Clinton Gives China a Nudge Toward Capitalism

It may come as a surprise to the 1.2 billion people who call the People’s Republic of China home, but in a news conference Friday, President Clinton casually referred to their nation as one of the “two great former Communist powers.” (The other one was Russia.)

White House spokeswoman Mary Ellen Glynn said that the president was “expressing the fact that [Communist China] is economically moving toward capitalism.”

“I don’t think he’s under any illusions” about the political system in China, she added.

The remark was reminiscent of a blunder made by then-President Ford during a 1976 debate with Democratic presidential candidate Jimmy Carter. “I don’t believe that the Poles consider themselves dominated by the Soviet Union,” Ford said as observers gasped.

Of course, that was years before Moscow gave up its dominance of Eastern Europe. Ford later admitted that he had “made a slip.”

Clinton’s comment Friday was clearly a “slip of the tongue”--but one that reflected his optimism about China, said a senior administration official who asked to remain anonymous.

“He’s ahead of his time,” the official added, entering serious spin mode. “Clinton does believe that China is de-communizing and that democracy ultimately will prevail. It’s sort of like the Gerry Ford quote. What Ford meant is that Poland will be free.”

And what Clinton apparently meant is that China will be a former Communist power.