Gere: Clinton 'misspoke in the moment'
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/03/09/art.gere0309.cnn.jpg caption="Actor Richard Gere discussed Tibet on The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer Monday."]
(CNN) – Actor Richard Gere told Wolf Blitzer in an interview on Monday that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton “misspoke in the moment” when she said that human rights “can’t interfere with the global economic crisis.”
While on a diplomatic trip to Asia in February, Clinton said that the global economic crisis, climate change and security take precedent over human rights issues when dealing with China. Gere said that Clinton has always been on the “forefront of human rights.”
“Let’s assume she said more than that because she’s more complicated than that,” Gere said. “For me, these are all the same issue. If you want to make it about human rights, that’s perfectly valid. From my point of view, human rights are very important. To an American, human rights are desperately important and you have to say the words.”
Gere is the chairman of the International Campaign for Tibet, which has focused on fighting for human rights and democratic freedom in Tibet. He attended a reception with Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi Monday afternoon to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Dalai Lama’s exile from Tibet.
I just retired from 22 years of military service, spending 5 tours in the middle East in protection of this country. What gets me is, why does the opinion of actors really hold any weight in this country?? They are good at thier trade, do not get me wrong, but all they do is sit there and express thier viewsas to what is better for the world. All they do is try to alter the public opinion when they are premadonas living a dream. Go to Iraq and live there for a year without your family in a room of four to five people, take showers outside and have bullets and bombs going off around at any given time. This is not hollywood and we do not have stunt doubles. Do not comment until you live it!!!
I wonder if Richard Gere REALLY thinks that all the raising of awareness and advocating human rights in the world will really change anything on the ground in Tibet. Coercive measures are the only ones the bad guys really listen to.
I must ask the most basic question, why is Richard Gere speaking for Hilary Clinton? Just seems strange to me. I do agree that that her comment was most likely more complicated than that but I'm surprised that she isn't saying anything.
Sorry Richard but she did not say anything she did not mean to say.
She meant exactly what she said.
She is a politician and will say what ever she needs to make who ever
happy.
She lies to you. Lies to the Chinese. Lies to the world.
Hate to tell you but the tibetan monks are not going to win in this one.
now imagine him defending bush for the same comment...
Sometimes you got to bite the bullet. Especially where China is concerned. They just might want to foreclose on the US economy and ask for delivery of the US navy fleet.
Something to think about.........Like do you really know how deep your National debt is? If you now that answer, then who holds the loans?
If you immediately get a sickening feeling in your stomach, it would be appropriate as you finally understand that the US has spent and borrowed way beyond your means.
If the National debt per person is 37,000+ dollars then how can you pay off your national debt when people are not working, and the top ten percent of the wealthy in the country don't want to share in the wealth.
Will someone please remind me why we should listen to any celebrity's political opinion? These folks are rich and out of touch with reality and let their fame and smug sense of liberal righteousness go to their head.
Richard Gere...the new State Department spokesman? Or Clinton apologist?
I would have nothing to say if Mr. Gere hates communism, but putting human rights and Dalai Lama together just makes me laugh. Is that still true that Dalai Lama was ruling Tibet through slavery and tortures 50 years ago, and his organization is instigating violence nowadays? FUNNY!!
Who cares what Richard Gere thinks? Who cares what the rest of Hollywood thinks, for that matter?
Even the famous Robert Mitchum admitted, "acting isn't work." These people are not part of the working mainstream and therefore do not speak for us. Go away Holier-Than-Thou-Wood!!!!!
Shut up, Gere, just...shut...up. I'm sick of hearing actors and actresses expecting their opinion to have any more weight than anyone else just because their name is well known.
How does he know she misspoke and if she did why didn't she say so?
I think appointing her was a stupid move on Obama's part now instead of just us American's putting up with her, the whole world has to.