Bill Clinton Opposed Skipping The China Olympics Opening Ceremonies In 2007

[malik flavors]

April 08, 2008 3:46 PM

On Monday, Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY, called for President George W. Bush to refrain from personally participating in the opening ceremony of the Beijing Summer Olympics to protest China's record on human rights.

The circumstances are dramatically different. But the dilemma of whether or not a public figure should lend his credibility to the China Olympics occurred last year, when firm director Steven Spielberg sought the opinion of former President Bill Clinton (among dozens of others) as to whether he should remain an "Overseas Artistic Director" for the opening and closing ceremonies for Olympics despite his serious concerns about China's role in the genocide in Darfur.

In 2007, knowledgeable sources say, the former President advised Spielberg to participate, that he could be an effective agent for positive change by working with China. Spielberg wasn't sure. He didn't sign his contract with the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games.

Clinton's wife on Monday took the complete opposite approach.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/04/hillary-clinton.html

[Zachstar]

1. My only beef with her call is that she is calling for just Bush to not attend the opening ceremony.

Yet not for a full boycott or for the people or athletes to boycott.

[malik flavors]

2. I don't think the athletes would be willing to do that. But I digress, Bill contradicts Hill again.

[leftynyc]

3. They're completely different situations

not to mention completely different people (bill and hill) but don't let that stop the madness.

[malik flavors]

4. Despite Speilberg's concerns regarding Chinese ethics, Bill Clinton still encouraged him to support

their opening ceremonies.

Why are the situations so different?

[leftynyc]

5. The leader of the only remaining superpower

(asshole that he is) versus an artist? You see them as the same situation? And for the record, Spielberg should have done what his conscience was telling him. Also, what does Bill's advice to an artist have to do with Hillary's advice to the chimp?