April 2, 2008
Obama Conflicted On Olympics In China
Says He Is Of "Two Minds" About Whether U.S. Should Be Full Participant
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Play CBS Video Video Obama Narrows Gap In Pa. With three weeks until the Pennsylvania primary, Sen. Barack Obama is closing in on Sen. Hillary Clinton's lead. Harry Smith spoke with Obama on his campaign bus in Wilkes-Barre.
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Sen. Barack Obama said he is of "two mind" about whether the U.S. should be a full participant in the Olympics in China this summer. (AP)
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Timeline Tibet Unrest A look at recent unrest in Tibet and western China and some of the history behind it.
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Photos Tibet Tumult Protests against China's human rights policies and crackdown in Tibet.
"I am of two minds about this," the Democratic presidential hopeful said in an interview Wednesday on CBS News' The Early Show. "On the one hand, I think that what has happened in Tibet, China's support for the Sudanese government in Darfur, is a real problem."
Still, Obama said, "I am hesitant to make the Olympics a site of political protest because I think it's partly about bringing the world together." (Watch the video.)
Obama also expressed concern about Chinese trade practices.
"I am a strong believer in free trade, but I think that we have not been very savvy negotiators when it comes to China," Obama told Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith. "I think they've played us. They definitely are stealing our intellectual property, and that has direct consequences in terms of the bottom lines for businesses here in the United States."
Obama made the comments during a campaign swing through Pennsylvania, where he is trailing in the polls to Sen. Hillary Clinton. Obama is hoping record voter registration and people who have switched parties will boost his chances, reports Smith, who talked to Obama on the campaign bus.
Tibetans frustrated with Chinese rule rioted in the streets of Lhasa on March 14, and protests then spread to other parts of China. The Chinese government says 22 people died in violence; Tibetan exiles say the violence and a harsh crackdown afterward left nearly 140 people dead.
The events called attention to Beijing's human rights record in the Himalayan region at a time when Chinese leaders had hoped for a peaceful run-up to the Olympics.
On Tuesday, 15 House members urged President Bush to reconsider his decision to attend the Beijing Olympics. Their letter cited the crackdown in Tibet, the Beijing government's close economic ties with the government of Sudan and recent suppression of religious and human rights advocates.
In February, Hollywood director Steven Spielberg withdrew as an artistic adviser to the Olympics' opening and closing ceremonies over China's support for the Sudan government.
©MMVIII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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- Obama has only has HIS ENTIRE LIFETIME to develop an opinion about China, but he is unprepared for a simple decision.
NOT READY FOR PRIME TIME OBAMA! - Reply to this comment
- How can Obama be "of two minds" when he doesn''t even have half a brain?
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- Of course he is of two minds!!! This is because he hasn''t polled for popular opinion yet and since he can only play to the populist, he wont take a stand. I cant beleive some would actually vote him for President!!!
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- Well then I think Senator Oreo should offer to have tea with the Chinese and chat about allowing the Tibetians to have their autonomy. He can walk on water so he can convert the Chinese to surrender their terrority just be a swift smile. He''s so irresistable. World Peace will follow.
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- Obama Conflicted On Olympics In China
I''m sure his spiritial advisors are working on his non position. - Reply to this comment
- ccfsdca - I agree. I have been a Democrat for 50 yrs. I would have registered Independant also except that here in Ohio you don''t have that choice. Your party affilation is determined by which primary you vote in.
Even if I could have registered Independant, I still would have to pick Hillary over Obama. - Reply to this comment
- Actually his posturing on this isn''t naive, the man will pick up on anything to use as a sound bite.
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- Using the Olympics as some kind of political statement is really ludicrous, and shows Obama''s even posturing as naive.
Everybody in the world knew of China''s human rights failures for years! Why did they even let the Olympics be scheduled there! Why didn''t they make this statement in the selection process in the first place. This thing with Tibet is just typical China, did everybody forget Tienanmen Square when they were choosing that very site for the Olympics?
This is just an incident for some politicians to get attention. - Reply to this comment
- Posted by ccfsdca at 12:52 PM
"he''''s pulled in independents but ALSO REPUBLICANS who''''ve voted for him because THEY WANT TO RUN AGAINST HIM "
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And if they were honest, the majority of those so called Independants were probably Republicans who don''t want to admit that they voted for Bush in the last two elections. I have a brother like that. He has always been a die hard Republican but now he is a "conservative" Independant. - Reply to this comment
- If Obama pixxes off China, he might ruin our credit rating! ROFL!
He''s gonna need China when his tax money won''t support all his plans.
Please folks. NO Obama. - Reply to this comment
- Obama will chose the position that will benefit him politically. He is of "two minds" because he doesn''t know who he is or what he believes. He''ll probably wait for Hillary''s response and then copy it and call it his. This is why Democrats are making a mistake by backing him. We are shooting ourselves in the foot. Hillary can lead. Obama can only follow.
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- "What''s that Harry?" "How do I feel about the Olympics in China?" "Well I''m for it and against it." "Let me see how the polls play out before I give you a definite answer." "Also I want to see how Hillary would answer that question."
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- NOBAMA... let me help you..
it''s simple... ARE YOU FOR TIBET? yes or no or PRESENT - Reply to this comment
- One classic example why NOBAMA is not ready to be PRESIDENT.
He should have a position.
He is so typical.
HE WILL VOTE PRESENT. I bet you my bottom dollar. - Reply to this comment
- He would probably vote "Present" - that''s how he usually resolves his conflicts.
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- Obama is conflicted on a lot of things. Too bad the press lets him get free rides. Remember these blunders: You have Obama wanting his kids to get an abortion rather than be "PUNISHED with a baby." This is truly a souless individual. Anyone voting for this guy has to have a menatl disorder given his support for that Hater Pastor Wright, his remark about "Typical White people", his lie about more blacks in prison than in school, and mis-statements on the number of casulaties in IRAQ- remember that whopper. He''s not going to stand up to the GOP attackes this fall. Vote Hillary!
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- More Obama thinking with his two minds is right!
Just say NO to Obama! - Reply to this comment
- Of course he will need China''s money when he becomes president.
China funds the U.S. govt. with their loans. - Reply to this comment
- This is not the only thing he has "two minds" on.
He is a complete fake if he stands up for Palestine and not for Tibet.
He claimed the Palestinians suffer the most ! - Reply to this comment
