Why McCain’s Meeting With Dalai Lama Should Be Big News
It says a lot about John McCain that he went out of his way to visit the Tibetan leader — especially when contrasted with his Democratic rival's behavior in Germany.
Thursday night, the McCain Campaign announced they were making a — previously unsuspected — side trip from Denver to Aspen in order to let Senator McCain meet with the Dalai Lama. As a member of the World’s Smallest Demographic (Choctaw Indian Buddhist Republicans) it fell to me, at the suggestion of Pajamas Media, to write a piece on it.
I tried for most of the morning, I really did, and what I got was 200 boring words about how McCain was going to, you know, go to Aspen and meet the Dalai Lama. I could have puffed it out a little longer — who is the Dalai Lama, why does it matter, why was he in Aspen — but frankly, that would have made it a 500 word boring no-news story. After all, McCain has already said he supports Tibetan autonomy and objects to the Chinese policy of suppression and ethnic cleansing. The pool report has come out now, and from it we learn that the Dalai Lama wants McCain to support greater pressure on China, that he presented McCain with a white scarf. (Just as an aside, the pool report says it’s a “sign of hospitality and respect,” but that doesn’t say it, any more than a Rosary blessed by the Pope is just a keepsake of a trip to Rome for a Catholic. It may not mean as much to McCain, but it’s an important thing to a Tibetan Buddhist.) He was also concerned it not be seen as “an endorsement,” and that’s proper as well: he’s not just a spiritual teacher to Buddhists, he’s the head of state of a government in exile.
But still, what was the news value?
I submitted the article, and the editors (correctly) rejected it. Hell, I hated the article: why would anyone else want it. It was only later, as was thinking about something else, that it came to me: I was angry. Not at the Pajamas Media editors, but at myself, and at the news cycle. Why wasn’t it news?
I looked around some of the left-wing blogs, and I was struck by one comment: “Does McCain think the Dalai Lama is a gook?” This because of the infamous statement about how McCain “hates gooks.”
Well, you know what? If McCain “hated gooks” at some point — after being captured, tortured, beaten, eventually crippled — I think most people would understand that. On the other hand, he has returned to Vietnam on several occasions, and had as much to do with Vietnam and the US reestablishing relations as anyone. Somehow, for all this “hatred,”he’d been on the side of the Vietnamese people since, and even the prison director now says “If I were an American, I’d vote for McCain.”
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Charlie Martin is a Colorado computer scientist and nearly-successful screenwriter who contributes to the Flares Into Darkness political blog as ‘Seneca the Younger,’ and blogs under his own name at the aggressively non-political Explorations blog.
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39 Comments
1. Mike Pitzler:No doubt, a great factor in the primary. I saw McCain talking to college men and women in New Hampshire, and us little guys like someone interested in us. Humility is disarming. Kindness and concern are winning.
Jul 26, 2008 - 3:17 am 2. Broadsword:When the movie ‘Life is Beautiful’ was on the screens, someone on NPR was talking with Diane Rheem about the comedy and pathos in it. She responded, “But I don’t WANT to feel that way about the holocaust.” Her guest said ‘Life’ was historically about the holocaust to the same degree that ‘Shakespear in Love’was about Shakespeare. The horror in her voice suggested to me that she already had the proper and correct responses to the holocaust and anything else was out of bounds. I wonder if His Presumtiousness, the Obamessianic, was avoiding similar feelings. Does he already “know” how he (is supposed) to feel about soldiers, the military, the “Wahr”? I don’t believe he would be able to reconcile what he “knows he feels” compared with the very different motivations and committments of wounded soldiers.
Jul 26, 2008 - 4:17 am 3. O'Rourke:What does the author imagine a President McCain would do for Tibet? Would he recognize its independence from the Chinese communist dictatorship? Would he reverse his support of most favored nation status for the most murderous tyranny in modern history? Would he deny the Chi-Coms the “free trade” hard currency they need to fund their genocide in Tibet?
Jul 26, 2008 - 4:38 am 4. Chris in Toronto:Thank you.
Jul 26, 2008 - 4:47 am 5. Chris in Toronto:Re: O’Rourke
UN Security Council veto.
Jul 26, 2008 - 4:51 am 6. Matthew Hooper:I have serious doubts that McCain would ever do anything meaningful for the Dali Llama.
And Obama was entirely correct in not including wounded Americans in a photo op. I can already hear the talk radio outrage: “How dare he use wounded veterans as a prop in his campaign!” Of course, now they want to have it both ways…
Jul 26, 2008 - 4:57 am 7. The False God:You miss the point, Hooper. It’s because he wasn’t allowed to take his media attaché that Obama declined to carry through with his visit. Would his various media lapdogs have been allowed in, he no doubt would’ve spent a great deal of time trying to reconstruct his image with the American armed forces by being shown with a dour, but supportive face overlooking their suffering.
I am of the opinion that Obama is incapable of manifesting at a location unless there are reporters there that sufficiently believe in his existence beforehand; and, when there are no reporters, he disappears, like a disembodied curse.
Jul 26, 2008 - 5:16 am 8. Wildmonk:Yes, Hooper, hopefully you do actually realize that the comparison here is simple: Obama doesn’t care unless he gets something out of it (he’s just a pretty shell around unchecked ambition) while McCain has a history of doing things that reflect a deeply held set of beliefs regardless of whether they advance his ambitions. For the life of me, I just don’t understand how people can support an empty suit like Obama when someone like McCain is in the race. I guess he’s just prettier and that’s all that matters to most.
Jul 26, 2008 - 5:37 am 9. Tony Quila:“Given the chance to support American soldiers, and no photo op, Obama said, “not worth the trouble.”… ”
How Clintonesque.
Jul 26, 2008 - 5:48 am 10. Charlie (Colorado):What does the author imagine a President McCain would do for Tibet?
What does the commenter imagine a President McCain, or Obama, would do for Dafur? And why are we in the third person?
FG, I like your manifesting idea so much I can hardly stand it. Now, how to rub the serial numbers off it so I can use it ….
Jul 26, 2008 - 6:10 am 11. McCain and the Lama | Explorations:[...] new piece up at [...]
Jul 26, 2008 - 6:24 am 12. RedShep:Nope, no media bias here…
Jul 26, 2008 - 7:33 am 13. Meade:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yA29Rn4cRdI
“And that’s not news. But it should be.”
And then if it were, it shouldn’t be.
Jul 26, 2008 - 8:04 am 14. Charlie (Colorado):Meade, you’re just trying to confuse me.
Jul 26, 2008 - 8:38 am 15. Elroy Jetson:A meeting with the the Dalai Lama gives the Chi-Coms heartburn. They hate for him to be seen as a legitimate leader of an oppressed people.
Jul 26, 2008 - 8:44 am 16. David:That alone is a good enough reason for McCain to see him. The Chinese people will eventually know about it.
After the Dalai Lama I hope he can meet up with Osama Bin Laden. It looks like a possibility:
“Appearing on the Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer, the Arizona Republican was reminded that he had vowed to bring Osama bin Laden to justice and was asked how he would differ in that task from President Bush.
Initially saying that he would not “telegraph” the specifics, McCain declared, “Look, I know the area, I’ve been there, I know wars, I know how to win wars, and I know how to improve our capabilities so that we will capture Osama bin Laden — or put it this way, bring him to justice… We will do it, I know how to do it.”
I think Obama should create a special ops branch or temporary cabinet post and finally catch that killer.
David
Jul 26, 2008 - 9:13 am 17. Linda F:This is one of those stories that I feel every blogger should put a link to. You’re right, it is a small group - a mere handful - of Buddhists. But the principle is large.
I’m reminded of The Christophers motto: It is better to light one candle than to curse the darkness.
We need to return to our roots as bloggers, and remember that most of us started, not to enrich ourselves, but to be that lit candle.
Jul 26, 2008 - 9:35 am 18. Aaron Shay:Well ‘BO’ is , after all the consummate ‘Clint-esential’ politician …No ‘photo opp,’ no visit to Vets.
Jul 26, 2008 - 10:07 am 19. Believer:As a Christian, there is something else that Obama could learn from John McCain. Forgiveness.
Some time ago, I read that John had learned to forgive his captors. That led him to return to Vietnam. Not long ago, I read that Cindy, his wife, had learned forgiveness, too, through her husband’s example.
Obama thinks he has all the answers. He prides himself on it. He talks about bringing people together. But they’re just pretty words. His actions have revealed how clueless he is.
And in a Christian church, no less. I’m referring, of course, to his association with Wright and TUCC.
They don’t teach forgiveness there. They teach group victimology. One should remember every wound, nurse the anger and bitterness, and fight to get recompense for the wrong. Your oppressor’s cruelty must consume your thoughts and will affect you long after it’s over. There are wounds that can be made up, and other victims only marginally associated, to be lured into this snare. They tell them they’re ‘owed.’
Alot has been made of one man - the “Obamessiah” - clearly showing how turned upside down is our world.
Because when you consider these two men - neither being perfect - one comes far closer to carrying the wounds along with the unfailing message of salvation — peace and reconciliation.
But the foolishness of man will hardly recognize it.
Jul 26, 2008 - 10:36 am 20. Dave II:Don’t be “mad” at Obama…he is just staying true to who he is…an ambitious opportunistic political hack.
If there’s anyone to be mad at it would be the media…but that’s like fighting windmills.
Just be “GLAD” Americans are seeing and learning the differences with these two candidates, thanks to articles like yours. And while some are blind to the nuances, most can and will see the qualities they want in a President come November…and it doesn’t include reveling in the approval of your “fellow world citizens” while you ignore your “fellow AMERICAN citizens” in hospital beds close by.
Jul 26, 2008 - 10:52 am 21. Todd:The False God: “Obama is incapable of manifesting at a location unless there are reporters there that sufficiently believe in his existence beforehand; and, when there are no reporters, he disappears, like a disembodied curse.”
Good one.
Jul 26, 2008 - 11:28 am 22. dan:Have any of you guys seen the documentary-type movie “Tibet: Cry of the Snow Lion”? Wow is it good. I thought it’d be some lame hippie “Free Tibet” crap but it was in fact great. I confess I don’t know much about Tibet specifically, but I do know that China is subverting the United States with the time-honored Communist strategy of “we will feign liberalization if you give us trade relations - which we will then use as a venue for espionage and active measures and generally trying to subvert you.”
The best way of short-circuiting that strategy is simply to Announce it to the Public. Meeting with the Dalai Lama is a way of sending a signal to China: we know what you are doing, and we intend to frustrate your purpose. The headstart they got under Clinton and the ambivalence of the Bush Administration will find a useful corrective in John McCain - as will our ridiculous current policy towards the Russians. I think Bush’s “look into Putin’s eyes” was just bullshit employed because our policy is to try diplomatic finesse with Russia. This was obviously a mistake, and one that John McCain, as a new administration, could rectify. At least as far as an American administration can fight against its own CIA, State Department, and political opposition, that is.
Jul 26, 2008 - 11:54 am 23. Herb:I’m as confused as you, Charlie. I can’t think of any two people who more divergent views than John McCain and the Dalai Lama.
This McCain quote from the pool report got me scratching my head, too:
“His nonviolence approach and his lifelong approach of seeking common ground around cultural and religious divides are an inspiration for all of mankind and to millions of Americans.”
I can’t for the life of me figure out why a hawkish Republican culture-warrior would say something like that. It certainly doesn’t describe the worldview of a conservative Republican in 2008.
Jul 26, 2008 - 12:26 pm 24. Marvin:“…,Obama said, ‘not worth the trouble.’ ”
I’m surprised that Pajamas Media didn’t reject this article as well. I’m not a fan of Obama’s but I was unable to find the above quote in the linked article in your commentary; furthermore I didn’t find it in any other source.
My interest in sourcing the quote was due to its complete coldness and insensitivity. The quote, itself, over shadows any other description of Obama’s callousness toward the wounded and becomes even more of a glaring focus than the subject of the article. I would not be surprised to find the campaign’s decision not to visit was in fact because reporters were not allowed; however to infer that Obama doesn’t care about wounded soldiers is one thing, to quote him as saying so is quite another.
Using questionable quotes is something that fits in with the New York Times Times rationale for opinion pieces and is not what I would expect to find on Pajamas Media.
Jul 26, 2008 - 1:40 pm 25. nora:Lovely article about a lovely event that will be unknown to most Americans. Pity the coverage is so abundantly superficial save for articles like yours.
Jul 26, 2008 - 3:28 pm 26. Nancy Reyes:McCain doesn’t hate “gooks”. He backed Clinton when the US reopened our relationship with Viet Nam, and he has met with his captors.
He “hates” the ones who tourtured him, but that is personal, not racial.
Obama, on the other hand, hates rednecks. He’s never met one, but are merely assumed to be narrow minded bigots. He is so naive to think that Polish and Italians city dwellers are rednecks. Talk about racism.
Jul 26, 2008 - 3:45 pm 27. Chaz:Dear Meade:
When you asked what shouldn’t be news, I have a start here:
Jul 26, 2008 - 4:15 pm 28. Charlie (Colorado):http://media.nationalreview.com/post/?q=NTI0NTFhN2Y1ZTI5ODliMzc2ZmZiNzZiZGYyNTMzOTU=
Sorry to confuse you, Marvin, that wasn’t meant to be a direct quote. My error. What Obama actually said was that he decided it wouldn’t be respectful of him to visit; when that didn’t work, he said DoD wouldn’t let him visit. What NBC News and Landstuhl said was that when he was told he couldn’t bring his campaign staff in, he decided not to go. I merely inferred that he decided it wasn’t worth the trouble, and rather than visit US wounded he stayed to work out and be adored fawningly by a the hot reporter from Bild.
Jul 26, 2008 - 4:55 pm 29. David:Senator McCain visited wounded soldiers at Walter Reed before he was a presidential candidate. How many times did Obama visit? For an old retired Colonel like me, that says it all. McCain is a leader I’d follow in combat. I wouldn’t follow Obama to the latrine.
Jul 26, 2008 - 5:11 pm 30. vnjagvet:Great post, Charlie.
BTW, Marvin, this was an opinion piece, not a news piece. Literary license is a rhetorical device normally expected in commentary.
I am sure that Charlie would not object if you used it commenting here:>/
Jul 26, 2008 - 5:33 pm 31. The Outfit:David [9:13] If McCain knows how to “bring Osama bin Laden to justice” but has kept it secret from the Bush administration, doesn’t that show that John McCain would rather win and election rather than bring bin Laden to justice?
Say anything and do anything just to get elected…good ol’ boy John McCain.
Jul 26, 2008 - 8:59 pm 32. Jamie:Outfit - an alternative interpretation: McCain has repeatedly brought his strategy to Bush but Bush has rejected it. McCain has not “telegraphed” the strategy (that is, has not shared it with the media) because it wouldn’t work if it were made public. Possibly the “put it this way: bring him to justice” thing means we’re talking about, ahem, “wet work,” which honorable people (in which group I naturally include Bush, in case you’re in doubt) can disagree about.
Another possibility: McCain has recently come to a new understanding or decision about a strategy against bin Laden (who has been, I think it’s been clear for some years, rather marginalized - indeed, rendered irrelevant in a way that martyrdom, whether living or imprisoned, would not have accomplished - by the Bush administration).
But don’t let alternatives interfere with your world view. Causes indigestion.
Jul 26, 2008 - 11:21 pm 33. Bloodthirsty Liberal » Buddhists for McCain:[...] his life, no one could blame him. But he did (he’s been back to Vietnam more than once), and not just any Asian: The visit wouldn’t get a lot of press coverage, really, and the number of new Buddhist votes he [...]
Jul 27, 2008 - 4:19 am 34. M. Simon:Obama doesn’t hate rednecks. In Illinois they are called downstaters. He hates people from downstate who are continually frustrating the wise ones from Chicago.
Jul 27, 2008 - 5:15 am 35. The Outfit:Jamie - YEAH Right!
Except that McCain has been saying that his beef with the prosecution of the war was with Rumsfeld, never with Bush. All along McCain has been saying that Bush had been getting bad advice. He has never said in any public record that Bush has rejected good advice.
So where did you find your assertion that he did?
Jul 27, 2008 - 7:12 am 36. The Outfit:Jamie - That’s as big a stretch as it gets.
McCain has been saying that his beef was with Rumsfeld about how the war was prosecuted, not with Bush. McCain’s consistent argument has been that Bush got bad advice. Never has McCain said in any public record that Bush rejected good advice. How did you come to believe that Bush has rejected McCain’s advice on the war? Can you cite something specific?
Jul 27, 2008 - 7:18 am 37. The Presidential Campaign Abroad « my oh my oh my oh:[...] while I was there I saw the strangest story of the week. Apparently McCain met with the Dali Lama in Colorado, but all the good Subaru with Tibetan Flag Sticker Democrats were genuflecting facing [...]
Jul 27, 2008 - 7:53 pm 38. Tom Linehan:I support John McCain. But I do not agree at all with his support for the Free Tibet.
The more I learn about a possible Free Tibet the less I like it. The Free Tibet Constitution (http://www.tibet.com/Govt/charter.html) is a veritable theocracy with a fig leaf of a democracy. I do not think that this fact is widely known or understood.
Mao’s troops overthrew the Dali Lama almost without a shot. The CIA had a lot to do with the subsequent violence that occurred several years later in Tibet.
In addition, Tibet is only one of several regions of China with similar claims for autonomy or independence. Mongolia, Turkmen and several others all have similar claims.
Not only does Free Tibet dispute the Tibetan-Chinese border, if memory serves me correctly, they also challenge the Tibetan-Mongolian border, the Tibetan-Indian border and the Tibetan-Burma border. The Chinese-Burma boarder area, the Turkmen and Mongolian territories have all been disputed for centuries.
China may be heavy handed, even brutal at times in handling these disputes. And that is not defensible either. But these disputes go back centuries. In fact, the last invasion of Tibet was repelled by the Chinese army not the Tibetan army.
The violence in Tibet earlier this year was in large part assaults on ethnic Hans by ethnic Tibetans. That was glossed over in most media as well.
The trend in China for a very long time is to increase local autonomy. Eventually I suspect and hope that China the trend will continue especially in Tibet.
Finally the root of most of these problems lies in the long history of China. Often, for extended periods, the central government was weak or non existent. Local and regional rulers such as the Dali Lama were the norm by default. This is just one of several periods in which a strong central government reasserted control over the whole country.
Jul 28, 2008 - 5:14 am 39. Charlie (Colorado):Tom, I’m not quite getting it here. Are you saying that the ethnic cleansing in Tibet is okay, because after all the Tibetans only started to resist forcefully when the US (via the CIA) was helping?
(It is interesting that this is why we have so many Tibetans in Colorado, though — the CIA was training the resistance at Camp Hale. They found Colorado, and particularly my home area of the San Luis Valley, very much like home. So it’s entirely possible that the CIA had a big part in bringing the Buddhadharma to the West.)
I don’t have any problem with Mongolia and the others having more autonomy too.
Jul 28, 2008 - 6:16 pm