NBC Commentator Appears to Defend China During Olympic Opening Ceremony: Has ‘Plenty of Support’ in Developing World
An NBC commentator offered what sounded like a defense of the Chinese Communist regime during the Olympics opening ceremony on Friday.
“It’s worth remembering that while Western countries may be boycotting these Olympics over human rights issues, China styles itself as a champion of the developing world, and it has plenty of support in countries from Africa to Latin America where its investments are building up local economies,” said former Wall Street Journal senior correspondent and columnist Andrew Browne, referring to China’s Belt and Road initiative.
The United States is one of the countries that diplomatically boycotted the 2022 Olympics over China’s human rights record.
Browne’s remark sparked outrage from conservatives on Twitter.
NBC last month: “We understand that there are some difficult issues regarding the host nation, so our coverage will provide perspective on China’s place in the world and the geopolitical context in which these Games are being held.”
This is what they meant? https://t.co/dVovshPyyT
— Joseph A. Wulfsohn (@JosephWulfsohn) February 4, 2022
NBC be like: “I know Western countries are protesting over human rights and literal genocide, but look at everything China has done in Africa and Latin America!” https://t.co/oeSZYoUFbA
— Kassy Dillon (@KassyDillon) February 4, 2022
It might not be the summer olympics, but NBC is still doing mental gymnastics to justify *literal* GENOCIDE https://t.co/NwIArtuTwY
— Buddy Carter (@RepBuddyCarter) February 4, 2022
NBC is an absolute disgrace. https://t.co/oU21MlEQYx
— Andrew Wagner (@andrewwagner) February 4, 2022
Toward the end of the opening ceremony, one of the people to ignite the Olympic flame was reportedly a member of the Uyghur population, which China has been accused of committing genocide against. Today anchor Savannah Guthrie called that move by Chinese President Xi Jinping “quite provocative” and “an in-your-face response to those Western nations, including the U.S., who have called this Chinese treatment of that group genocide and diplomatically boycotted these games.”
Watch above, via NBC.
