Sen. Harry Reid calls Hu Jintao a 'dictator'

[The Northerner]

In an interview in Nevada on Tuesday night, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) waded into dicey diplomatic territory by referring to Chinese President Hu Jintao as a "dictator."

Asked about the tax-cut compromise at the end of last year, Reid said our system requires compromise. "I am going to go back to Washington tomorrow and meet with the President of China," Reid told reporter Jon Ralston. " is a dictator. He can do a lot of things through the form of government they have."

Reid quickly realized he could have chosen his words more carefully, quickly adding, "Maybe I shouldn't have said dictator, but they have a different type of government than we have and that is an understatement."

Hu is in Washington for a summit and state dinner with President Obama. It will probably be his last visit as China's president. After coming into office with a gentle approach towards China, Obama has become more hard-nosed and pugnacious in clashes on economic policy, human rights and North Korea.

The full interview (Reid's comments on Hu come around 4:15)

Read more: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2011/01/harry-reid-calls-hu-jintao-a-d.html

[Webster Green]

1. Oh, Harry. Not very well played.

For starters, praising the efficiency with which dictators can accomplish things is kind of fucked up.

The chimp made a similar remark, as I recall, but he wanted to actually be the dick-tater.

[RZM]

2. Not the wisest choice of words

But certainly not false. China's an authoritarian state, plain and simple.

[AngryAmish]

3. He actually is not a dictator to be technical

An authoritarian? Yes.

[Swede]

4. Hu's on first?

:shrug:

[notesdev]

5. Isn't it nice to know

that the leader of the Senate thinks despotism has its strong points.

And here I thought Joe Biden was the only one capable of offending both the citizenry and a major foreign power with a single sentence.

[Vinnie From Indy]

7. LOL!

How true!
Cheers!

[old mark]

6. Refreshing to hear a Democrat speak honestly, even when he is wrong...

I like Harry-save some for the GOP, man.


mark