Welcome to my first ever Kos post.
I'm just curious to see if anyone else noticed this exchange from the Costas interview of Bush during the Olympics on Sunday night:
Costas: 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 of 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?
Bush: Well first of all, if you are 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 gonna serve as a chance for people to come and see china the way it is...
Why does Bush answer in this way? The question had nothing to do with religion. Though Bush had referred to religious freedom as an American value in the previous question.
and later, when Costas is driving the interview in the context of Darfur:
Costas: As you attempt to press these points with them, do you find Hu Jintao not just warm to you personally, but is he receptive? Do you sense any movement?
Bush: Yeah, it's hard to tell. I mean, all I can tell you is that it is best to be in a 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, 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 Chinese 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.
I'm just glad to know what our President's agenda is when he goes abroad. Psychologists? Anyone?