Bloggerheads

Crooks and Liars – Henny Penny II (<--- this is the must-see) BSSC – A United Front
Europhobia – Mark this date

The Age – Heckler embarrasses presidents: A heckler from the Falun Gong spiritual movement, who entered White House grounds as a reporter, interrupted a formal arrival ceremony for Chinese President Hu Jintao today, prompting President George W Bush to apologise to his guest. After being welcomed by Mr Bush, the Chinese President was just beginning his response when a woman, who had been allowed into the press section, started shouting. She was escorted away by a uniformed US guard. “President Hu, your days are numbered. President Bush, make him stop persecuting Falun Gong,” the woman yelled.

Zee News – Protester heckles Chinese President at White House: As she was led away, she pulled out a yellow banner, a trademark of adherents of the movement that combines meditation and physical exercises. China banned the group as an “evil cult” in 1999 and has jailed thousands of its members. The group said more than 2,800 have been beaten and tortured to death since then, and it recently alleged that some have had their organs harvested.

Washington AFP – Bush says sorry after protester heckles Chinese president: Bush said “this is unfortunate, I’m sorry that this happened,” according to another security council official, Dennis Wilder. “President Hu was very gracious about it,” Hadley told CNN television, calling the incident “a blip”. He added: “It’s unfortunate. It’s really not about freedom of speech.”

Bob Cesca – President Bush Stands Up for Free Speech by Standing Up: CNN’s coverage: “An embarrassing moment, potentially, for the president.” Then Miles O’Brien reacted, “I should say amid the pomp and circumstance — a blemish.” A Chinese woman expressing her views to the Chinese president in the only forum possible — she certainly couldn’t do that in China — is a blemish? Yes, it was a pimple on the ass of such a wonderful event; an event which will usher in an era of more American jobs going overseas to communist controlled sweatshops. Dag. How dare she interrupt such pomp with all that annoying pus-filled free speech! Back to the president. You’d figure since he’s been called by God to protect and ensure the liberty of all people, he’d have the courage of his faith and convictions to do or say something. Perhaps he could’ve waved off the Secret Service agents who hauled her away. He could’ve invited her to address President Hu in a more official setting. This could’ve been his moment to put his money where his mouth is. Hell, moments earlier he said: “China has become successful because the Chinese people are experience the freedom to buy, and to sell, and to produce — and China can grow even more successful by allowing the Chinese people the freedom to assemble, to speak freely, and to worship.” Setting a good example, isn’t he? Standing motionless with his hands in the cupping-his-balls position while someone who’s speaking freely is hauled off by American security. This is the man who’s on a self-proclaimed freedom crusade employing the bloodied bodies of our fighting men and women, but who personally couldn’t move a muscle other than to tell President Hu, “You’re alright.” Once again, President Decider couldn’t decide what to do. Like the infamous My Pet Goat moments on 9/11. Like the Katrina days strumming air guitar. And now this. Unless someone else is doing the fighting, he’s just like his father. He’s a wimp.

Personally, I was amazed that she was calling Hu a murderer and a tyrant and she didn’t spare a word for Bush except when she asked him for help. (There you go; now you should understand the headline. I had you worried there for a minute, didn’t I?)

There’s a fair amount of buzz about this incident being censored/suppressed in China (more and yet more), but it’s happening here too, folks. Even the BBC fail to include in their online report the comprehensive translation of this woman’s words that they broadcast on television at midnight last night. (Maybe we’re supposed to be thankful that our screens didn’t go black.)

She talked for over two minutes before the security services finally reached her, hushed her up and bundled her off, but everyone is reporting the same 5-second quote that she spoke in English (the lazy fucks) and not the part where she pointed at Hu and assured him that his days were numbered because “the evil die young”.

If any Bloggerheads readers understand Chinese, can they please click here and/or here for a video of the incident and translate what they can? The world deserves a transcript. Cheers.

BBC – White House reacts to low ratings: As he strode onto the White House lawn, Scott McClellan grinned bravely over one of his last announcements as the public voice of the president – his own resignation. It is the second high-profile departure in an ongoing shake-up of a White House team that has been largely unchanged in six years. His voice cracking with emotion, Mr McClellan told the press and the president: “I’m ready to move on… I’ve given it my all, Sir.” He added: “The White House is going through a phase of transition – a change can be helpful.” The scale of that change became clearer when it emerged that the president’s political guru and chief adviser, Karl Rove, was to shed responsibility for domestic policy to concentrate on crafting a winning strategy for the Republican Party in November’s mid-term elections.

And from there Rove is sure to move on to the task of Building a Better Bush. If he’s not (finally) indicted, tried and locked up first.

McClellan I will always remember – fondly – as the professional liar who responded to revelations of torture in Guantanamo Bay (the most detailed and damaging of which originated from people who had been released without charge) by assuring the press that “terrorists are trained to lie”…

(Psst! A name appears to be missing from most of the ‘shuffle’ articles… Jim Towey. Oh, and you may enjoy some of the comments here.)