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Downer: Rudd's Mandarin just showing off
Posted at 09:46 on 6 November, 2007
Alexander Downer has said that Kevin Rudd is simply a show-off for doing an interview with a Chinese television network in Mandarin. "There are thousands upon thousands of Australians ... who can speak foreign languages and most of them don't bother to show off about it," he said. Is Rudd a show-off, or is it polite to make the effort with someone else's language when you can?
| 5 Nov 07 |
Yes he is candie |
| 6 Nov 07 |
it's just polite to make the effort. downer is simply jealous and attention-seeking. any surprise that he's stooped this low?! I eat candie |
| 6 Nov 07 |
Kevin Rudd just annoys me... And yes, I think he's a big show off. Please have more interesting debates here! |
| 15 Nov 07 |
Shut up Downer. Firstly, if someone goes to the trouble of becoming FLUENT in Mandarin Chinese - an extremely difficult language, not least because of the tonal system and characters - then why shouldn't they use it if they have the chance? The Age had a hilarious article on this - read it if you get the chance. Secondly, if you are speaking on a CHINESE TV STATION, presumably to PEOPLE IN CHINA whose grasp of Chinese may be better than their grasp of English, all the more reason! Okay, yeah, if Rudd was speakign Chinese to people who do not speak Chinese, then yes, that would be bizarre. BUT HE ISN'T! HE'S SPEAKING TO CHINESE PEOPLE IN CHINESE! WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH THAT??? Thirdly, "thousands upon thousands of Australians" don't have an opportunity to be on national Chinese television; if they did, I'm sure they'd put their hard work to use. This is my favourite: "I don't think, realistically, there are a lot of votes in the People's Republic of China for Kevin Rudd to win." NEWS FLASH DOWNER, THE PEOPLE OF CHINA - WAIT FOR IT - DON'T VOTE IN AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTERIAL ELECTIONS!! WOW!!!! And even if they could, I doubt they wouldn't vote for Rudd, because (1) he is slightly more left-wing than howard, and (2) he has spent time in China as a diplomat and they are very impressed with his grasp of Chinese I reckon Downer feels threatened because Rudd's smug look is threatening his own - and Rudd actually has something to be smug about! Ella W. |
| 15 Nov 07 |
Ella W, great comment. Shame it's obvious to anyone with commonsense and just not one A. Downer. As someone commented on that piece in The Age, if a Chinese diplomat visited Australia and conversed in English, no one would bat an eyelid! Downer, the ALP thanks you! A Prawn |
| 24 Nov 07 |
Downer...obviously...a comment like that just shows how stupid and lame you are...firstly...you suck as a foreign minister..secondly..rudd is just being polite...thirdly..even if he is showing off so what? at least he got the talent to show off anyways..I'm sure you'll show your ass if you can speak another language wen |
| 29 Nov 07 |
Downer is such a downer.... Ryan |
| 3 Dec 07 |
Well, i think its polite to learn a language if someone from another country is staying. Serious, he was just jealous. And atleast K-rudd is "with it". Mr Downer didn't even know what "it" was. That rare person with an IQ |
| 13 Jun 08 |
Well I am only 13 but I can tell you how easy mandarin is to learn!. I do classical Greek which is much harder than mandarin. I did mandarin for 4 years at my school and I can recognise most of what he is saying. Knowing Chinese is very easy so I don't think anyone should think anymore highly of him. All I am trying to say how easy it is. So Dont be sucked in to this show off when you can easily do it as well! so to Ella W shut up because its nothing to be proud of because it is so easy to learn Liam |
| 6 Jul 08 |
I would like to know when Rudd learned Mandarin, and why. To clarify this question, I give kudos to Rudd for learning a relevant foreign language. Few politicians have this kind of substance. However, political realities paint a more disturbing picture. The international bankers want the world divided up into coalesced sectors, prepatory to establishing the New World Order; under their control. Their nominal leader, David Rockefeller has openly stated this. Our sector is to become known as the Asia-Pacific Union (APU), to operate alongside the American Union and the European Union, and others yet to be formed. China will lead the APU and Australia will become a colony of China. NZ, by the way, is already a happy colony; Niu Ze Rang. (Nyi hau ma Comrade Clarkee). Now, as I see it, Rudd is prepared to lead Australia into colonial shackles in exchange for becoming President of the colony. I and many other Aussies, no doubt, say "Over my dead body". So, if anyone can familiarise me with the circumstances of Rudd's decision to learn Mandarin, I would be eternally grateful. If you want to do this anonymously (very wise; very prudent) contact me on tonyryan43@gmail.com Tony Ryan |