Tea and tribute

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NICK EICHER, HOST: A diplomatic campaign celebrating America’s 250th birthday has hit the streets of New Delhi.

The U.S. Embassy there plastered about a hundred auto-rickshaws with giant ads featuring images of President Trump with the slogan: “Happy Birthday America.”

SOUND: [Traffic horns]

The idea was to spread goodwill. The reality though? Some drivers seemed less interested in international friendship than in practical considerations.

AUDIO: [Speaking in Hindi] My hood was torn—that’s why I got this.

This driver saying his rickshaw hood was torn and the ad covered it.

AUDIO: [Speaking in Hindi] They said put it on—we’ll give you a packet of tea.

Rickshaw driver Ganesh Kumar saying he held out on placing the ad until he was offered a packet of tea.

How ironic. For a republic born from disputes over tea, taxes, and tyrants, two-and-a-half centuries later we’re still haggling over tea.

It’s The World and Everything in It.

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