in and of itself won’t help change anything; then taking the painful route seems questionable.
gekkobear on April 7, 2008 at 7:01 PM
That’s more than a small price.
Absolutely no boycott. We walk they win, on the podium and on the international scene. Put the spotlight on China and beat them in their own house.
We have a men’s swim team that could crush any team ever put together.
This pic should say it all:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/1a/JesseOwens_1936Olympics.jpg
darclon on April 7, 2008 at 7:04 PM
12.4, I mean.
mikeyboss on April 7, 2008 at 7:10 PM
Too many people work too hard to get to these games. We must let the ChiComs know how we feel without ruining the hardwork of the hundreds of American Olympians and their families.
malan89 on April 7, 2008 at 7:11 PM
Wait, this is the same Hillary who refused to boycott the women’s rights conference she attended in China. Now she wants to boycott the Olympics because it’s being held in China?
DubiousD on April 7, 2008 at 8:04 PM
Aren’t the olympic athletes privately funded? Why does the US gov/POTUS have the power to tell them where/when they can compete or not?
All this talk about boycotts…..who is this “we” everyone here is commenting about? YOU can feel free to boycott all you want by not watching the games or not visiting China. Are y’all talking about forcing the athletes to “boycott”? Or what exactly are you referring to? What is the real question here?
I personally won’t watch a bit of it and will personally boycott it altogether. But I (nor you or anyone) has the right to force privately funded organizations to fit YOUR political preferences. Or am I missing something?
nottakingsides on April 7, 2008 at 8:07 PM
Hillary opens her mouth and calls Putin souless!
Now Hillary wants Bush to boycott China!
Don’t ya love how the Left are so passionate
and caring about peace,but they sure love to
start up Wars they can’t finish!
Again,the world is coming down on China,for
the US its a distraction,this has all the feel
and look of 1937-1939 Nazi Germany!
If for anything,if the world wants to come down
on China,China will loose face and be backed into
a corner,on this one in particular let Richard Gere
speak on behalf of the world!
I don’t want to see the United States take the blame
for what the Liberals have started,and then cower in
the corner and blame the Republicans as usual!
canopfor on April 7, 2008 at 8:29 PM
mikeyboss on April 7, 2008 at 6:57 PM
Yea I know. Kinda freaky the way they move their hips. I don’t think I could do that.
knat on April 7, 2008 at 8:32 PM
I think I am missing something as I fail to see what good can come from a any kind of boycott. Can someone fill me in on what or who will benefit from a boycott? TIA
Wade on April 7, 2008 at 8:34 PM
If we want to send a message to China, how about removing their most favored nation trading status? Don’t they still have that?
TX Mom on April 7, 2008 at 8:36 PM
It takes some nerve and thick skin for those folks to go out and train. I was best man at a wedding last summer whose bride and groom both are competing in the walks at the Olympic Trials.
Glad you took my comment in the fun spirit intended.
mikeyboss on April 7, 2008 at 8:39 PM
A Olympic boycott on any level is a childish, Democratic, and loser move. President Carter is ridiculed still today for that feckless move to counter the USSR for invading Afgahnistan. Anyone who wants President Bush to make a similiar move, even on a smaller scale, want Bush to be looked at years later as equally inept.
Hog Wild on April 7, 2008 at 8:47 PM
In a perfect world (or at least one where the clown in the White House had a pair along with a moral compass), that’s EXACTLY what ought to happen.
Associate with swine, wake up with fleas and lice.
Misha I on April 7, 2008 at 10:40 PM
So is this Hilary’s official declaration that she doesn’t need more money from her handlers in the People’s Republic of China? Or is there a press release coming after this?
MannyT-vA on April 8, 2008 at 8:10 AM
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