CNN’s Michael Smerconish Calls Biden’s Diplomatic Boycott of Olympics ‘Half-Assed’

CNN’s Michael Smerconish, who has been anchoring the 9 p.m. slot since the network fired Chris Cuomo, called the U.S. diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Olympics in Beijing “half-assed.”

The Biden administration announced on Monday that the United States would not have any diplomatic presence at next year’s Olympics. This boycott does not extend to Team USA athletes.

Former NBC Sports personality Bob Costas expressed concerns that his old network, which will broadcast the games, being censored and threatened by the Chinese Communist regime.

“This is very treacherous terrain or at least tricky terrain for NBC. They have a small army of people there or will,” he told Smerconish. “And those who run the network have to be concerned with their safety and wellbeing. We have no idea what the Chinese might do. It might begin with cutting the feed if they’re displeased. It also could begin with making life difficult for anyone up and down the ladder of the NBC hierarchy.”

“It just feels half-assed to me,” said Smerconish. “Either they’re deserving of the boycotts and athletes don’t go, or don’t even play this card.”

On Monday, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki announced the U.S. diplomatic boycott of the games:

The Biden administration will not send any diplomatic or official representation to the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games given the PRC’s ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang and other human rights abuses.

The athletes on Team USA have our full support. We will be behind them 100 percent as we cheer them on from home.  We will not be contributing to the fanfare of the Games.

U.S. diplomatic or official representation would treat these Games as business as usual in the face of the PRC’s egregious human rights abuses and atrocities in Xinjiang.  And we simply can’t do that.

As the President has told President Xi [Jinping], standing up for human rights is in the DNA of Americans.  We have a fundamental commitment to promoting human rights.  And we feel strongly in our position, and we will continue to take actions to advance human rights in China and beyond.

Watch above, via CNN.