You can't.But that didn't stop the President from heading to Copenhagen. When I first heard he was heading there the morning of the announcement, I figured it was in the bag. After all, coming away empty handed would only make the President look weak not only nationally, but globally as well.
Alas, here was the scene in Chicago two seconds after the announcement.
"YES WE......AW S***!!!!!"You can stop laughing now.
And yes, I laughed when I heard the news. Why? Because it was funny. It was funny because Obama created such an overbearing spectacle of his efforts. As Ed Morrissey said, it was because "the stakes for the country were so low and Obama’s ego so overweening that an unforced error this dumb can be laughed at." And why? Half of Chicago didn't even want them there.
In reality, the bid was over-reliant on 'temporary' structures and white elephants that would have no long-term benefit whatsoever. They weren't even going to use Soldier Field! Look at Vancouver's experience right now: massive cost overruns, almost a complete neglect of non-Olympics infrastructure, every red cent going to the boondoggle of the Games. Chicago doesn't need it, it's already a major tourist attraction. This would simply displace normal traffic, perhaps with some miniscule additional traffic over the two weeks, but at the risk of a lag afterwards. No upside, lots of downside, and the entrenchment of the Daley Machine. This was the Daley Keep Me in Office effort, pure and simple.
Of particular amusement to me was Taegan Goddard's rationalization over at Political Wire:
That's an embarrassing political miscalculation by the White House. However, it's likely to be a short term blow. Almost no one blames New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg for failing to bring the 2012 Olympics to his city.
Except the President isn't also the Mayor of Chicago. He's the leader of the free world. Well, at least he used to be.
See you in Rio.
h/t: Duke & Stars at Night
Two observations. Rio's bid was about what the city had to offer, the Obama's was about themselves. (shock, I know). And, how can a President cover the globe dissing the USA then not expect the IOC to give a resounding, uh NO.
ReplyDeleteSybill:
ReplyDeleteThat I disagree with a lot. The President was not about himself...he was about taking advantage of the opportunity to help the U.S. economy. This was a risk to some who do not understand that it is not all about America's wins or losses, but it was an opportunity that could have reaped a lot of benefits. Who are you to judge the President, when he has worked very hard to try to help this economy, and every ridiculous and ignorant comment that comes at him due to his race, his different way of wanting to contribute to America, his policies that try to bring more people on board..is just making us as Americans look uneducated and sad. Brazil should be congratulated, and they are an emerging market. But, to see this is a "oh no, the Obama's loss, or America lost" is such a ridiculous and silly way of looking at what is really going on. This is a global economy, there are other players that are emerging...and at least the Obama's can play ball with other countries and do it in a civilized way, instead of what we had in the past 8 years..or did you forget about that. Finally, if you want something big, you have to bring out the big guns sometimes...so the Obama's went and Oprah. They did what they could, did not get it..so it's done. We really need to get over this bash Obama thing...when at least the world respects him and now has better respect for America..or do you appreciate that?
Alright Christi, I will take this one step at a time.
ReplyDeletehe was about taking advantage of the opportunity to help the U.S. economy.
You did not even listen to his speech. Obviously.
Who are you to judge the President, when he has worked very hard to try to help this economy, and every ridiculous and ignorant comment that comes at him due to his race,
I can judge the President because he works for ME, not the other way around. And did I mention race? That line is SO overused.
We really need to get over this bash Obama thing...
(from you earlier in the post): instead of what we had in the past 8 years..or did you forget about that.
Skillet meet kettle. Bashing Bush is Okey Dokey, bashing Obama is racist.
Were Justice Holder, or whoever's clipboard you are quoting from were to ask me to give you a grade, I would give you a D+ at best.