Pelosi Suggests Bush Skip Olympic Opener

WASHINGTON — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Monday that President Bush should consider boycotting the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics following China's crackdown on protesters in Tibet.

"I think boycotting the opening ceremony, which really gives respect to the Chinese government, is something that should be kept on the table," Pelosi, D-Calif., said in an interview taped for airing Tuesday on ABC's "Good Morning America." "I think the president might want to rethink this later, depending on what other heads of state do."

The White House has said Bush would not boycott the Beijing Olympics, which begin Aug. 8, because of the crackdown, arguing that the games are an event that are supposed to be about the athletes, not politics.

Pelosi, who has a long history of opposing human rights abuses in China, said she does not think the United States should boycott the games entirely. The Olympic torch is making its one U.S. stop in Pelosi's hometown of San Francisco and large protests are expected.

"I don't agree with the perception that is out there that the Olympic Games are this great, unifying, human rights-advocating organization. ... It's a sporting event and it should proceed," she said.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy was the first European leader to suggest a boycott of the opening ceremony to protest China's handling of the unrest in Tibet. German Chancellor Angela Merkel is skipping the Olympics.

In the 1990s Pelosi led congressional opposition to normalizing trade relations with China. In 1991 she was part of a small congressional delegation that entered Tiananmen Square to honor the pro-democracy activists killed there, leading to a scuffle between police and American news crews trying to cover the event.

Comments

[buske]

I am wondering if Pelosi has been offered a position in the next Democratic administration in exchange for treasonous acts.

[who38]

I thought it was the Republican administration. Her latest flipflop re/ Hillary's remaining in the race is too much. Wish she would flip-flop on the impeacment issue. Do you think she knows anything about China...or where it is?

Promise me that Nancy will NEVER be allowed to be part of the next Democratic administration.

[rojo7449]

It appears Nancy has figured out this is an election year. She really needs to worry more about the job she's supposed to be doing, and less about what other politicians are up to.

[Observer1]

Imagine the President was roundly booed in his own country at a ballgame no less.. Bush is a great security risk for China. I don't care about symbolic gestures as a reason for boycott. I have said it before. The Chinese should tell Bush NO THANK YOU. STAY AT HOME , WE WILL GIVE YOU A VERY BIG TV TO WATCH THE GAMES.
Can you imagine the terrorist possibilities for one of the most hated men in the world.
And since America has so much freedom, any athlete has the freedom to stay at home over human rights.

[GoCards1978]

Bush should stay home unless he thinks possible martyrdom is the only way to rehabhis disaster of a Presidency. Then the Secret Service should remind him of his immediate response to 9/11 and insist on reprising the role.

[mouselion]

"The White House has said Bush would not boycott the Beijing Olympics, which begin Aug. 8, because of the crackdown, arguing that the games are an event that are supposed to be about the athletes, not politics."

Isn't that like saying a convicted felon deserves a night out on the town -- because it's about the people at the party, and not the crime committed?

[bick]

whores dance with the johns who pay them. CHINA OWNS BUSH.

[CranialRectalLoopback]

Please take Pelosi off the table in 2008.

Please drown out Feinstein in 2012.

[ftprairiedog]

Cindy Sheehan for Congress.
cindyforcongress.org
Help us save America from the one party system.

[who38]

Thank you.

[aflem]

Wow! It is amazing what people say when the are angry and not thinking logically. First of all she said to boycott the Opening Ceremony. Which isn't a huge deal, I mean really, people in this country could care less about the Olympics anymore look at the TV ratings of the last few(minus the ones that were in this country). Do you guys really think that boycotting the Opening Ceremony is a big show of muscle? Secondly, it could be a good sign to our European Allies that we aren't totally idiots.

[dotmafia]

aflem said: we aren't totally idiots.

You guys supposedly voted in Bush a second time.

I seriously question your statement.

[AnnArky]

Oh, Nancy, your courage and bravery send chills up my spine. Your dubious, self-aggrandizing stand against the Chinese is nothing short of hypocrisy when compared to your spineless pandering towards Bush. Boycotting the Olympics is off the table.

[Dandrea]

Why grandstand with the Olympics when we won't take a stand on the war etc, etc, etc?
The world doesn't want to hear from us anymore. Shut up and let the games go on.

[dewang]

I disagree with you. We should speak up for the truth and justice in our country and around the world. Thank you Nancy Pelosi for speaking up for the Tibetans in Tibet. Thank you for speaking out for the basic rights of the Chinese, Tibetans, Uighurs, and those from Darfur. China must be made accountable for their archaic and repulsive tactics they use to clamp down on any form of dissent in China and in Tibet.

[bushdoescrack]

Thank you Nancy Pelosi for speaking up for the Tibetans in Tibet. Thank you for speaking out for the basic rights of the Chinese, Tibetans, Uighurs, and those from Darfur.



your little "spiel" is bogus unless politicians speak up for the american atrocities commited in iraq.

[who38]

I would rather thank her for supporting the American Constitution, returning our soldiers from the country they have invaded, closing Gitmo and impeaching Bush and Cheney. Or don't you find the tactics of Bush and Cheney repulsive?

[Harrier]

As a former world class athlete who has competed and won some of the biggest events in my sport, I will promise Pelosi this. I the Democrats boycott the Olympics, I will never vote for the party ever for as long as I live. When Carter pulled that stunt, it did nothing and every associated directly or indirectly to any sport voted as a block against him. Athletes in this country have greater pull than any humans on this planet including movie stars. I think it's funny how the Democrats will do everything possible to try to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Try that, and it will be the kiss of death. Every family who has a child in sports will unite and destroy everyone who ever even made the suggestion

[bick]

the olympics are just sports, and sports are just games, and games are for children. try to put your self-righteous indignation to better use.

[rwe]

and paintings are just smears of color on paper , and literatures are just letters , and music is just different soises coming from people rubbing, banging and blowing metal and wood

[wmfor]

There is a big distinction between what Nancy is suggesting and what Carter did.

Carter withdrew our team from the Olympics in protest against the Soviet Union occupying Afghanistan and fighting the noble Taliban and Al-Quaeda freedom fighters. Fortunately, due to our help, that country is now democratic and free of foreign occupation.

Those who suffered were indeed the athletes, many of who had been training all their lives and missed their one opportunity to compete in the Olympics.

Nancy is only suggesting that President Bush boycott the Games, not our teams. Granted, he may have been dreaming all his life of attending the Olympics and behaving gauchely with other world leaders, but I think he will be able to live with his disappointment.

Let the Games go on, but let the politicians register disapproval of the Chinese regime.

Unfortunately, the profits to be made by American corporations on lead-based paint and poisoned tooth-paste trumps human rights in Bush's eyes. And besides, China holds his credit-card debt.

[KarenKaren]

Yeah Nancy!

[aristippe]

Maybe Pelosi should Focus on Gitmo and the Iraq Occupation.

[BeyondGoodAndEvil]

Bush thinks a "boycott" is a mattress for a boy.

[jj]

Personally, I believe the US should boycott the Olympics outright. I think Pelosi offers a compromise in asking the United States President to boycott the opening - a powerful point is made, and our athletes still compete.

On a side note, it's saddening to read some of the callous comments here - not sure how any informed person could refer to the idea of a free tibet as a "fad."

It's sad to read, really.

[galateadoro]

What a horrible woman. Forget China. How about doing your job and impeaching Bush for crimes against our Constitution? You are the lamest and most corrupt Speaker the House has ever had.

[Abycat]

Hey, Nancy. If you'd impeached the bum he'd have to stay home.

[AurigaRa]

yeah
its a bit late to start growing a pair

[MikkiMikki]

Quite right, all well and good for Ms. Pelosi to suggest that Dubya not go to China, but she missed the real boat in not having the intestinal fortitude to persue IMPEACHMENT against Bush and Cheney right after she was sworn in as Speaker. That lapse has always had me wondering if perhaps there was some very back room very smokey deal with the fascist republicons.
As for the garbage about the olympics being a sporting event, for the last forty years the olympics have been more and more turned into a mercantile event where the only sporting connection was odds as to what city could pay the highest price to be selected. Just look back at the debacle of the Salt Lake City Winter olympics. It was a major embarassment to say the least.