Musings of the Great Eric

Protester Disrupts Hu Arrival Ceremony:

President Bush expressed personal regret to Chinese President Hu Jintao for a protest during an elaborate welcoming ceremony on the White House lawn Thursday.

The protester interrupted the ceremony by shouting to Bush to stop the Chinese president from “persecuting the Falun Gong.”

Bush later addressed the matter when he met with Hu in the Oval Office. “He just said this was unfortunate and I’m sorry it happened,” said Dennis Wilder, acting senior director for Asian affairs on the National Security Council staff.

Wilder said Hu was gracious in accepting Bush’s apology. The two leaders moved on in their talks and it was not mentioned again in several hours of meetings. Hu and Bush sat next to each other at an elaborate luncheon - a departure from traditional protocol, which would have them at different tables.

Bush: I’m deeply sorry that my country has to put up with “free speech”. Believe me, we’re working as hard as we can to eliminate that. Your country serves as a model for all aspiring fascists to try to reach.

Technorati Tags: Bush, China, Hu Jintao, Free Speech, Protests