Trump is sharing his family. Trump is saying openly, "Hey, Grandpa, look what my grandkids are doing." And he shows a home video. Oh great, now we get home videos of the grandkids. But this grandkid is singing your homeland's folksongs in your language. And that is saying your culture is valuable to learn. It really is an extraordinary outreach.
Arabella begins, “Hello, Grandpa Xi. Hello, Grandma Peng." She's speaking as if they're already family. Imagine any other politician doing this.
It is impressively personal. And that goes a very long way. And that's a touch that comes from experience. And it comes from doing interesting things. Things like immersing your children in Chinese culture at a very young age. This is the real tangible difference that class makes. It's a thing that the kids are doing. And it's cute as heck. And it's amazingly useful besides. Whatever one's impression of Trump, one must admit this is uniquely splendid.
I tried to find the name of the song that the Arabella is singing and I wasn't successful. Instead, I found a ton of other material about her doing this before at Chinese Lunar New Year. She sang a New Year song and read poetry. Then, distressingly but predictable, comments to those earlier episodes are just dreadful. Good Lord, people are completely filled with raw hate. And our American media encourages it. The rage is painfully childish. The pieces I read admit Arabella is a huge hit already with the Chinese population, they actually adore her for this, but the writers cannot resist including gratuitous jabs at Trump. Even as Trump arranges these personal touches that were not possible before. Previous administrations gave the Chinese reasons to believe America is a deteriorating and corrupted civilization. Trump is giving them reason to believe that is being checked and reversed. Trump is giving China validity of equal status. He's giving them reason to rein in their client state.
Skip to 14:15 to observe Madame Peng Liyaun's reaction. The song is familiar to her because she was a folk singer herself. Watch her lips as she's listening. The "mama" parts are universal. It gets you, pow, right in the heart, when you're a grandmother and the girl called you Grandma.
Here is a version of Arabella's video translated with subtitles in English.
6 comments:
I love the American flag behind her while she's singing. Nice touch.
The Chinese are very family-oriented and the 1 child thing hit them hard.
To see an American President who obviously loves his kids and has raised a family that is productive and respectful undoubtedly resonates with them.
PS This must kill the Os, since their fellow Commies treated them with nothing but contempt.
Oh man, I hate that little girl
Mark Zuckerberg might be saying that, too, having been blown off by President Xi after asking him to give his new baby a special Chinese name.
Cute kid.
If you look at the subtitles, the part where she sings about what a good father is and what a bad father produces sounds a lot like the Os.
It's why the made Zippy leave from the back of the plane.
Effort was taken and made.
Arabella's effort and the gift she offered was respected and received.
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