CPAC

Bachmann At CPAC: Obama Has 'Ushered In Socialism'

Jillian Rayfield | February 10, 2011, 10:23AM

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN)

Rep. Michele Bachmann opened CPAC this morning with a quippy speech about needing unity in the conservative movement so they can kick Obama out of office in 2012.

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Sharron Angle

Angle's PAC 'Agrees' With Reid On China's Hu Being Dictator

Eric Kleefeld | January 21, 2011, 3:16PM

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and 2010 Senate candidate Sharron Angle (R)

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's (D-NV) recent description of Chinese President Hu Jintao as a "dictator" has now attracted the somewhat backhanded agreement of an unlikely source -- the Patriot Caucus PAC, which was established after the 2010 election by his very right-wing GOP opponent, former state Rep. Sharron Angle.

"It's not often we can fully agree with something Harry Reid says," the PAC's online administrators write. "A statement made by Harry Reid yesterday, however, warrants strong agreement."

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China

GOP Rep: China A 'Gangster' -- And Religion-Suppressing Organ-Stealer (VIDEO)

Eric Kleefeld | January 20, 2011, 1:24PM

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA)

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) is not being shy about his opposition to friendly relations with China. In an appearance Wednesday night on Parker-Spitzer, Rohrabacher was asked about his description of the country as "the world's worst human rights abuser." And he didn't back down.

Kathleen Parker asked Rohrabacher whether this language was the best way to start the state visit of Chinese leader Hu Jintao.

"It certainly is, when you're talking to a gangster. If you treat him like a nice guy, he's not gonna respect you at all. Our trouble is, we've been dealing with these people as if they're Englishmen or Belgians, or something like that, when in reality, this is a gangster regime that murders their own people, and should be treated in that way, or they won't respect us."

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Stephen Colbert

Colbert: Lavish Black-Tie Dinner May Give China The Wrong Idea On U.S. Debt (VIDEO)

David Taintor | January 20, 2011, 1:02PM

Stephen Colbert

Stephen Colbert last night said Obama's lavish state dinner for Chinese President Hu Jintao might give China the wrong idea about America's debt issues.

"Is (Obama) crazy?" Colbert said. "President Hu knows full well that he's the one footing the bill for the duck pâté Lincoln Memorial. Think about it, if you're down on your luck, and you borrow a bunch of cash from your brother-in-law, you don't invite him over to check out your new 52-inch flat screen."

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Rush Limbaugh

Limbaugh Mocks Chinese President Hu's Language (AUDIO)

Eric Kleefeld | January 19, 2011, 2:59PM

Rush Limbaugh

Rush Limbaugh is known for often using coded racist language, then accusing people of race-baiting if they complain. But this time, in commenting on the press conference held by President Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao, he's just gone for some straight-out racist caricature.

As Media Matters has picked up, Limbaugh complained on his radio show today that there was not a constant voiceover translation on the broadcast of Hu's speech. In imitation, he then proceeded to do a mocking impression of Hu's language, as might have been featured in a movie or radio show from the first half of the last century.

Give it a listen.

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Harry Reid

Harry Reid: Chinese Pres Hu is A 'Dictator' ... Maybe I Shouldn't Have Said That

Eric Kleefeld | January 19, 2011, 9:30AM

Harry Reid (D-NV)

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has an interesting perspective on the differences between the political systems of America and China -- and what he should and shouldn't be saying about the matter.

As Jon Ralston reports, from an interview with Reid:

Only Harry Reid, when asked about whether he still thought the lame-duck tax cut deal was a good one, would begin his serpentine answer thusly:

"I am going to go back to Washington and meet with the president of China. He is a dictator. He can do a lot of things through the form of government they have. Maybe I shouldn't have said dictator. But they have a different type of government then we have and that is an understatement."

First, you might wonder what Hu Jintao has to do with the question I asked. (Reid would later make clear he was comparing China with America, where compromise is essential in "the best system ever devised to rule the affairs of men and women.")

Sure, what Reid said is not exactly false. But still, this might not be the right thing for a top American leader to say when Hu is embarking on a major state visit to this country.