Obama's Shanghai Town Hall and The Question of Censorship

Despite rumors it was destined to die on the negotiating table, President Obama's town hall discussion with Chinese students went off in Shanghai on Monday. He spoke before a select group of university students, and took questions both from the audience and online. When the discussion turned to internet censorship, Obama's language was restrained-- the most controversial he got was a claim to be a "supporter of non-censorship."

There has been considerable harrumphing in the blogosphere that Obama was too soft. At least, they grumble, he could have called himself an "opponent" of censorship. I think this complaint is misplaced. The point of this event was not to loudly denounce censorship with the goal of changing policy in Beijing-- that would be a rather ineffective tack. I think (as does James Fallows) that his language was as confrontational as it could have been without crossing the line andoffending Beijing (which, given the litany of other issues we need their help on, is not something we want to do). 

For an average Chinese person-- or even for the educated elites who were inevitably populating the audience of this event-- having a government official take their questions and listen to their comments is an uncommon experience indeed. The goal of this event, as I saw it, was to give a display of open, democratic dialogue, and let the audience make of it what they will. Our example, I believe, is powerful.

Which is why certain other complaints about the event are spot-on. Several questioners in the audience were seemingly planted by the Chinese government-- an affront to the intended democratic nature of the event-- and the webcast, which should have brought the proceedings to millions more around the country, was reportedly choppy and hard to watch.

All things considered, the town hall was worth the political capital we spent on it, but it could have gone better. I'll give it a B-.