In an media staged event, Mattel was made to publicly apologize to the Chinese people for letting them down, by selling and then having tainted Chinese products recalled from China’s biggest market, the United States.

The obvious implication was that Mattel should have denied the toys were tainted, despite all evidence otherwise, and Americans should have discounted their dead children, as just the necessary cost of doing business with China.

Because Mattel’s values were not up to par with those of the Chinese, in order to continue to do business they were forced to go through with a sham public apology.

From the Financial Times:

In a carefully stage-managed meeting in Beijing with a senior Chinese official, which, unusually, was open to the media, Thomas Debrowski, Mattel’s executive vice-president for worldwide operations, read out a prepared text that downplayed the role of Chinese factories in the recalls.

He said: “Mattel takes full responsibility for these recalls and apologizes personally to you, the Chinese people, and all of our customers who received the toys.”

Footnote:

The apology was in stark contrast to comments by Robert Eckert, Mattel’s chief executive. Mr Eckert suggested, in testimony to the US Senate last week, that outside contractors were to blame for the product recalls. “We were let down, and so we let you down,” he said.

The question that needs to be asked: Are we at this low point, so in debt to the Chinese, that we must now kow-tow on demand? And what further damage to our reputation, will this republican administration’s financial policies continue to force upon this, once proud country?

I’m curious, just curious. How can anyone allow themselves to be associated with the republican party after we have undergone this humiliation? We have plunged so far, in just six short years……….

Now I certainly do not want to bash many people of character that previously held those high values, once represented by this old party. It is just that now, I believe it is time, as it was once with the Federalists, and then with the Whigs, for real republicans to jump ship, and………..not so much become Democrats, but erase their party’s stigma, by keeping the same values, but starting anew………………..

This time………chose a better name than “Bull Moose”.

lol