Comments on: Bush: Skipping Olympics an ‘Affront’ to China

By: Stormy Dragon

Stormy Dragon — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 20:03:32 +0000

President Bush reiterated his intention to attend the opening ceremonies in Beijing and stated that doing otherwise would be an “affront” to the Chinese people.

Yeah it would. That's kinda the whole point.

By: Wayne

Wayne — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 15:28:48 +0000

Just a reminder that there is a difference between the Chinese people and the Chinese Government. It has been a while since I have been there but most of the Chinese people I met had a favorable opinion of the U.S. The government party people were quite the opposite. The Chinese people and the government had more of a disconnect than the U.S. by far.

However the Chinese people still have national pride and I can see them getting offended by a boycott which could be harmful to us. The Shanghai market is quite a place with I don’t know how many people in it but we never once got dirty looks and were treated very well. Thousand of them cheer us when we perform well during our competition and were very respectful. I very much like the Chinese people that I met but don’t care much for their government.

By: od

od — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 20:09:24 +0000

Past athlete boycotts didn't make any difference to anybody except the athlete's who weren't allowed to take part. Presidential boycotts of opening ceremonies seem like an empty insult - and the Chinese are likely to feel the US is being hypocritical about whats going on in Tibet considering what's going on in Iraq. The message taken by the Chinese would probably be that the US isn't seriously interested in Tibet, just in using it to deflect attention to Iraq.

By: Spoker

Spoker — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 19:41:49 +0000

This sounds like one afternoon when I was about 7 or 8. We were playing baseball in the backyard, a guy named Dave didn't like the way things were going so he took his ball and went home. Gary, who lived close by ran home, got his ball and we keep on playing. Needless to say, Dave didn't play much after that. It is a shame so many seem to have not learned that lesson at a younger age.

By: James Joyner

James Joyner — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 17:44:08 +0000

most people would be disappointed on the athletes' behalf, as I recall they were during the 1980 boycott.

I'm just talking about a presidential boycott of the opening ceremonies. Agreed that a boycott of the games would go over like a lead balloon but I haven't heard anyone suggest that.

By: Anderson

Anderson — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 17:19:43 +0000

A boycott would likely play well at home,

Can't agree. It might do well with the fringes to left & right, but most people would be disappointed on the athletes' behalf, as I recall they were during the 1980 boycott.

Once China's allowed to host the party, we have to show up. There would have to be very very bad behavior for us to pull out at this point -- shooting 300 people dead in the street, say.

By: William d'Inger

William d'Inger — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 15:43:50 +0000

I have to admit my ignorance about this. I don't remember all the world's leaders attending opening ceremonies in the past. It it a tradition that has skipped my attention all these years? I'm not trying to raise any political issues or anything. I am honestly unaware of any such thing.

By: Right Wing Nut House » OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF MIND, OUT OF LUCK

Right Wing Nut House » OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF MIND, OUT OF LUCK — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 14:54:44 +0000

[...] are those, such as James Joyner, who don’t care much one way or the other: I don’t feel strongly either way about this [...]