Bush defends decision to attend Olympics

Funny that we're unwilling to affront the Chinese people, but we're very willing to affront the Iranian and Cuban people.

Bush better attend the Olympics. If he offends China they might decide to cut off lending him money to fund the Iraq war. He and the Republican Party has put the US in a difficult position with all of the borrowing. We are now beholden to a third world nation. His legacy will live on a long long time.

There are far more important issues than " cheer on U.S. athletes ", such as the invasion and occupation, not to mention, the killing of the citizens, of Tibet !! America, boycott the Chinese Olympics !! Of course, how can we tell China not to occupy another nation, and brutalize it, when that is what we are doing in Iraq ?? Is President Bush suggesting that there is no difference between America and China, I sure hope not !!?
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE AND WHOLE. NOW.

Don't bite the hand that feeds you!

Is President Bush suggesting that there is no difference between America and China, I sure hope not !!?

Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, Chicago | July 7, 2008 1:56 PM

Don-

So you equate the US liberation of Iraq - with Chinese brutalization of Tibet?

wow! .. well thought out...

Hey Heartburn, if you consider complete civil war in Iraq as liberation then you really have a warped sense of liberty! The Chinese human rights record surely surpases that of Cuba. I wonder, if the Olympics were in Cuba woould your Bushie go then? I doubt it! After all we only use Cuba for the prison we have there!

Bush is right, the media pundits and democrats wrong as usual. Our Olympic athletes have worked long and hard to get there and they deserve to have the president of the United States cheering them on. Obama can sit and sulk. Oh, I didn't hear. Are the media not covering the opening ceremony? I thought so. Hypocrisy is no stranger in the leftist media.

I'm confused here. The Democrats cheer on the idea of Obama meeting with Iran's Ahminijad, Cuba's Castro, North Korea's Kim, Syria'a Assad. Yet, these same folks are knocking Bush for attending the Opening Ceremonies of the Summer Olympics. If Bush didn't go, I'm sure these same folks would knock him for being a lone cowboy again.
Let's keep the politics out of the Olympics as much as possible. Politics hurt the athletes in 1980 and again in 1984.

Bush has to go the Olympics in China because thanks to his administration China owns us....The Chinese probably reminded him of just how much cash they've loaned him so far for his little Iraq war mis-adventure.

"Hey Heartburn, if you consider complete civil war in Iraq as liberation then you really have a warped sense of liberty!..."

Posted by: Scot S. Blakeley | July 7, 2008 2:37 PM

Do you live in negative carbon footprint cave- or did you fall off your solar powered scooter?

Where is this complete civil war?

Posted by: Green Trees | July 7, 2008 2:43 PM

Yeah, Green Trees, the hypocrisy of thre right can be confusing. I get real confused when the right wingers say that Obama shouldn't meet with Ahmanijad because it would give him increased legitimacy on the international stage, but then they defend Bush giving the Chinese that same increased legitimacy as they violently crush dissent in Tibet. Those Republicans sure are confused.

Posted by: Green Trees | July 7, 2008 2:43 PM

Yeah, Green Trees, the hypocrisy of the right can be confusing. I get real confused when the right wingers say that Obama shouldn't meet with Ahmanijad because it would give him increased legitimacy on the international stage, but then they defend Bush giving the Chinese that same increased legitimacy as they violently crush dissent in Tibet. Those Republicans sure are confused. I've even heard some come up with the strange notion that athletics should be more important than concern about human rights. Talk about confused priorities!

Bush has to go the Olympics in China because thanks to his administration China owns us....The Chinese probably reminded him of just how much cash they've loaned him so far for his little Iraq war mis-adventure.

Posted by: John E | July 7, 2008 2:46 PM

Your right- China owns much of our debt-

But there is always more to the story..

Thanks to your parties last resident of the white house;
China has access to much of our advanced military technology...making us less safe.
Bubba's admin shut off domestic oil production, now China is competing with us for mideast oil...making our energy more expensive.

Would bubba have boycotted the olympics ? probably not....

OF course the messiah with his "I will talk to anyone" policy would surely attend.

Where is this complete civil war?

Posted by: heartburn | July 7, 2008 2:58 PM

Uh, it's the bloody civil war that our 140,000 troops over there (Iraq) are holding off...uh, wait a minute, I forgot, what I meant to say is "the surge is working "...which is exactly why we can't bring home our troops...or something...

Uh, it's the bloody civil war that our 140,000 troops over there (Iraq) are holding off...uh, wait a minute, I forgot, what I meant to say is "the surge is working "...which is exactly why we can't bring home our troops...or something...

Posted by: acidreflux | July 7, 2008 3:15 PM

Kind of like that same bloody civil war that our troops are holding back in Korea- ? OF course this will all be fixed when the messiah meets face to face with N Korea's leader- right?

Would bubba have boycotted the olympics ? probably not....

OF course the messiah with his "I will talk to anyone" policy would surely attend.

Posted by: heartburn | July 7, 2008 3:15 PM

Also heartburn:

"It's all Bill Clinton's fault I tell ya"! nyuk, nyuk nyuk....
-

OF course this will all be fixed when the messiah meets face to face with N Korea's leader- right?
Posted by: heartburn | July 7, 2008 3:30 PM

Are you talking about how the Republican messiah, George W Bush, just met with and appeased Kim Jong Il of N Korea last week?....I didn't think so....

I don't see the hypocrisy at all in what Bush is doing here. Bush is going to the US Olympics in China. Ahmed came to Columbia University in the US. Neither are paying patronage to the practices of the host nation when they are paying patronage to sport or education.

President "Empty Suit" "Xerox Machine" Obama would do the same thing. He would make a 'progressive' move again and refine his stance on such events once in office. ESPECIALLY since he is the person who has talked about the importance of diplomacy. The importance of change in this area. I'm sure his refined diplomacy (once elected) would lead him to say that athletes all over the world don't deserve to have their hard work disrespected because of political reasons. When the US shows up in support of those we might not like, we also show up for those that represent us, those who represent countries we do enjoy a good relationship with, those we dont' their ability to compete, and more directly and importantly in support of the continued exposure and freedom of the craft itself in question. We can't punish everyone for the actions of one. Obama would say, that it is possible for one to take part in the ceremonies, as competitor or supporter of the competitor, and keep bringing up what are national issues separately with the host country. That we are behind the days of Hitler where you could only show your displeasure EFFECTIVELY ONLY by what you DID (bomb a country)(or did not, like attend ceremonies) instead by what you SAID. I like that Bush is representing our country at the Olympics where I'm sure US athletes will be attending. Like Korea where our orchestra played and music reached out, our athletes (those of other countries too) will play in China and sport will reach out. And although this makes music and sport (or education) natural diplomats we should not forget that they're not diplomats by trade. Diplomatic or national issues should be played out in their respective arena and not take away from another arena. Once sport or music becomes dependent on political or national issues (becomes synonymous with to attend or not to attend Mr President) the craft of music or sport becomes the very thing that we protest...slaves to their governmental masters. You don't beat communism by acting like a communist. Any leader, if they chose to, is there to support the Games (what that means for the enjoyment of sport world wide), sport itself, their national team, those national teams of countries we are in good standing with, and of those we are not, at the very least, their ability to compete.

Lois, China is a permanent member of the UN Security Council. China is automatically legitimized by that, right or wrong. China also is a world power, which, again right or wrong, legitimizes them. China and Iran are not similar in any way.
Don't get me wrong, China is a bad country and its human rights abuses are horrific. In my view they never should have gotten the Olympics, but the U.S. has no say in Olympic venue decisions. Regardless, China is a major player in the world, and the Olympics is not the place for political statements.

And acidreflux, there is not civil war in Iraq, in fact there never has been one. The Iraqi government constitutes all factions. In fact, it seems Iraq is now safer than many parts of Chicago.

Thank you, gag.
Well stated and true. I am in agreement with you; but take exception to your bashing the Dem Presidential candidate, which unfortunately will likely erode your point with many supporters of said candidate.