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

[springsm]

Correct, China owns the USA and bush likes the attention. And Madame Speaker you should be considering impeachment. I wish I could say that Nancy Pelosi had credibility. Can't.

[MetalCanuck]

This is never going to happen, China owns America.

[VOTER]

Nancy, you have some nerve speaking out in favor of taking any action against

a tyrannical government when you didn't. INSTEAD, YOU DECIDED OUR TWO TYRANTS, BUSH & CHENEY,

SHOULD BE GIVEN "FLOWERS AND CANDY" INSTEAD OF IMPEACHMENT.

Since you took Impeachment Off The Table, just what have you gotten done?

Nothing!

But if you had had the courage to move forward with Impeachment, you would

have been able to become a strong Speaker of the House and accomplish that &

many more good things.

[countrycontemplative]

Pelosi should just do her job and impeach Bush. Who cares about China. What we've done in Iraq makes China's foray in Tibet look like a Sunday school picnic. Nancy and her wobble-crat buddies don't have the moxie to impeach Bush-Cheney so now she's bringing up China. What a laugh!! Who cares?!!

[darthmaul]

Bush would never do this, because he already said that he would go to the Olympics, which in his mind is synonymous with going to the opening ceremony. Remember this is a president that, once he makes a "decision", never changes his mind, no matter what happens. Changing circumstances, new data, information, or facts have absolutely no impact on him. Changing his mind, or even slightly altering his course are to Bush a sign of "weakness." Bush sees himself as "steadfast ," while most people would characterize him as mule-headed and obstinate. The country is in the current mess it is in, because of this kind of "thinking."

[Marichu]

What do you get when you go deeper in debt (256 billion trade deficit)? You owe your soul to the company store (China).

[ripples]

right you are, don't make your banker angry

[aristippe]

People have to understand that China is shackled to the U.S. economy. If the U.S. defaults China will tumble liike Bear Sterns.

[UNCLEJOE]

China will not dump $5.8 Trillion American dollars. It not only will be cutting off their nose and causing an international crisis but will lose that financial strangle hold on our dollar value and will automatically lose her favorite trader agreement with the USA.

And Pelosi did not get to be the first most powerful lady in the world by being dumb. Whatever Pelosi keeps on or off the table she has good reasons that she cannot share publicly, but I trust her decisions even though I often disagree with her since my political inside knowledge is a big ZERO like most bloggers. If we can't trust Pelosi, who can we trust.. Hillary?

[BOfever]

Agreed, I just mentioned that below. You would think a Democrat as high up in rank as she is would have a bit of knowledge on the situation but she doesn't.

[wmfor]

This sounds much too much like, "President Bush has access to information we don't know about. We should just trust him when he says Iraq has H-bombs and planned 9/11. Why would he lie? He's our President, for Pete's sake!"

[williamjgc]

Is it just me or does anyone else see the big fat hairy hypocrisy in America lecturing to others about invading nations and killing their citizens??!!

[Rosanneofpgh]

No, its not just you, william. The blatant hypocracy is appalling. Apparently, nancy doesnt see the absurdity of the us lecturing the country that owns it. Nor does she see the danger of sticking her nose in another country's business. Remember what happend in Iraq, nancy??? Dont we have enough to do to fix that country (which we decimated) without sticking our nose in Tibet's internal affairs??

Earth to nancy, earth to nancy......

[tbone99]

What will we do when China calls in it's debt in retaliation.? They own us hook, line and sinker.

[BOfever]

What a garbage idea from Pelosi, she doesn't think of anyone but herself. The Olympic experience is for the athletes and the opening ceremony is for those that have trained hard for the last 4 years just for this moment. Stop trying to make everything political.

Not to mention if we piss off China, they do hold billions in US investements and if they decided to flood the market at one time with all of them, watch the dollar lose 25% in value.

[DoAsISay]

You mean, be afraid, be very afraid. Coward. The Olympics have been nothing but a political event for many decades now. Bush will definitely go, but not because he supports athletes, but because he supports corporations which will stand to lose. And of course, he has no international credibility left. Maybe boycotting the games will give him an opportunity to change his legacy.

[TakeSake]

Under W, the dollar already lost about 50% its value compared to the Euro.

[InjunTrouble]

Finally some US leader has taken a responsible position on Tibet.

There is no need to politicize the Olympics by a boycott like Carter did .

However, there is no need to endorse the actions of the Chinese in Tibet by having leaders like Bush and Brown attend the ceremonies.

Dubya only cares about human rights when his war/dominance agenda is affected (like in Iran or Cuba). Where business is concerned he does not care at all (like in Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and now China).

[NoahVail]

Bush is so comfortable hanging out with tyrants and kings- cannot believe he would dump on Wal*Mart by making a symbolic gesture like that, especially when that is one venue in which he would not be booed, like he is when he shows up for America's past time.

[MarkKienan]

Isn't it a bit ironic that Nancy Pelosi is advising Bush to boycott the Olympics because of China's occupation of Tibet?
Here in the US we have a president who bombed, invaded and occupied Iraq and Pelosi did NOTHING to get rid of Bush.
Pelosi had the absolute obligation and authority to uphold the constitution and file articles of impeachment for the multitude of serious crimes committed by Bush and Cheney yet she did NOTHING.
That makes her a collaborator which she clearly is.
She disgusts me. I live in San Francisco and I will vote for a cockroach before I vote for that weak, useless skank.

[goodsnservices]

Bad idea. China's main beef with the United States and the West right now is over our differing conceptions of "Human Rights." China sees human rights as being foremost the right of the state to exist, to provide for its people as a whole, and individual rights are right at the bottom of this stack.

This is a huge cultural divide. When we demand that China respect individual human rights in Tibet, they interpret it to mean we are demanding sovereignty for Tibet, a direct challenge to it's national rights over territory that it has held since 1954 undisputedly in the eyes of the world. They treat rebellion in Tibet as we would treat another secessionist movement in this country.

Like it or not, that's the reality of international politics. We could severely damage our relations with China if we make the Olympic Games out to be a slap in their faces. Such damage would have far reaching implications and take decades or longer to overcome.

[Nochnoi]

I think we should skip the games entirely.... not only for the obvious reasons.... Tibet, general lack of Human Rights, slave like conditions in factories.... etc....etc...

Also there is the consideration of how completely polluted the air is there, and the water, and everything else... I would think that would be the last place an athlete would want to be...