4/27/2008 11:23:41 AM

Beijing having talks with the Dalai Lama is like Washington having talks with Osama.

NOT GONNA HAPPEN.

4/27/2008 3:02:12 PM

Quote :

"?? SEOUL, April 28 (Yonhap) -- The North Korean leg of the Beijing Olympic torch relay got off to a peaceful start Monday with tens of thousands of citizens enthusiastically waving North Korean and Chinese flags, news reports said. ?? It marked the first time for an Olympic torch to be carried in North Korea. ? ? After finishing the South Korean leg of the relay, the flame arrived in Pyongyang's Sunan airport before dawn aboard a flight from the South. The flight travelled on a route directly linking the two Koreas over the West Sea. ?? The torch is to be carried by 80 people, mostly North Koreans, on the 20-km route in the North Korean capital before leaving for Vietnam in the evening."

I want to see pictures of these 10s of thousands of supporters.

4/27/2008 9:37:15 PM

Quote :

"Where do you even find 8,000 police?"

This is South Korea, where violent riots and protests are almost an annual sporting event. The national police have an anti-riot paramilitary unit that's made up of conscripts. However, it's such dangerous work, with your odds of engaging in combat and being injured much hire than the armed services, that their term of service is significantly shorter. This is a nation where sects of monks have battled openly in the streets, where union protesters battle police with lead pipes and Molotov cocktails, and where former commandos protested with homemade flamethrowers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vsk16XDgGFM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayweSDr-2Yo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMi7Jkay0fY

I was surprised by stories in the NY Times though that the Chinese protesters actually beat up some of the human rights protesters. Still the Olympics torch protests were pretty tame compared to the usual unrest.

4/27/2008 10:25:50 PM

Apparently, they've already got some Korean news clips on the riots in Youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFne3ynQLIY

4/27/2008 10:37:20 PM

I hate you youtube for not working right now.

I've actually heard about those Korean special riot forces before.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_enforcement_in_South_Korea

I still don't understand what ever makes them different from anywhere else. Sure, they're technically at constant war, but I mean, as a society, they're perfectly developed and normal. Not to mention, you don't see many heated and violent protests in the neighboring countries.

4/28/2008 12:02:39 AM

I never could quite figure it out either. South Korea is a well developed nation, pretty much a first-world state in all regards. However, for some reason, the nation is wracked by very violent street protests, usually against the militant unions and pro-communist student movements. My parents' generation would say that they're communist incited, but personally, I think that even if they were at one point, now they're carried that way out of habit.

In specific to this thread, I guess my point was that while the anti-Olympics protests were significant and somewhat violent, they were pretty tame by Korean standards.

4/28/2008 12:19:23 AM

I'd expect it from the French....

4/28/2008 1:07:51 AM

lolz, let's protest the brutality of the Chinese government guyz.

I got it, we'll get some Tibet flags and wave them!

So where are we gona order these flags from?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7370903.stm

...same place as everything else, right? China.

4/28/2008 1:54:16 PM

fuck you

4/28/2008 9:13:45 PM

Apparently the S. Korea is pretty pissed about the violence from the Olympic torch rally in Seoul. A few videos are circulated rapidly in Korea right now showing Chinese mobs beating on vastly outnumbered Korean and Tibetan protesters or even attacking Korean police.

You know the feeling is wide spread if you've got both the ultra-conservatives and the far-left newspapers unhappy in their editorials. The Korean foreign ministry summoned the Chinese ambassador to express "strong regret" over the incident.

Description from Korean perspectives:
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200804/200804290016.html

Links to editorials, one from the largest paper in Korea, the other from a far-left paper:
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200804/200804290014.html
http://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_editorial/284756.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0r2ax9bzKY

To be fair, the Chinese government has recently tried to reign in the nationalistic outbursts. I think that they're realizing the mobs are getting more frenzied, and if they don't get pulled back, more of these sorts of violent outbursts are going to be seen, negating any benefits they've received from the temporarily increased national unity.

4/30/2008 1:15:45 AM

man fuck the chinese...them devaluing their currency motherfuckers...them communist assholes...those people with no souls...those people that give us shitty products....those motherfuckers that buy sudans oil and lets them buy russian guns...motherfuckers that could do some shit in burma or tibet...ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh i hate the chinese!!!

4/30/2008 2:04:47 AM

wait, when does this shit start?

5/6/2008 9:43:10 PM

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080608/ap_en_tv/oly_china_tv_coverage_curbs;_ylt=Ak1YvaO6dI8c3Aq6OmJ3OhJxFb8C

<3

6/9/2008 2:38:49 AM

http://olympics.scmp.com/Article.aspx?id=1300

Quote :

"Authorities order bars not to serve black people Tom Miller July 18,2008 In our series looking at preparations for the Games, Tom Miller reports on plans to crack down on "undesirables" in the bars of Beijing Beijing authorities are secretly planning to ban black people and others it considers social undesirables from entering the city's bars during the Olympic Games, a move that would contradict the official slogan, "One World, One Dream". Bar owners near the Workers' Stadium in central Beijing say they have been forced by Public Security Bureau officials to sign pledges agreeing not to let black people enter their premises. "Uniformed Public Security Bureau officers came into the bar recently and told me not to serve black people or Mongolians," said the co-owner of a western-style bar, who asked not to be named. The local authorities have been cracking down on blacks and Mongolians in an attempt to stamp out drug dealing and prostitution ahead of the Games, the proprietors said. A few months ago, police launched a violent sting on black men drinking in the Sanlitun bar district, and a notorious nightclub largely populated by Mongolian prostitutes was also shut down. Security officials are targeting Sanlitun, which Olympic organisers expect to be a key destination for foreign tourists looking for a party during the Games. The pledges that Sanlitun bar owners had been instructed to sign agreed to stop a variety of activities in their establishments, including dancing and serving customers with black skin, they said. They have been allowed to keep copies of all the pledges except those relating to blacks, implying that the authorities are wary of charges of racism. "I am appalled," said a black British national who works in Beijing. "I understand that the government is trying to stop certain illegal activities, but I don't think blanket discrimination is going about it the right way. "Chinese people are prejudiced, but I would have hoped that the government would set a better example as it debuts on the world stage." Calls to Dongcheng district and Chaoyang district public security bureaus, which oversee the bar districts, went unanswered. The authorities' attempt to keep unwanted behaviour from damaging the squeaky-clean image of the Games is the latest example of heavy-handedness that critics say is killing the party spirit of the Olympics. During the Athens Olympics four years ago, bars and nightclubs were allowed to stay open all night. But venues in Beijing that are not being shut down during the Games will have to close at 2am and maintain tight security. "The officials told me to inform my customers that they must at all times carry their passports or ID cards," said one bar owner. "Security is important, but Beijing is becoming a fortress, and that's not attractive." Rumours that all bars within 2km of an Olympic venue will need to close remain unconfirmed, with many managers complaining that they still have not been told whether they will be allowed to open or not. Several bars have been raided in the past few weeks as local police step up a campaign of low-level intimidation, according to several witness accounts. Bar and restaurant managers in Sanlitun have been instructed to remove tables from footpaths in a crude attempt to prevent fighting in the streets. "The local police told us to get rid of the tables because they're scared that if too many foreigners congregate outside there could be trouble," said Song Xun , who runs a burrito joint in the area. Local musicians say that a clampdown on live music risks stifling Beijing's thriving cultural scene and giving Olympic tourists the false impression that the city is artistically anaemic. Several popular live music venues have been shut or instructed to stop all outdoor shows, and club owners complain they have got used to strange new guests nursing a beer for hours and suspiciously observing everything around them. "The whole music scene is angry and bewildered. It is impossible to understand how keeping tourists from seeing an open, culturally vibrant and diverse Beijing is possibly a good thing for anyone," said one well-known figure in the local music industry. David Mitchell, a Beijing-based jazz musician, said it had become increasingly difficult for his band to find anywhere to play. "It appears the local government is trying to control every aspect of the experience that foreigners get when they come here," he said. "Everything is aimed at creating stability, but they don't understand that is precisely the unfounded prejudice that foreigners have of Chinese society - that it is a highly controlled and not a very cultural place. It seems completely self-defeating." "

One World indeed

7/22/2008 3:46:37 PM

The Bob Costa interview with Bush was pretty good I thought.

It's the first time in awhile (ever?) where I wasn't thinking to myself

Holy Shit, he's making America appear dumb, get this ape off the television.

8/10/2008 10:26:02 PM

I was thinking the same thing last night

8/11/2008 7:55:41 AM

i agree as well, well it wasnt the first time ever for me but I agree it was a good interview.

[Edited on August 11, 2008 at 8:51 AM. Reason : ]

8/11/2008 8:50:37 AM

^^^

I saw it too. Was it planned?

because whether of not you think GW is a good president

he is still the president

so, when I flip the channels and see the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES being interviewed by sports guy out of the blue, just like that

I'm like, HOLY SHIT, that's the president

8/11/2008 9:23:20 AM

^^^^ link?

8/11/2008 9:32:22 AM

^^ I imagine it was sorta planned. Meaning, NBC said they would like to ask some questions about Human Rights, etc.

You could tell by Bush's responses that they weren't unexpected, but it didn't feel like a completely rehearsed setup either.

It was rather refreshing candor other than "I'm a smug S.O.B. eh heh" vibe I used to get when he would talk to various media folks.

[Edited on August 11, 2008 at 9:54 AM. Reason : a]

8/11/2008 9:53:32 AM

I feel oppressed when my president says something that is not uploaded to youtube.

8/11/2008 10:27:32 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcntX-JMUTE



http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/08/20080811.html

Quote :

"Q All right, Al, we thank you. In a few minutes we'll have more of the women's team qualifying from Sunday afternoon here in Beijing. But now, live, we're joined by President George W. Bush, who has been at these games since the Opening Ceremony. You say the Opening Ceremony. You've seen Michael Phelps and company at the pool. You went to beach volleyball, the USA's win over China in basketball last night. What are your impressions so far? Q You met with the ballplayers before the basketball game last night. THE PRESIDENT: I did. (Laughter.) Q What was their response to you? THE PRESIDENT: Their response was -- well, first of all, obviously these are great stars. And their response was, thanks for coming; we are really, really honored to represent America. And I was impressed by them. And of course they go out and put on a great performance. Q And winning 101 to 70. Our time here is limited. We'll get to as much as we can. The Opening Ceremonies were glorious. There's much to admire about China's people, China's culture, and its present accomplishments. But this remains an authoritarian state -- THE PRESIDENT: That's true. Q -- with an abysmal human rights record. In the long run, is China's rise irreconcilable with America's interests? THE PRESIDENT: No. In the long run, America better remain engaged with China, and understand that we can have a cooperative and constructive, yet candid relationship. It's really important for future Presidents to understand the relationship between China and the region, and it's important to make sure that America is engaged with China -- even though we may have some disagreements. Q You met with President Hu Jintao not just at the Opening Ceremony, but privately since then. Did you press him on the full array of American concerns -- human rights, press freedom, Tibet, China's support of rogue regimes like Sudan and Myanmar? THE PRESIDENT: Yes -- and North Korea, and Iran. Q It was all on the table? THE PRESIDENT: Oh, absolutely, every time -- every time. And you got to understand something, Bob, I don't need the Olympics to advance America's agenda. I've met with Hu Jintao a lot since I have been the President. And, yes, I had a full range -- listen, we agree with them on a lot of things. And we disagree with them on things. And that's the way the relationship is going to be. It needs to be, as I mentioned, constructive and cooperative. Q This past week you restated America's fundamental differences with China. THE PRESIDENT: Yes. "

[Edited on August 11, 2008 at 11:29 AM. Reason : Why can they give us this, but not the video, retarded]

8/11/2008 11:26:24 AM

Quote :

"Q But given China's growing strength and America's own problems, realistically how much leverage and influence does the U.S. have here? THE PRESIDENT: First of all, I don't see America having problems. I see America as a nation that is a world leader, that has got great values. And leverage is -- I don't think you should look at the relationship as one of leverage. I think you ought to look at the relationship of one of constructive engagement where you can find common areas, like North Korea and Iran, but also be in a position where they respect you enough to listen to your views on religious freedom and political liberty. Q If these Olympics are as successful as they are shaping up to be, most people believe this only further legitimizes the ruling party in the minds on most Chinese citizens. And even absent true liberty as we understand it, the lives of hundreds of millions of Chinese people are much better than they once were. Therefore, what's the party's incentive to reform? THE PRESIDENT: Well, first of all, if you're a religious person, you understand that once religion takes hold in a society it can't be stopped. And secondly, I think the Olympics are going to serve as a chance for people to come and see China the way it is, and let the Chinese see the world and interface and have the opportunity to converse with people from around the world. This is a very positive development, in my view, for peace. And who knows how China is going to progress? They've been through some very difficult political times -- the Cultural Revolution, for one, where the leadership actually created violent anarchy and society turned on itself. All I can tell you is, is that it's important for the United States to be active in this part of the world with all countries, and to stay engaged with China. Q Moving away from China for just a second. During the Opening Ceremony we saw you conferring with Vladimir Putin. THE PRESIDENT: Yes. Q We now know you were talking about the conflict that had erupted that day -- THE PRESIDENT: That's true. Q -- between Russia and Georgia. Now, Georgia is a former Soviet republic that is sympathetic to the West -- THE PRESIDENT: Yes. Q -- and that is attempting to embody many Western values. But just as you need China, you need Russia strategically around the globe. You got to walk a fine line. What did you say to Putin? THE PRESIDENT: I said this violence is unacceptable -- I not only said it to Vladimir Putin, I've said it to the President of the country, Dmitriy Medvedev. And my administration has been engaged with both sides in this, trying to get a cease-fire, and saying that the status quo ante for all troops should be August 6th. And, look, I expressed my grave concern about the disproportionate response of Russia and that we strongly condemn bombing outside of South Ossetia. It was just interesting to me that here we are trying to promote peace and harmony and we're witnessing a conflict take place. Q Right, no Olympic truce in this case. THE PRESIDENT: There wasn't. And I was very firm with Vladimir Putin -- he and I have got a good relationship -- just like I was firm with the Russian President. And hopefully this will get resolved peacefully. There needs to be a international mediation there for the South Ossetia issue. Q A couple more quick things. THE PRESIDENT: Sure. Q China is a nation that warmly received Omar al-Bashir of Sudan, who has since been indicted by the International Court on charges of genocide. THE PRESIDENT: Yes. Q Then this past week they revoked the visa of Joey Cheek, an exemplary Olympian who had planned to come here not to directly protest China's government, but to call attention to the humanitarian crisis in Darfur. THE PRESIDENT: Yes. Q What's your reaction? THE PRESIDENT: My reaction is I'm sorry Joey Cheek didn't come, he's a good man. Joey Cheek has just got to know that I took the Sudanese message for him. My attitude is, is if you got relations with Mr. Bashir, think about helping to solve the humanitarian crisis in Darfur. That was my message to the Chinese government. Q As you attempt to press these points with them, do you find Hu Jintao not just warm toward you personally, but is he receptive? Do you sense any movement? THE PRESIDENT: It's hard to tell. I mean, it's -- all I can tell you is, is that it is best to be in the position where a leader will listen to you. I went to church here, and I'm sure the cynics say, well, you know, it was just a state-sponsored church. On the other hand -- and that's true. On the other hand, it gave me a chance to say to the Chinese people, religion won't hurt you, you ought to welcome religious people. And it gave me a chance to say to the government, why don't you register the underground churches and give them a chance to flourish? And he listened politely. I can't read his mind, but I do know that every time I met with him I pressed the point. Q Your father has longstanding connections to China. He was an envoy here even before we established an official ambassador's position, during the 1970s, and he is here with you on this trip. So there's a connection, a family connection. THE PRESIDENT: Absolutely. Yes, there's a great connection. You know, I can remember riding my bike around Beijing in 1975, and it is -- Q Only bikes then, just about. THE PRESIDENT: -- unbelievable how far this has changed. I mean, it is -- and he feels the same way. And we were honored yesterday when the President, Hu Jintao, invited my dad and me and Laura and my sister and my daughter, my brother, for dinner. It was a -- lunch. It was just a great gesture of kindness. Bob, it's very important for the American people to know that coming here gave me a chance, obviously, to root for our team, and you've captured that, but it's also coming here is a sign of respect for the Chinese people. And this is a big, important nation. We'll have our differences, we'll have our agreements. But in order to find common ground and to move the world toward peace, it is important for this country to show respect for the people of the country. Q Briefly, one more sports question. THE PRESIDENT: Sure. Q You have been outspoken -- your past connections to baseball; you used a State of the Union speech to do it, to talk about performance-enhancing drugs in sports. Marion Jones recently petitioned you for clemency. THE PRESIDENT: Yes. Q She's serving time because of involvement in the BALCO case -- one-time Olympic hero. We know many Olympians and in your favorite sport and mine, baseball, big names -- Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens. What's your feeling about this and how much do you, as an American, trust the integrity of the sports you watch? THE PRESIDENT: Yes, well, you know, let's just talk about baseball. Obviously one of the great things about baseball is we can compare the records of the players of the '50s to the '60s and the '70s, and obviously the 1990s, and it is very important for there to be a -- for the sport to be clean so that the great continuity and the history of baseball is real. And secondly, we don't want adults sending mixed messages to children, that it's okay to shoot up drugs in order to become a star, because it's not okay. Q Are you going to go to a few more events before you leave? THE PRESIDENT: I'm going to swimming here -- if you'd ever let me off this set. (Laughter.) Q All right. You are dismissed. THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, sir. Q Thank you, Mr. President. END 9:04 A.M. (Local)"

8/11/2008 11:29:10 AM

Quote :

"Olympic Balladeer’s Voice Was Dubbed BEIJING — Pigtailed and smiling, Lin Miaoke, age 9, stood in a red dress and white shoes during Friday’s Olympic opening ceremonies and performed “Ode to the Motherland” in what would become one of the evening’s most indelible images: a lone child, fireworks blazing overhead, singing a patriotic ballad before an estimated one billion viewers. Except that her proud father, Lin Hui, noticed “that the voice was a little different from hers.” On Tuesday, Mr. Lin said in a telephone interview that he had assumed “the difference might be caused by the acoustics.” Acoustics had nothing to do with it. Under pressure from the highest levels of the ruling Communist Party to find the perfect face and voice, the ceremonies’ production team concluded that the best solution was to use two girls instead of one. Miaoke, a third grader, was judged cute and appealing but “not suitable” as a singer. Another girl, Yang Peiyi, 7, was judged the best singer but not as cute. So when Miaoke opened her mouth to sing, the voice that was actually heard was a recording of Peiyi. And it is unclear if Miaoke even knew. “The reason was for the national interest,” explained Chen Qigang, general music designer of the opening ceremonies, who revealed the deception Sunday during a radio interview. “The child on camera should be flawless in image, internal feeling and expression.”"

Quote :

"When Lin Miaoke, right, opened her mouth to sing "Ode to the Motherland" during the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics, the voice that was actually heard was a recording of seven-year-old Yang Peiyi, left."

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/13/sports/olympics/13beijing.html?ref=sports

8/12/2008 10:45:30 PM

That's pretty fucked up.

When I first heard about this I thought maybe the kid was deformed or something, but she looks cute enough in that pic. Lame.

8/12/2008 10:58:42 PM

What, no mention of those 10 year old Chinese gymnasts? But China has their passports, so that proves it.

Or maybe the Spanish basketball team picture where they are all doing the slant-eye thing.


[Edited on August 13, 2008 at 7:40 AM. Reason : -]

8/13/2008 7:19:58 AM

http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/beijing/blog/fourth_place_medal/post/Spanish-basketball-team-poses-for-offensive-pict?urn=oly,100152



The BBC report on this? But it doesn't look bad on China!

8/13/2008 9:18:22 AM

^^ yeah, no shit.
16 years old my ass



even America's youngest looks ages older than most of them

8/13/2008 2:21:53 PM

alright, that's weird

8/13/2008 3:18:50 PM

Then that's even more embarrassing that little kids beat the US in gymnastics.

8/13/2008 3:42:16 PM

Quote :

"http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/beijing/blog/fourth_place_medal/post/Spanish-basketball-team-poses-for-offensive-pict?urn=oly,100152"

lol

8/13/2008 3:45:26 PM

http://www.borowitzreport.com/article.aspx?ID=6921

ahaha

8/13/2008 4:14:15 PM

Quote :

""I am very, very concerned about my extensive contact with gold medals," Mr. Phelps told reporters. "But what am I supposed to do? Stop being so awesome?" In other Olympic news, China's hopes for winning more medals in women's gymnastics were dashed when one of their leading gymnasts vanished down a bathtub drain on Tuesday."

8/13/2008 4:16:20 PM

Quote :

" China’s Gold Medals Found to Have High Lead Content Phelps Warned Not to Lick Medals "

Alright, it brought the lolz...

but it is joke news.

8/13/2008 5:50:29 PM

Quote :

"fuck you"

-Kurtami

Huh... you say that in response to mrfrog mocking the idiocy of some of the anti-china protesters? Did you suddenly change positions on the whole thing?

8/14/2008 2:48:23 AM

I love it when I ruffle feathers.

8/14/2008 11:14:37 AM

The funniest part about the gold medals having a lot of lead is that both Chinese gymnastic teams did photo ops with them biting their medals

oops

8/14/2008 3:06:41 PM

i wish more teams would do what the Spanish basketball team did

8/14/2008 3:13:43 PM

Quote :

"The funniest part about the gold medals having a lot of lead is that both Chinese gymnastic teams did photo ops with them biting their medals"

Given the state of the environment in China, I think lead poisoning from their medals is the least of their concerns.

8/14/2008 3:35:11 PM

couple days old by now, but here's more on the chinese gymnasts
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/olympics/2008/08/14/underage.gymnasts/index.html?cnn=yes

Quote :

"Just nine months before the Beijing Olympics, the Chinese government's news agency, Xinhua, reported that gymnast He Kexin was 13, which would have made her ineligible to be on the team that won a gold medal this week. In its report Nov. 3, Xinhua identified He as one of "10 big new stars" who made a splash at China's Cities Games. It gave her age as 13 and reported that she beat Yang Yilin on the uneven bars at those games. In the final, "this little girl" pulled off a difficult release move on the bars known as the Li Na, named for another Chinese gymnast, Xinhua said in the report, which appeared on one of its Web sites, http://www.hb.xinhuanet.com The Associated Press found the Xinhua report on the site Thursday morning and saved a copy of the page. Later that afternoon, the Web site was still working but the page was no longer accessible. Sports editors at the state-run news agency would not comment for publication."

8/17/2008 10:09:00 PM

I have little doubt that China has payed off some judges/officials here and there. They have poured billions of dollars into these games, and they will/have done anything to try to make sure they dominate and show how superior they are. A few million in bribes is chump change.

8/17/2008 10:46:46 PM

Just thank God that despite the poor conditions, China did not refuse to send a delegation to the Olympics as that would have been embarrasing.
http://www.theonion.com/content/news/citing_poor_conditions_china


[Edited on August 17, 2008 at 11:58 PM. Reason : .,.]

8/17/2008 11:51:20 PM

I don't have a doubt in my mind that those girls are younger than their passports claim.

Did anyone hear about this?

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20080806a1.html

Quote :

"KASHGAR, China (Kyodo) A reporter and photographer from two Japanese news organizations were detained and beaten by paramilitary police late Monday as they tried to cover a deadly attack on police in northwest China's Xinjiang region earlier in the day, the media firms said."

8/18/2008 2:04:24 AM

LOL! Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice pwned the shit out of left-wing loon David Gregory concerning the Olympics (and other matters) on NBC's Meet the Press this weekend:

Quote :

"QUESTION [Gregory]: Secretary Rice, before I let you go, all of us here in America and around the world are watching the Olympic Games, but here is a picture of Saudi Arabia's flag bearer as it parades in front of the delegation for these games. And you'll notice no women and that's because Saudi Arabia does not allow women to compete in their Olympic Games. As an element of the freedom agenda of this Administration here in 2008, how do you react to that? SECRETARY RICE: Well, look, I think Saudi women ought to be able to participate. I've said Saudi women ought to be able to vote. And I think that when women can vote and they're empowered, you're going to see them in the games. But I would also note that if women wish to participate in Afghanistan's team, they can; if women wish to participate in Iraq's team, they can; that in most of the Middle East now, women athletes are participating. Those are positive developments. But certainly, I look forward to the day that there's a Saudi woman athlete in that parade. QUESTION [Gregory]: We will leave it there [read: my butt hurts]. Secretary Condoleezza Rice, thank you very much this morning. SECRETARY RICE: Thank you [PWN!]."

http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2008/08/108301.htm

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26252093/

8/18/2008 2:18:37 AM

are you insane? You're such a partisan political hack that when C. Rice side-steps a legitimate question about the human rights of one of our close allies, and instead trumps up support for two wars that we're conducting largely because of her failure as National Security Adviser, that you consider this a win for "your side"?

8/18/2008 8:30:56 AM

^ Dr. Rice pwned Gregory throughout his shitty interview, Captain Pissy Pants. Obviously, this has you upset, but try to compose yourself.

8/18/2008 8:57:09 AM

i have no love for David Gregory and didn't see the interview, but it's sad that you consider one ill-placed jab to prop up the Administration's wars when a legitimate question was asked about human rights in one of our allies as some kind of monumental pwn by Rice

8/18/2008 10:01:32 AM

i didnt see the entire interview, so i cant say he pwned her throughout, but in the part hooksaw put, i hardly find that pwning her...i dont find it as her "sidestepping" either...i feel that if anything from her response should have been quoted, it should have been "I think Saudi women ought to be able to participate. I've said Saudi women ought to be able to vote."

8/18/2008 10:06:33 AM

that's generally what we do when dealing with countries with a bad human rights record. We say a lot of "ought to..." and that's all. You can be a cruel hearted dictator, and as long as you love America, then we can trade with you.

That's why the rhetoric towards Cuba, North Korea, etc. is all baloney. We embargo them because they don't ally themselves with us, no other reason.

8/18/2008 10:10:10 AM