Hey Hillary... go ruin someone elses life! Leave us athletes alone.

[Plantains]

WASHINGTON - Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton on Monday called on President Bush to stay away from the Olympics opening ceremonies in Beijing, a fresh sign that politics, not sports, may take center stage at the summer games.
ADVERTISEMENT

The Democratic presidential candidate said a boycott of the opening ceremonies by Bush would underscore U.S. concerns about the recent unrest in Tibet and questions about China's relationship with Sudan.

"The violent clashes in Tibet and the failure of the Chinese government to use its full leverage with Sudan to stop the genocide in Darfur are opportunities for presidential leadership," she said, charging the Bush administration "has been wrong to downplay human rights in its policy towards China."

She said Bush should not plan on attending the ceremonies "absent major changes by the Chinese government."

Her rival for the Democratic presidential nomination, Barack Obama, said recently that he was conflicted about whether the U.S. should fully participate.

President Bush has said he will attend the Olympics because it is a sporting event, not a political event.

White House spokesman Tony Fratto told reporters Monday that his position had not changed, nor had the administration's concerns about China's human rights record.

"We have never been afraid to express those views either directly by the president or the president's senior advisers when they travel to China and publicly," Fratto said.

The political debate over China's hosting role is rapidly overtaking the sports-themed torch ceremonies around the globe.

In Paris on Monday, organizers canceled the final leg of the traditional torch run through the city. In the face of chaotic protests and repeated attempts to douse the torch, organizers snuffed out the torch and put it aboard a bus in a humiliating concession to protesters decrying China's human rights record.

Worried officials extinguished the torch and placed it on the bus five times throughout the day as protesters tried to grab the torch and block the relay. At least two activists got almost an arm's length away before they were seized by police.

Another protester threw water at the torch but failed to put it out before being taken away.

The disturbances in Paris follow similar efforts in London Sunday, where the torch was run through another gauntlet of protesters.

Clinton's announcement comes as her campaign tries to recover from jettisoning its chief campaign strategist this weekend over his involvement with a Colombia free trade deal she opposes.

Rival Obama said in a TV interview earlier this month that he was "of two minds" when it came to full U.S. participation in the Olympics.

"On the one hand, I think that what has happened in Tibet, China's support for the Sudanese government in Darfur, is a real problem," he said, before adding: "I am hesitant to make the Olympics a site of political protest because I think it's partly about bringing the world together."

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, among other U.S. lawmakers, has suggested Bush should consider staying away from the opening ceremony following China's crackdown on protesters in Tibet.

I realize that American's seem to be more of a victim of group think than any other country. I like what President Bush has done (largely) and I'm not ashamed to admit it. Politics aside though. His comments in this article are absolutely correct. Every country has their problems. This is no reason to get into this cold war bullshit again.

Thank you president Bush. Hillary please kindly remove your head from your ass and think before you go shooting your mouth off.

Carry on. Carry on.

[Meest]

Wow, something that makes sense, and its coming from bush. I'm no political guy but that line rings true. Stop turning an event into something you think it is, when its a F#@SKing sporting event.... not some political activist crap..

[Sal Atticum]

The point of the Olympics is not to make a stand for your politics--the point is to put aside EVERYTHING except for the athletes.

Meest, you're dead on.  I can't believe people are joining Facebook groups against this (like it will even make a difference).  Sheep.

[Plantains]

LEVITTOWN, Pa. (AP)—Barack Obama joined Democratic presidential rival Hillary Rodham Clinton on Wednesday in calling for President Bush to boycott the opening ceremonies for the Olympic Games in Beijing.

Clinton had commended British Prime Minister Gordon Brown for announcing that he will skip the August ceremonies in China’s capital, and called on Obama and likely Republican presidential nominee John McCain to join her in urging Bush to do the same.

Obama did later in the day; his campaign issued a statement in which, for the first time, he urged Bush to boycott the festivities.

Activists are urging world leaders to stay away from the ceremonies to underscore concerns about China’s human rights record, its handling of recent unrest in Tibet and its relationship with Sudan.

Obama said a boycott “should be firmly on the table,” but that a decision should be made closer to the Games.

“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. “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.”

Obama previously had said he was conflicted about U.S. participation, but that “there should be consequences” for China if it does not take steps to respect rights and freedoms in Tibet.

Clinton said Bush should use the threat of a boycott to exert leverage on the Chinese government.

“I believe that the president should not attend the opening ceremonies because that is giving a seal of approval by our United States government,” she told reporters near Pittsburgh on Wednesday.

McCain spokeswoman Brooke Buchanan said he condemns “the brutal oppression” the Chinese have inflicted on Tibetans, and thinks the president should monitor the situation and “keep his options open.”

sigh... what a shame. 

What is this world coming to? Its political pussyfooting.

[Toaster]

It's really disappointing to see candidates making an issue out of this. I don't think that it's going to make much difference in a human rights sense weather or not any number of world leaders boycott the Olympic games. If anything it will only cause more diplomatic tensions between states in the future. Shouldn't the presidential candidates be focusing more on what they will do when they are in office instead of just slinging mud at the current administration for any reason at all (not that there is any shortage of reasons to sling mud), and especially for an issue that seems so trivial (I'm not playing down the human rights issues, I just don't think a boycott will help). Why not tell bush to boycott the war in Iraq?

[Sal Atticum]

It's interesting to me that many of the people who want us to boycott the Olympics will probably* still be buying products made in China today, tomorrow, and for the rest of their lives without even thinking about it.



*I can't speak for everyone.

[Plantains]

On the topic of China products... whenever people are complaining that everything is made in China I like to ask them how much money they make.

[Sal Atticum]

How much I make, or how much the people in China make?

I make somewhere around 13,000 a year.  According to this article, people in Vietnam are making $75 a month.  This may not be average for a manufacturing job.

If the same things that we buy from China were being built in the US, we wouldn't be able to afford them, I'd wager.  Is that what you're getting at?

[Plantains]

I was more getting at the fact that people in these countries do in fact work for a significantly less amount. Americans simply aren't willing to do that. I realize that governments and politics play a huge role in the idea of what someone "should" or "could" make but people arguing about cars for example.

I used to get TONS of crap for driving my EVO. People went on and said blah blah blah... ur not supporting our own american auto worker and I said you are 100% correct and I have no desire to support someone who thinks they should be making $60/hr to build an inferior product vs. someone who is making $20/hr and building a superior product.

Similarly to why a bunch of trinkets are made in China. People over there will work for nothing to produce a product that no one here would work to build. Who's going to get a job working in a factory in this country these days? We've moved into a different form of industry and factory jobs are certainly becoming more rare. So why are people complaining that Im buying something from a Chinese factory? Those same people that are complaining should consider doing what has helped humans become the "dominant" species on the planet... adapt. Get an education or stop talking about how much money you think you're worth.

[pmp6nl]

I feel more sorry for those poor people having to carry the torch and deal with all of those naysayers trying to stop them.

[Plantains]

Its just a shame that people can't even take something at face value anymore. Everything always has to have a bazillion meanings. The olympics are just that... the olympics. If these protesters really feel that their protests are going to make a difference I think they're crazy. Why not join the peace corps or something and do something about the problem instead of finding another venue to detract from.

endlessly frustrating.

[nathan.barten]

Ever since Bush made a point to cut down every tree in the country early in his first term, I haven't had much good to say about the man, but I do give +2 for committing to the Olympics.

[Plantains]

As far as presidents go, Bush has done more for the environment to date than any other president.

Signing countless acts for protecting wildlife and setting up protected forests.

Simply because he has not done what people THINK he should have done doesn't make him an anti-environmentalist. Gas prices are through the roof and people are complaining NON STOP. So he says, fine... we'll drill in antarctica. But then the environmentalists say he's not being "green". He's taken a very logical stance on global warming. Noting that its a serious issue that requires much more research before definitive changes at his level would need to be implemented.

Its not the presidents job to tell us how to live our lives. Its his job to provide social structure through democracy. If people think global warming is that serious of an issue, why are they still driving cars? Why when gas prices have quadrupled in less than 10 years are people still driving?

There is no reason to sit and whine about how planet earth is dieing while you're driving your car around. If people really cared about it they would do something. Like wisely get rid of E-85 as it is more of a pollutant than gasoline amongst other issues, and focus on Hydrogen fuel cells, or solar energy.

Instead people go out and trash GW for NOT forcing people to do what a small majority feel is right. Nearly all the trees that get logged in this country are from designated regrowth anyways? Plus, fossil fuels at this point are still required for manufacturing anything.

This country is all over the quick fix, without actually learning anything. Has anyone considered that the "Green footprint" of a Prius is probably very similar to that of an H3? Doubtful.

Im not saying you aren't environmentally friendly. But I don't think Bush deserves to be trashed on the issue of environment. This guy gets such a bad rep for things he's done right... there are things he's done wrong that no one seems to notice though.

Hmmm....

[JakeJZG]

At the very least he could not go. 

[pmp6nl]

What about bush and the Kyoto Protocol?  Just wondering.