Posted on 04/20/2006 4:43:09 PM PDT by Aussie Dasher
A HECKLER from the Falun Gong spiritual movement, who entered White House grounds as a reporter, interrupted a formal arrival ceremony for Chinese President Hu Jintao today, prompting President George W. Bush to apologise to his guest.
After being welcomed by Mr Bush, the Chinese president was just beginning his response when a woman, who had been allowed into the press section, started shouting.
She was escorted away by a uniformed US guard.
"President Hu, your days are numbered. President Bush, make him stop persecuting Falun Gong," the woman yelled.
US officials later identified her as Wang Wenyi, 47, a reporter with The Epoch Times, an English-language publication strongly supportive of the meditation movement that is banned in China.
"This was unfortunate and I'm sorry this happened," Mr Bush told Mr Hu, according to Dennis Wilder, a senior official with the National Security Council.
The Secret Service charged Ms Wang with disorderly conduct under local statutes.
The US Attorney's office was weighing federal charges of "willing intimidation or disruption of a foreign official", said Secret Service spokesman Eric Zahren.
Outside the White House, hundreds of yellow-clad Falun Gong disciples, Taiwanese nationalists, and Tibetan youth group members demonstrated against Mr Hu and his government.
The protesters denounced China's human rights record, its missile build-up near Taiwan and its 55-year-long rule over the Himalayan Buddhist region of Tibet.
"Communist Party = Tyranny + Lies", read a yellow banner, carried by one female member of Falun Gong, which China outlawed and brutally crushed in 1999.
"Taiwan is not a part of China," read a placard hoisted by one of around 300 Taiwan activists, who reject China's claim of sovereignty over the island. Tibetans, mostly US-based students, called for independence for their homeland.
A US official said Mr Hu's team was probably offended by the incident.
"The hardliners on Hu's team are going to ask, why did it take so long for us to pick her up. It is not a good thing," he said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Mr Zahren of the Secret Service said the woman had passed through "all appropriate levels of security", including a metal detector. She was allowed into the event under a temporary press pass.
Falun Gong, which thrives overseas despite being largely stamped out in China, alleges that government persecution of the group includes a vast system of concentration camps, where doctors harvest inmates' organs for transplants.
China has vehemently denied this, but a UN investigator is examining the allegation.
In remarks at Mr Hu's arrival ceremony, Mr Bush did not mention Falun Gong, but he said he would discuss human rights.
He urged Mr Hu to allow "the Chinese people the freedom to assemble, to speak freely and to worship".
Would Ted Kennedy be better? John Kerry? Howard Dean?
Being from the Ozarks, maybe Slick was your ideal.
Wal Mart and China. Two peas in a pod.
I simply played straightman to Howlin and Buckhead. The genesis of Rathergate was one of the most exciting nights in the history of this website.
This is a link to a Christian movie maker currently being held by the Tianamen Square Murderers aka the Chinese Government.
Bush does need to work with the Chi-Coms in negotiations concerning trade, N Korea, and Iran. (problems left to us by Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton) but he also needs to publicly demand reform. Bush's apology was a too much carrot and not enough stick.
He needs to also demand reform of the Negligent Narco-regime known as the Mexican Government.
Don't put down Reagan to defend Bush. Reagan didn't "cow". He was mostly aggressive with terrorists and caved to the Democrats' whining in an election year. It was a mistake, but your characterization is unfair. And perhaps Reagan would have been more aggressive if he hadn't been spending his presidency taking down the Soviets.
Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.
I could not care less what someone like yourself believes about me, I voted for Bush twice and he was better than the alternative but I will no longer pull the lever for any socialist regardless of what "party" they are a member of. But go ahead and keep drinking the "neocon" kool aid
That a person who was legally in this country would be arrested for speaking out to the leader of a communist nation that executes political prisioners, forces abortions, and jails Christians by United States Federal Law Enforcement is pathetic.
And the the leader of a free country would apologize to a murdering communist tyrant makes me sick
Who?
Why? People on this site have been putting Bush down constantly in comparison to Reagan, but both made mistakes.
Reagan DID cow. Caspar Weinberger wanted to hit Hezbollah in the Bekaa Valley, but Reagan wouldn't do it.
1983 was not an election year.
Also, Reagan raised taxes TWICE. Bush has not, and will not, raise taxes.
Who talked to Hu? And did whoever talked to Hu give Hu a who's who on Hu?
This is a ch__ch. What's missing?
Bush could declare up to be down and night to be day and they'd all agree.
BS.
Meanwhile, Bush let the porkers in Congress run wild. Congressional Pubbies become the king porkers in a way that reminds me of Animal Farm. The earmark thingie that has ballooned out of control, is a huge embarrassment. In that one area, McCain would have been a better choice as POTUS.
He probably did something to deserve it, like declare Jesus Christ as Lord. It's his fault, totally. He got off easy.
In the concrete, voters want more government, in the abstract less. Medicine will be largely socialized with the next decade. There is no choice. The costs demand it. The aging population is another factor militating in favor of larger government, beyond keeping the geezers alive with meds until age 90. Government is going to get larger rather than smaller, no matter who is in power.
I for one will not bow down and lick the boots of servetude
Thank you. That was one of the funniest things I've read in awhile.
BS.
In 2000, a combination of Al Gore and Ralph Nader got a majority of the vote in the presidential election.
In the year 2004, 48% of the population thought the Commie Kerry from Mass was peachy-keen.
Your "BS" comment makes you full of it.
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