The US-China Olympic rivalry heated up in an unfashionable way Thursday when a top US lawmaker suggested burning the US team's outfits for the opening ceremony because they were made in China.
"I'm so upset. I think the Olympic Committee should be ashamed of themselves," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid told reporters when asked about an ABC News report on the origin of the Ralph Lauren-designed uniforms.
"I think they should take all the uniforms, put them in a big pile and burn them," an outraged Reid added.
"If they have to wear nothing but a symbol that says USA on it, painted by hand, that is what they should wear."
It was the strongest of reactions about the outfits heard on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers who often bicker over ways to keep US jobs, including in the textile industry, from heading overseas to low-wage economies like China and India.
A Congress that has rarely been so divided, was for once in this bitter election year, united in its condemnation of the Olympic Committee.
"You'd think they'd know better," Republican House Speaker John Boehner said of the fashion kerfuffle during a press briefing.
