January 3, 2008 6:27
Stop the Presses: a Major US Presidential Candidate Actually Mentions China!
Wow. What a concept. In the spectacularly inane US Presidential race—and I do mean spectacularly (and yes, that’s a shot at the US political press,which appears utterly unaware that it’s become a straight-out-of-Comedy-Central-parody of itself…)-- one of the leading contenders has actually broadcast a television ad on the eve of the Iowa caucuses that’s about----shhhh!—China.
China! Can you imagine? What was he thinking? (Can we please go back to the crucial issue of whether that was a “floating cross” in Mike Huckabee’s Christmas Eve ad? The future of the nation depends on it…)
Never mind that former Governor Mitt Romney doesn’t exactly say how he’ll “level the playing field” with an economy that’s growing “three times faster than ours” (presumably not by getting Americans to work in factories for a dollar an hour). At least the guy devotes 30 seconds of television time to the second most important foreign policy subject out there. Maybe some crack American political reporter will actually ask him about it.
Or, more likely, not…
Here’s the link to the spot…
http://mitt-tv.mittromney.com/?showld728458
About The China Blog
Simon Elegant was born in Hong Kong and since then China has pretty much always been at the center of his life. Read more
Liam Fitzpatrick was born in Hong Kong and joined TIME in 2003. He edits Global Adviser for TIME Asia. Read more
Ling Woo Liu worked as a television reporter in Beijing and moved to Hong Kong to report for TIME Asia. Read more
Bill Powell is a senior writer for TIME in Shanghai. He'd been Chief International correspondent for Fortune in Beijing, then NYC. Read more
Austin Ramzy studied Mandarin in China and has a degree in Asian Studies. He has reported for TIME Asia in Hong Kong since 2003. Read more
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Reader Comments (11)
Ha! Mitt didn't mention Sikkim at all in his TV ad, and that's obnoxious.
Bad, Bad, Racist Americans !!!
Posted by John Smith | January 3, 2008 1:29 PM
that's quite mercy . have u heard Ron Paul's champion? what the hell is his problem with chinese immigration?
ummmmmmmmmmmmm....we chinese dedicate our smart to the U.S or labor, don't we sederve the equity with U.S citizens?
pathentic!
Posted by Gbrielle | January 5, 2008 12:30 AM
Gbrielle, I'm not aware of anything negative Ron Paul had said about Chinese immigrants. What are you referring to ?
Posted by Jack | January 5, 2008 1:34 AM
Jack: Ron Paul is an Amreican, isn't he. If he is an American, whatever he says about China must be negative. And if he really said something good about China, he must have said it sarcastically. That is enshrined in the Chinese and CPC constitutions, and is in the Analects of Confucius. All Chinese know that for 5000 years.
Posted by John Smith | January 5, 2008 2:55 PM
oh, stay calm guys, i can totally explain. He banned or a sort of denying the value of chinese labor. how about sounding this[ cheaper labor source in china and deport them from our border]. we deplete our energy , talent to nourish the U.S, why shouldn't we deserve the fruit and truimph after all that?
Or you want to tell me the U.S border is the symbol of Holy Heaven? i guess not.
P.S. Jack, are u a bit extreme? mmmmm.....stay calm [again]
Posted by Gabrielle | January 5, 2008 8:04 PM
You Americans should check out Mike Gravel. He's the candidate that will get you back on track. The media (of course) does not support him at all but he's got a pretty good online following and intelligently developed views.
Posted by lily | January 6, 2008 12:04 AM
Mr. John Smith, you are right as always. The US people should be more positive, but their culture was always so keen to be focused on negative aspects, either of themselves or of others outside their country. This results in an enviornment of distrust as the media decides to find the next thing for USians to be afraid of or hate.
This is perhaps the reason why there are so many conspiracy theorists and cynic USians who constantly fortell the next 'depression', 'inflation', 'WW3' etc.
Living in such a enviornment for a lengthly period of time is detrimental to one's physical and mental health. I hope they can cope.
Posted by RiceLee22 | January 6, 2008 11:21 PM
Itis not only Mitt who talks about China.
Hillary called our relationship with China, "The most important bilateral relationship of the 21rst Century" in her article for Foreign Affairs, and the Chinese economy makes the rounds at near every Republican debate.
Posted by T. "Chimpy" Greer | January 7, 2008 3:05 PM
As always, in the United States, the media decide for who will be president.
All the major news outlet only focus on two or three candidates and almost completely ignore the rest, Ron Paul and Dennis Kucinich for example. If China will become democratic, learn the lessons from the US and be very careful how to regulate media coverage of elections. Until a party nominee is elected, all contenders should be given equal exposure. Until a president is elected, all candidates should have the equal voice.
How can a fair election take place unless all candidates are given the same chance to tell the people about themselves?
Posted by Jack | January 7, 2008 10:35 PM
"If China will become democratic"
Is that a threat, or just an impossible dream ?
Posted by John Smith | January 8, 2008 12:40 PM
Itis not only Mitt who talks about China.
Posted by Diet Guru | January 17, 2008 8:32 PM