Bush Booed During Opening Ceremony

Well, maybe not in the stadium. But at All Star, a sports bar at the new Solana shopping mall on the northwest corner of Beijing's Chaoyang Park, American tourists and expats chanted, "U-S-A! U-S-A!" when the team, in Ralph Lauren pony-embroidered blazers and stupid-looking hats, took its lap during the Olympics opening ceremony. This cheering abruptly switched to a unanimous groan of "Booooooooooooooooooo!" when the camera panned onto President Bush. The Chinese waitress, who was picking up an order at the bar, quickly looked up; and when she saw what the discontent was about, laughed.

It was a welcomed break from the dramatic four-hour opening ceremony, consisting of a multimedia history of China, which at times seemed to be on acid; procession of countries in funny outfits (China's team uniforms looked as if they'd been designed by Ronald McDonald); and then final cauldron lighting by who's-that-guy? Pronounced "Booosh" by most Chinese locals, the US president's surname is generally followed by a groan or laugh in Beijing. "Booosh seem slow in head," one taxi driver said to me. "He likes to begin lots of fights."

Bush, or should I say Booosh (when in Beijing!), caused minimal stir in the capital city (besides some detouring around the Westin Hotel where he's staying), even with his speeches scolding China's human rights record before arriving. His addresses seemed odd and forced -- taking place maybe because he had taken some flack for attending the Games simply as a "sporting event" -- and didn't seem to alienate Hu Jintao, as the two oddly held hands during part of the lunch.

Even Chinese people seem eager to see Bush step down after this year. Many times when locals find out I'm an ABC (American-born Chinese), they ask: "He's done soon, right?" or "Who do you think will win next?" Like many know, the Booosh isn't here to stay.

Comments

[JimReed]

The reaction of the crowd of Americans in a Beijing bar would have been cool to watch. They should have set up a webcam to broadcast to interested parties in parallel to the TV coverage. Too late now, but for next time, someone should set up a "Bush Live" website and every time Bush appears on TV, they could provide alternate commentary over the internet correcting all the misconceptions in real time. This could be a way for us to avoid getting tangled up in future pre-emptive wars.

[provgrays]

Bush being booed by people watching on TV isn't newsworthy.

It would be news if anyone cheered.

[emsique]

Booosh isn't very well liked by the every day Chinese that I talk to when I am there. He didn't impress much whenever the camera showed him during the opening ceremony. He was slouching, jacket off, looking like a kid in church on a hot Easter morning. He fidgeted, even playing with his little American flag, twirling it, slapping it on his knee. Not very presidential. He managed to get his jacket on for the American team. At least the American team wasn't wearing some kind of stupid cowboy hat like in the past. We have had enough mad cowboy disease.

[ReasonableBill]

Like at most sporting events, a poor or incompetent "player" is "booed". Bush himself has made himself a point of jokes, humor and a standard for incompetence, why would the world than not think he wasn't?
It is most unfortunate the United States with the "leadership" exemplified by George Bush is booed in a Sports Bar. It never happened before and it will take years, if ever, to regain International higher status again, if ever. Throwing money, borrowed from someone else, is not going to work.

[pinkypeterson]

Wish McCain had gone with him so they could have been Boooshed together!

[Beachchick]

Gee - can you possibly be any more negative? I am certainly not defending Bush; he gets what he deserves, but the opening ceremony was awesome and the US delegation looked great.

Try to focus your hostility on issues that really deserve outrage and attention. Criticizing the outfit worn by the US delegation is extremely petty and saying the costumes were stupid is judgmental.

Maybe you are just one of those people who can find fault in a door knob. Try to find something good in the world. You will live longer.

[walk0nwalls]

I'm deeply amused by the pronuciation "Booosh". I don't know why.

[lisakaz2]

I have been writing Booo$h or Booo$hie for a while.

[elcojonu]

I don't know how many might have noticed, but he was given a seat at a corner by a stairwell for the opening ceremonies, the eqiivalent of a cheap seat at any Ball Park in the U.S.
The guy gets NO RESPECT wherever he shows up !
What a joke(a bad one) we got for a President.

[chinationreport]

I thought the USA team, including Bush was genuinely cheered today. Despite his speech in Thailand, the Chinese may feel they owe him something for coming. If Bush would have chosen not to sttend the opening, Sarkozy and the likes might not either. Even if I am not a Bush fan, he did the right thing. His presence brought the two countries closer. It also creates a much better atmosphere for the athletes to compete!

http://www.chinationreport.com/

[nutty4tahoe]

Talking about human rights or whatever.....I turn off the TV when Bush appears so who can blame people for booing him. If it comes out of Bush's mouth, it's a lie.

[dayala]

what a legacy....how embarrased I would be of this man if were my father or husband.

[rucognizant]

I 'm embarressed to have him as my pResident!
I was able to divorce my husband, him I can't get rid of!

[K-Dog76]

Lame read. Speaking out against human rights violations should be applauded, even if it comes from an unpopular president.

[drumz]

Problem is he was doing it because of political pressure to do so. Otherwise do you really think he cares? Have another swig of kool-aid.

[Furby]

So what you're saying is that speaking out against human rights violations should be applauded, even if it comes from an unpopular president like, say, Putin (oh that's right he's a prime minister now), or like Chairman Mao (oh no he's dead, and besides he was a Chairman), or like Hitler (another dead guy). I have to disagree. You don't have the right to critize abuse of human rights if you are one of the abusers.

[benalbanach]

Speaking out against human rights violations is commendable. But not when you are a major violator
of those rights yourself. Bush is no friend of human rights and it is for that....and other reasons that he is unpopular........and a joke.

[elcojonu]

Did he mention anything about the Guantanamo Gulag ?
If he did , I must have missed it.

[TheHandyman]

No doubt China's human rights record stinks, and the Olympics themselves are proof of that. But how does the man who invaded 2 soveriegn nations, kidnaps his own country's citizens and sends them to places where they are tortured, who keeps hundreds of foriegners in dog kennels and "aggressively" interrogates them until some of them die, get off on criticizing another country's government for their actions? Does the Chinese government lie to their people any more than this one has? How about the weapons of mass destraction? Or Pat Tillman. Yellow cake uranium from Niger anyone? The fired attorneys? Heaven knows we've had nothing but lies from this psuedo Cowboy from Conneticut and yet here he is pretending to represent the People of this country all the while telling the People of another country how their government isn't very nice. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black!

[strangelet]

Perspective, dude.

>> Does the Chinese government lie to their people any more than this one has?

Well, yeah. More than this one would LIKE to? Maybe not.

I think your underlying question is: Would anyone -- in the PRC government or elsewhere -- pay any attention to GWB's criticism of PRC's human rights record?

Answer: No.

They're still worse than we are, but we have no moral leverage left. Our government's opinions about human rights are irrelevant.

[Pupadup4oBama]

I wonder how it feels to be the most hated man in the world?

[Furby]

If you're dumb enough, you don't notice. Ignorance is bliss. I'm just wondering where on earth they're going to find those "lifetime appointed bodyguards" to follow him around for the rest of his days. Can't imagine that's going to be a very long list of candidates. High risk job.

[debrouillard]

I am sure the MSM would be say,thats good for America when its leader get booooed abroad,since they thought it was bad for America that one of its leaders get cheered in Germany.

[strangelet]

Ha.