Clinton Calls for Olympics Boycott

[Spiffarino]

Source: First Read

From NBC's John Boxley and Mark Murray
A campaign source confirms the report from Drudge that Clinton will call for Bush to boycott the opening ceremony at the upcoming Olympics. The source says a campaign release will be going out shortly.

Not a bad way to change the subject, eh?

*** UPDATE *** Here is the statement: "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. These events underscore why I believe the Bush Administration has been wrong to downplay human rights in its policy towards China. At this time, and in light of recent events, I believe President Bush should not plan on attending the opening ceremonies in Beijing, absent major changes by the Chinese government."

"I encourage the Chinese to take advantage of this moment as an opportunity to live up to universal human aspirations of respect for human rights and unity, ideals that the Olympic games have come to represent. Americans will stand strong in support of freedom of religious and political expression and human rights. Americans will also stand strong and root for the success of American athletes who have worked hard and earned the right to compete in the Olympic Games of 2008."


Read more: http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/04/07/866169.aspx

---

I don't care much for First Read...they seem to be real tools and this article does nothing to change my opinion. However, this is an important statement from a potent candidate. This is a significant blow to Chinese prestige. They are counting on the 2008 Olympics to bring them glory and admiration on the world stage. They believe this makes them an international power when what they should be is an international pariah.

Just when I think I don't like Hillary much, she goes and does something I admire.

[PatriotJack]

1. It seems reasonable

I think a boycott of the ceremonial aspects of the Olympic games is a reasonable way to handle it. It's not fair to the athletes to boycott the games (like we did in 1980), but snubbing our noses at the pomp and circumstance is a good way of saying "Hey China - you suck."

Of course, President Shrubby won't do that, because there's money to be made (and borrowed) with china.

[rodeodance]

2. right,

[Spiffarino]

7. The ceremony is what matters to the Chinese rulers

They want the status of the Games. The actual sport hardly matters.

[pinto]

10. Good points.

[AX10]

26. True.

[easy_b94]

3. she is only saying this so she can change her bad news

[Spiffarino]

6. So what if she is

As a highly visible political figure, she will give the Chinese government shitfits. Whatever her reasons, they are less significant than the action itself.

[AlphaCentauri]

33. She is unimportant to the chinese government, she can say anything and keep buying chinese goods.

[underpants]

4. Nothing else to comment on huh? nothing else new?

Sheesh. Well there goes the sports crowd should she get to the General Election-the Carter comparisons should be starting (looks at watch) riiiight NOW

[Spiffarino]

8. That may be

But I think the Olympic Games hold less glamor than they did in the Jimmy Carter days. Steroids, cheating scandals, the Franco-era fascist who runs the outfit, etc., all serve to undermine the importance of today's Olympics.

OTOH, more and more Americans realize that the Chinese rulers suck.

[xchrom]

5. as it should be. nt

[natrat]

9. typical clinton bs-boycott the opening not the whole thing

[AlbertCat]

12. Indeed!

Just do a half-ass boycot....to show we're only half-ass annoyed.

This kinda reasoning will be GREAT in the White House! Symbol over substance.

[Spiffarino]

13. Except that, in this case, symbolism is what matters

The Chinese government getting the Olympics was a propaganda coup. In their way of thinking it legitimizes their repressive, murderous and all-around shitty government. They have attempted to stifle even the tiniest dissent in the run-up to the Games and then squelch reporting of their rotten behavior. When they're caught - as they were in Tibet when news crews broke loose from their minders and talked to a group of brave monks - they are forced to back down from their hard line.

I hope Barack makes the same promise, or does something that will equally embarrass the Chinese dictatorship-by-committee. The Tibetans, the Uighurs and all the oppressed minorities of China are counting on world leaders to help.

[marshall]

40. Call for a full boycott or STFU

Carter at least had the balls to stage an all out boycott. If we really want to make a point with China over Tibet we should tell them to get their act straight or we will pull out.

[beltanefauve]

11. And wasn't it Bill

who granted China "Favored Nation Status"? My, how things change. NOT!

[Spiffarino]

14. Yes, and next to NAFTA

...it was probably his worst decision as President.

[hyphenate]

15. I've been saying we need to boycott

China for 8 years now for the Olympics. It has to be on a political level, though--it would be horribly unfair to all the athletes who have put their heart and soul into training, though. (Unless they decided to protest as well.)

[HuffleClaw]

16. her usual 'jump on the bandwagon' half-measure attempt to straddle the fence

and a piss-poor one at that. i fear that before long there WILL be a real attempt to force a boycott of the games which will serve only to hurt the athletes who have spent years of their lives training for it.

[onehandle]

17. Meanwhile, others are still licking China's balls.

Whichever Democrat is elected better rescind China's most favored trade status.

ah... Who am I kidding. Centrists don't do things like that.

[Skittles]

18. I just cannot understand all this China business

it's OK for us to pimp off our jobs to them, fine for them to poison our kids and pets but heaven FORBID if GAMES ARE PLAYED there? WTF am I missing????

[natrat]

19. come on soldiers murdering civilians is a far cry from jobs migrating to another country

and yes the us should be boycotted for iraq if it were applicable

[Skittles]

20. they should just be boycotted PERIOD

since when did COMMUNISM become EN VOGUE???

[Virginia Dare]

29. We have a very passive/aggressive relationship with the Chinese..

I agree, it's much too late for all of this holier than thou bullshit. This is pure political posturing.

[fshrink]

21. Would she vote for it?

Well, that depends of course...

[ckramer]

22. Why would Hillary and Pelosi do dumb thing like this?

Totally puzzled by these two women.

Emotional, illogical, and would do nothing for America in this offensive feel-good-only politcal campaign.

What is she fighting for? Tibet? Last time I check it's not in CIA's country list. Hello!

And she wants to be the president?

What good will it bring to USA by attacking our creditor?

Why don't Hillary and Pelosi worry more about foreclosures, bankruptcies, subprimes, and unemployment, the things that are now plaguing our society?

Instead, she jumped into Pelosi's bandwagon.

How about focusing your energy on national healthcare, Mrs. Clinton?

Absolutely foolish, IMO.

[AlphaCentauri]

31. Agree both politicians want to appear in the picture, I can see many other ways to boycott china

Not the Olympics, if Pelossi and Clinton want to boycott china, just stop accepting their money, their goods like they do with other small countries like Cuba.

I don't buy this crap of political boycotts to the olympics.

http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2006/10/03/peternorman_narrowweb__300x431,2.jpg

[MaineDem]

23. I agree with her

The games for the athletes are one thing but making a political statement by the President going to the ceremonies is another. He shouldn't go.

[Democrats_win]

24. Does it matter? Warmonger/torturer bush will be just another human rights abuser in China.

It would be different if it were Carter, Bill Clinton or and any of the few good people on the planet.

china? bush's America? Is there really any difference?

The magnitude and longevity of abuses certainly go to china but the degree of evil is inseparable. There are no degrees of separation between the monsters in china and George W. Bush. Their true father, despite what smirky might claim, is Satan. By his wars and tortures we know this fact.

[northzax]

25. doesn't go far enough

this is the bare minimum. China should lose the games entirely. There are two coyotes capable of putting these on, right now: Sydney and Athens. One should get them. China has broken every promise they made to the IOC about the games, take them away. NBC, mcdonalds and coke should be leading this fight, but they won't. Write them and tell them. I wrote the CEO of coke last week, I enclosed the cut out coke logo from a tshirt I owned and said I was switching to pepsi for the remainder of 2008 to protest their support of the oppression of Tibet. I have written NBC and told then I won't watch, for the first time since 1984, because they are bowing to censorship. I really have no threat against mcdonalds (I will continue to not eat at your restaurant? Not helpful)

[fujiyama]

27. Impressive

Never would have expected this from the Clinton camp.

Kudos to Hillary for this one!

[Virginia Dare]

28. This is a highly hypocritical move on her part..

I remember when the supporters of Harry Wu called on her to boycott the Beijing Women's conference when she was First Lady and she told them to pound sand.

[Evergreen Emerald]

30. nuance is lost on most voters apparently--this is a completely different issue

Women's rights conference in Beijing should not be boycotted. And, that is where she made the speech that is deemed one of the top 100 American speeches.

Not a hypocrite. A progressive powerful influence.

[AlphaCentauri]

32. Athletes deserve respect just like women. n/t

[Evergreen Emerald]

45. Really? The same thing?

This is not a conference on the rights of athletes who have been historically and systematically abused and denied basic human rights.

And she is not calling for the boycott of the games, but the opening ceremonies where the leaders acknowledge China.

[AlphaCentauri]

46. guess who is going to be Hilliary's Human Rights crusader, who would boycott the olympics?

not the pope of course, it will be an advocate of water boarding and torture. That will work for the chinese government to laugh out loud. Hillary should not be trying to clean somebody else image asking for political boycotts, she can start a hungry strike if she likes.

[Flagg]

34. The opening ceremony will be nothing but a huge propaganda machine

for the Chinese regime.

It does make sense, from a human rights perspective, to call for its boycott.

[DS1]

35. Ohh their will be an angry call at 3 am. Which is 4 pm Chinese time, when the ceremonies start

:D

[Better Believe It]

36. Hillary: Hypocrisy In The Extreme!

Gee .... ya think she might vote against any further war funds for Iraq to demonstrate her commitment to human rights, self-determination and democracy or will she just preach to the Chinese on such matters?

Let's hope Obama doesn't come out with the same kind of b.s. statement.

[ohio2007]

37. opening cerimonies...NO country lowers their flag while passing the high dignitary review stand.

that would make for a fun opening ceremony sure to turn faces red

[lanlady]

38. we could never do another full boycott a la 1980

I supported Jimmy Carter's boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics even though it affected me personally (no, I'm not an athlete; but an exchange program that I was associated with, which would have enabled me to spend a summer in the USSR as a kind of youth ambassador, was also canceled). I felt it was the right thing to do in response to the Soviets' unprovoked invasion and occupation of Afghanistan.

But these days there is way too much advertising and endorsement $$ tied up with the Olympics. The same people responsible for the excessive commercialization of the Games would be screaming bloody murder if the US pulled out. It ain't gonna happen. But I hope the world's democratic leaders will at least send a message to the Chinese regime by boycotting their ceremonies.

[AngryOldDem]

42. I just read your post after submitting mine downthread....

...where I thought the Games should be boycotted, period. But what you say makes a lot of sense, sadly.

The Almighty Dollar Rules All.

So I hope, at least, that world leaders do not attend the opening ceremonies. That is the LEAST they can do to show outrage over continued human rights abuses as well as show some support for Tibet.

[shonester]

39. her stance is not surprising

She spoke out for human rights in China years ago. Hillary's always been a fighter and won't give up. This stance is not surprising, but way to go Clinton!

[AngryOldDem]

41. I think we should boycott the Games, period.

While I know that would hurt a lot of people who have worked long and hard for this, I think there is no other way to show support for Tibet and outrage over China's continued human rights abuses.

[Jersey Ginny]

43. Let the athletes participate in everything. We should have dropped out years ago

since we've known China is the 08 site and we know their history of human rights violations. There is nothing new here. Let the athletes play. Find another, more meaningful and lasting way to protest China's multitude of issues.

[AlphaCentauri]

47. agree, let the athletes accomplish their dream, don't mess their lives with political BS

[Lydia Leftcoast]

44. Boycott? Yeah, boycotting the Moscow Olympics in 1980 worked so well

Why, those Russians just high-tailed it out of Afghanistan...NOT.

[Xenocrates]

50. Re: Boycotting the Games

Makes me wonder if US and the EU boycotts the games, what will happen to Tibet AFTER the games...

[Zavulon]

48. There are better ways to make a point than an Olympic boycott.

The only people who get hurt are the athletes. If we do something this stupid, the countries that already hate us will look at us like petulant assholes who held our breath until we turned blue and picked up our ball and went home just because we didn't get our way.

Leave it to Hillary to not only be on the stupid side of the issue, but to do it in a fence-straddling manner. Like one previous poster said, either call for a full boycott or shut the fuck up.

[pbca]

49. Sadly she has no credibiltiy

Based on her support for the US war in Iraq, and her solid support for China at every step up to this point Clinton has no grounds to critisize China now - or really make any credible statement on human rights.

[and-justice-for-all]

51. and Saudi Arabia too...nt

[Zorra]

52. Boycott slave labor capitalism and the Olympics in China. "Communism" is

a real bad deal. A bunch of authoritarian fascist capitalists take over the government, enslave the people, call the new idea communism, and then make the people work for peanuts in toxic and/or unsafe environments. If the people protest, the are imprisoned or executed.

The capitalists get superrich off their nation of slaves, and then use their enormous profits as capital to take over the economies and governments of other nations.

China is the fascist dreamland that Bu^h and his fascist pals envision for the people of the US.