Finally, the WH press crew gets some balls!
Q Why shouldn't people see [Bush's opposition to Taiwanese independence] as the administration picking and choosing its moral clarity when it comes to foreign policy, by opposing democracy here because it doesn't suit your interests in the region, especially since China is helping on North Korea? Why isn't this kind of cherry-picking your moral clarity?The hypocritical nature of the One-China policy the US has followed for so long has always bugged me on a very deep level. It bugs me even more now that we have a president whose stock in trade is claiming to want to stand up to evil around the world in the name of democracy and freedom, who nevertheless viscerally opposes the idea of the people of Taiwan declaring independence from China and determining their own destiny.MR. McCLELLAN: Well, one, this has been a longstanding policy. This policy has been in place, and what the President said today was reiterating what that policy is. He was asked a question about it, and he reiterated what our policy is.
Q My question is, why isn't that hypocritical? I mean, you're all for democracy in the Middle East and in Iraq, but the Taiwanese people see that and then America says, no, not for you, not democracy for you.
MR. McCLELLAN: There are a lot of matters you address around the world, and different circumstances require different action and strategies.
Q Well, explain that. Explain why this strategy is different, why the Taiwanese are being sacrificed for what? What is the larger good here that the President sees?
MR. McCLELLAN: You might want to go back and look at the three joint communiqus, and look at that.
Q Lay it out for the American people. They're hearing all this emphasis from the President.
MR. McCLELLAN: This is what he has said from the beginning.
Q Do you want to get 10 Americans on the street, and see if it's clear?
MR. McCLELLAN: This is what he has said from the beginning, this policy.
Q -- reporting here --
MR. McCLELLAN: I'm sure that you all in this room will do your best to educate them about what our policy has been and what our policy is, and why -- and why it is.
Q Why don't you educate us about what the President's thinking is -- why there's moral clarity when it comes to pushing democracy in some parts of the world, but not here. What is the larger interest?
MR. McCLELLAN: Wait. We support any change -- any unilateral attempt to change the status quo. That's what he's made very clear.
Q Even a democratic change?
MR. McCLELLAN: I think you need to look at that.
I'm not blind, here. I realize how volatile the situation is, and how any Taiwanese moves towards independence could very easily trigger a war in Eastasia that no one wants. But if we're going to take diplomatic lumps for doing the right thing in the name of democracy, isn't this a situation that practically begs for it?