I am far too much a cynic to be surprised when someone sells out others, including innocents. Betrayal is nothing new and didn’t start with Judas. My only curiosity is the reward and the cost. Or, what we might call,......the going rate for betrayal.

Edward Wong, Michael Crowley, and Ana Swanson, all three senior reporters with the New York Times, along with their editors, sold out the people of Hong Kong, Taiwan, the Uyghurs, along with the millions of Chinese under political and religious repression, with their story of how Joe Biden has become a hawk on China. （www.nytimes.com/2020/09/06/us/politics/biden-china.html）

The business model of the New York Times (NYT) is certainly in tune with serving up puff pieces on Biden to please an overwhelmingly liberal subscriber base. Yet this particular article crosses a line, if one even exists anymore, in that to cleanse Biden, who is not by any measure a“hawk”on China, the NYT has to sell out those repressed by the Chinese Communist Party.

By no measure has Joe Biden become a hawk on China. The NYT removes this troubling fact by moving the definition of“China Hawk”to fit Biden’s China outlook.  In doing so the NYT leaves behind any and all who need the assistance and protection of a United States“hard line”towards the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

For those who expect to help persecuted Christians, the people of Hong Kong, or defend Taiwan, a new guiding light in being tough on China has emerged, Joe Biden.  In a twist of words and meanings, the NYT not only changes the meaning of tough, it changes what is expected of China in complying with this newly defined toughness.  It’s a change of definition I assure you the CCP will welcome.

Until a just over a month ago Joe Biden had his team, led by long time aides Tony Blinken, Ely Ratner and Jake Sullivan, as well as the entire Washington DC pro-China engagement community, openly attacking Trump’s tough, if unpredictable, China position. Now, with less than 55 days until the election the NYT is discovering that Biden is a hawk?

So open was the break with Trump policies on China, even Nancy Pelosi stated the Chinese prefer Biden. Nothing has changed since Pelosi made that statement in August. So how and why does the NYT now say Biden is a hawk?

Was Joe Biden secretly watching Fox News in his basement? Is caller Joe from Delaware on the John Batchelor radio show, really Joe Biden? Who was on this transformational journey from dove to hawk with Biden?

In the article there is not one concrete “hardline” new proposal from Biden in dealing with China. No actions in the campaign thus far would signal a change to a tougher position on China. Wouldn’t it be“tough” to meet with leaders of Hong Kong pro-democracy groups? Biden’s team turned down multiple of requests for such meetings. Biden holding any meetings with Uyghurs or Chinese Christians? Any proposed new initiatives, outside more multilateralism, to strengthen the US military presence in the South China Sea? Doesn’t a hawk have to do something“hawkish”?

Now in fairness the New York Times coverage of China has been stellar. Without a doubt what grows the legacy and reputation of the NYT has been the work its reporters have done in China. Which brings me to the price and the cost of selling out.

My guess is the price paid to the NYT comes in future access for Wong and Crowley to a Biden administration, as well as subscribers happy to see Biden given some support.  (Never underestimate the premium NYT management places on keeping subscribers happy.)

As for the cost, well, yes, those in need in China will always welcome NYT coverage, but now they know that should the NYT need a body under the bus to continue the desired NYT political narrative, it might be best to watch one’s back. For what comes first are the needs of the NYT, its subscribers, and their political favorites. Innocents are expendable.

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