Now that The Games are under way, speculation on China's response to human rights/religious freedom/genocide criticism, the Bush administration's engagement with Chinese policy on those issues, and the activist community's role in the games can give way to reporting and evaluation. A look at some early reviews:

Sunday's Washington Post characterized Beijing's respect for religious freedom as, shall we say, limited, and pretty much wrote off Bush's efforts to push the government:

"To open religious services and make some literature available to a limited number of people during the Olympics is a welcome thing, but it means nothing in terms of religious freedom in China," Fu said.

"It would mean more if Beijing residents are able to access the Bible and other religious literature in a public bookstore, and if Chinese citizens could choose their places of worship without being afraid of harassment, being arrested or sent to labor camps," added Fu, who said Bush's appeal to Chinese officials on religious freedom and human rights was mostly for the benefit of his domestic critics.

A New York Times headline writer with an affinity for alliteration proclaimed "Bush Banters as a Buffer in Beijing," and the story reported that

Emerging from services at a small Protestant church here, President Bush on Sunday prodded China’s leaders over religious freedom, saying they had nothing to fear from believers, but he avoided public confrontations over it or any other issue during his visit for the Olympic Games.

The US Olympic teams are garnering much better reviews, though. From the editors of The New Republic:

If the Chinese government insists on preventing athletes, spectators, and activists from making political statements during the Olympics, it is incumbent upon those competing in the games to respond appropriately. We're pleased to observe that some are already distinguishing themselves in this regard. Forty Olympic athletes have signed an open letter to President Hu Jintao urging China to improve its human rights record, and German fencer Imke Duplitzer, a silver medalist four years ago, announced she would skip the opening ceremonies in protest. Also impressive was the decision by the American delegation to have runner Lopez Lomong carry the U.S. flag at the opening ceremonies. Lomong, a member of Team Darfur, is a Sudanese native who was taken from his parents by rebels at the age of six, grew up in a refugee camp in Kenya, was adopted by a family in upstate New York, and became an American citizen last July after attending Northern Arizona University.