Posted on 04/09/2008 8:23:32 PM PDT by The_Republican
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."
Also isn't he in favor of meeting with Raul Castro and Ahmedjinidad WITHOUG PRE-CONDITIONS. Doesn't this contradict that philosophy?
Is this the kind of activism we are going to engage in? Maybe next we would boycott Kung Pow Chicken or Mushu Pork! That would bring the Chicoms to their knees.
Holy cow!
How many broken clocks are correct right now?
WTF? Obama is a warmonger (like Sen Dodd) that wants the US to get involved in Africa and now is blackmailing another nation to go along with a "global test" on Darfur.
If he thinks it all that important, then let BHO boycott Beijing himself.
For a rare instance lately, the AP published Hillary Clinton’s middle name. Why not be consistent? We know Al-Jazeera won’t forget Senator He-whose-middle-name-must-not-be-published, if elected.....
I agree too. This is an issue that should transcend party lines. President Bush should join Britain in boycotting the Commie games. Our athetes should go and compete, but Americans should avoid going as spectators.
I’m missing something here — how come there’s so much interest or care in China’s human rights when these nitwit politicians didn’t seem to care much about Saddam Hussein’s lack of human rights when he was killing the Kurds in the north — like about 300,000 of them. What about their human rights? Or how about Rwanda? How come we didn’t help with those atrocities? And now, all of a sudden, these politicians are going to try to convince us that they care about human rights in other parts of the world? Hypocrits, all of them.
The Soviets turned around and did the same thing in 1984. America racked up the gold that year. Mary Lou Rettin was great. (sorry about spelling on her name if wrong.) Anyway neither one of these boycots seemed to solve anything.
I don’t think the President ever planned to go. Now with all the media hype about the Democrats ‘demanding’ that he not go, when he doesn’t, they’ll crow about their ‘victory’.
Why stop there? The entire US Olympic team should boycott if it is so wrong.
The Olympic Committee deliberately tried to stage a world event. Rather than reward China AFTER reforms come in, they wanted to use the Olympics to put pressure on China to bring ABOUT reforms.
By this standard, Saudi Arabia needs to get the next Summer Olympics so that they can fix their human rights problems.
What is “leadership” on this?
Prohibiting the torch to come to America?
Boycotting the opening ceremony?
Don’t forget Cuber....
Hitler politicized the Olumpics long before J.Carter did.
there's a lot missing here...
"I believe that the president should not attend the opening ceremonies because that is giving a seal of approval by our United States government,"
i guess accepting campaign contributions from the Chinese isn't giving a seal of approval by our United States government... why is no one holding her accountable? her comments are hypocritcal at the very least...
With any luck, the President will urge Obamahammod to boycott his church.
Anyone ever ask Richard Gere where he places Castro in history?
As for Bush; his ONLY reponse should be when hammered on this challenge to 'boycott' should be to say that he IS, unequivically, supporting our athletes. That he is - on behalf of our citizenry - committed to supporting our teams who are there ready to compete - respectively - on America's behalf.
More irony, of course, inasmuch as these 'fools for making nice' - with our WORST enemies; are screaming for a boycott. . .they would have Bush play 'soccer mom' with Ahmadinejad; but want Bush to stay home, as our athletes 'enter' the offcial field for Olympic Games.
This is not to diminish the 'Tibetan' problem; but because these people are. ..who they are; they eliminate themselves at 'authentic' champions of Individual Freedom.
(Am more inclined to think that those here; making the most noise; are taking their gripe against Capitalism; and turning it against China so as to facilitate that these Games are an economic disaster. THAT would make sense.)
The Clintons accepted campaign money from ChiComs in the mid 90’s. Obama-Maud’Dibs politics are to the Left of the ChiComs.
This is just too absurd to take seriously.
Is boycotting what Hillary considers diplomacy? This is the woman who kept preaching about diplomacy during the debates. Seems to me that attending the olympics would give the president the opportunity to have a talk with the chinese leaders.
As for the British leader, I heard on Fox today that he said it was never his intention to attend the opening ceremonies, however, the British PM apparently does plan on attending the closing ceremonies.
Hmm, Hillary gets another little detail wrong.
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