Pres. Bush and ethnic skaters | Golden Skate

Pres. Bush and ethnic skaters

Joined
Jun 21, 2003
When the President of China came to town, President Bush invited Michelle Kwan to sit at the head table at the official reception.

Last week, it was the Prime Minister of Japan. Kristi Yamaguchi and Rene Inoue, front and center.

When the Bulgarian ambassador comes to lunch next week, will we see Angela Nikodinov?

I have mixed feelings about what message is being sent here. Why not invite Kristi to meet the President of France, or Michelle to hobnob with the President of Argentina?

When Mr. Bush travels to other counties, do they trot out sucessful citizens whose families immigrated there from the U.S.?
 

SeaniBu

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 19, 2006
Well I certainly agree that that does send a crap message while trying to send a good one. But I don't think to many should be surprised, after all look at the administration that makes those decisions.

I must think for a moment of the "possibility" these are requests by the "visitors." ????

The best thing is that at least there are skaters there!!!!!:agree:
 
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Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll
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Jun 27, 2003
I think you can read into it whatever wants to be read... just like everything else when it comes to politics... maybe he is an ignorant closet racist, I doubt it though lol

For all we know those skaters/athletes were able to fit time in at the white house on those days... who knows...
 

Ptichka

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Jul 28, 2003
I don't know... I have no problem with this... I mean, I do see MM's point, but see nothing wrong with showing a president how well people from his country have done over here... It's just a "feel good" type thing, nothing more. And, if those skaters felt offended, they could always politely refuse.
 

SeaniBu

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 19, 2006
Are these are requests by the "visitors" to meat the guests of their choice?
 

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll
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Jun 27, 2003
SeaniBu said:
Are these are requests by the "visitors" to meat the guests of their choice?

it could be either the visitor or Bush or some other person who runs these things lol

I agree with Ptchika...
 

julietvalcouer

Final Flight
Joined
Sep 10, 2005
I would think the people actually responsible are the Protocol Office (who are not political appointees), the Head Usher, and some sort of liason to the West Wing (likely someone from the Chief of Staff's office) and the State Department as they're responsible for these sorts of visits. Except for a few actual personal friends, and special requests where he might have a celeb he really wants to meet, the President doesn't actually get a huge nitpicky level of say himself in who goes to what dinner. Mrs. Bush's office would actually be involved, too, come to think of it.

So what it says is someone in the protocol office apparently likes figure skating.
 

IDLERACER

Medalist
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
I'm sure that Sasha Cohen is in his rolodex, in case Yushchenko decides to pay a visit.
 
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JonnyCoop

Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 28, 2003
Joesitz said:
Which American would he invite for the Head of Palau?

Joe

Kikani and Akaika Young, perhaps? Yes, I know they're not Palauan (Paulaui?) [?????], but to GWB Hawaii and Palau are probably essentially the same place... :rolleye:

This kind of reminds me of Chris Evert Lloyd and her doubles partners in the mid-80s. In '85, for the French Open, she played with Pascale Paradis of France, for Wimbledon she played with Britain's Jo Durie, for the Australian she played with Australian Wendy Turnbull; this prompted fellow player Pam Shriver to say "Gee, I wonder if she's lined up Carling Bassett [of Canada] for the Canadian Open" -- and, gee, the Canadian Open rolls around and yep, it's Evert Lloyd and Bassett!! :laugh:
 

Ptichka

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Jul 28, 2003
This thread did get me thinking about how I would react to such an invitation. If I were invited to a dinner with Putin to show off how well Russians are doing I would likely refuse; though I don't know how I'd feel if Russia had a president I didn't despise as much. OTOH, if I were invited to a dinner with Ehud Olmert to show how well Jews are doing, I would have been honored to attend.
 
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Joined
Jun 21, 2003
Well, if Malaysian Prime Minister Abdulla Badawi came to call, we have Phua Hoong Yee, a skater with Disney on Ice. (But I'm not sure what the current status of the ethnic Chinese are in that country where you must be a Muslim to be considered a "Malay.")

Michelle Kwan, the daughter of immigrants, gave every indication that she felt it a great honor to herself and her family to be invited to the White House.

Kristi's parents were born in the U.S. (her mother in a World War II internment camp). As a sansei (third generation), Kristi always seemed competely Americanized to me (from the few glimpses that she gives us in public of her personality). I wonder what she thought of the whole thing.

What did Bret Hedican think? (Or John Baldwin.) Just one of those duties that come with marriage, I suppose -- you have to go meet the Prime Minister of Japan and listen to a lot of boring speeches, what a drag.

Rene Inoue was born in Japan (and competed for Japan in both the 1992 and 1994 Olympics). She would have a different point of view altogether about dining with the Prime Minister and the U.S. President, I should imagin.

Boy, wouldn't it be cool if Michelle, Kristi and Rena would log onto this thread and tell us what they think?
 
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Piel

On Edge
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Joined
Jul 27, 2003
GWB is just trying to cultivate the figure skating fan vote for when Condi runs against Hillary and Obama:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: W never was good at numbers, LOL.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
Piel said:
GWB is just trying to cultivate the figure skating fan vote for when Condi runs against Hillary and Obama. :rofl:
Barack Obama on Figure Skating:

"You all watch the winter Olympics? Mrs. Bush was there, representing our country, and that was great. I'm sure a lot of us in politics were following that figure skating, because we can identify with performers who spin wildly and sometimes fall on their butts...

"I also enjoyed that biathlon, where they ski and shoot at the same time. Probably not your sport, Mr. Vice President."
 

SeaniBu

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 19, 2006
Mathman said:
"I also enjoyed that biathlon, where they ski and shoot at the same time."
:eek: That is some kinda sport there, I 'spose the target jumps around too.:laugh:
 

julietvalcouer

Final Flight
Joined
Sep 10, 2005
Lol, you get to stop and lie prone to shoot (I used to think about biathalon, as I both Nordic ski and shoot, but I'm too short to do Nordic with all those tall people with big steps.)

As to what the husbands thought, probably "Cool, I get to have dinner/lunch/whatever at the White House." Most people would go. I know I would. I'd have gone under the previous administration and managed somehow to be civil and just enjoy that hey, it's a dinner at the White House, even though I'd have no respect for any member of the administration, their staff, or anyone connected with them.

And in this case, the outgoing PM of Japan sounds like a trip. (Elvis fan. He wanted to visit Graceland on this trip, so they went.)
 

heyang

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
I'm sure there were non-ethnic guests, as well.

After all, the Bush's also took the Japanese PM to Graceland because he's such a huge Elvis fan.
 
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