*Let me start off this post by saying congrats to the folks in Brazil for landing the 2016 Olympic Games. Time to get your samba on. They will be partying like it's Carnivale time in Rio for the next few days. Good for them. The folks down in South America deserve to be the host of these games sometimes, too. It's the Olympics, and all the countries of the world compete.
People were thinking that it was a wrap because his O ness and Ms. O (that's Oprah not Michelle) personally went and made a pitch for their hometown. (Brazil, not to be outdone, sent Pele along with their own President. You can't get much bigger than that. ) I hate to break it to you, but it wasn't going to happen.
And let me take this time to offer my sincere condolences to the folks in "the Chi". I say condolences because if you were to judge from the crestfallen looks on the faces of those folks earlier today, you would think that they had lost a loved one or something. My goodness people; it's the Olympic Games for crying out loud. It's not like major league baseball just announced that your beloved Cubbies were moving to Des Moines. I mean get a grip of yourselves. So what if you lost out in the first round. You had no shot. Not after 8 years of George Bush (yes I went there republicans) and South America never hosting any of the games before.
Still, I feel for his O ness, because A-merry-ca was not going to get these games no matter what. He was damned if he did and damned if he didn't. The haters were saying that he shouldn't have made the trip. Too much going on here they say. And those same haters would have been angry even if Chicago had gotten the games. (You know you black people can't do more than one thing at once.) Talk about Catch 22. Had he not gone to make a pitch for Chicago folks would be saying that the reason Chicago lost the bid to host the games was because he didn't go. Now that he did go some of those same people are saying that he lost his magic, and that the world community doesn't respect him anymore. Wrong. People who talk like that aren't too familiar with the politics of the IOC. Those are some crazy ass people, and they are seriously unpredictable.
"The short stopover was “too business-like,” Holm said. “It can be that some IOC members see it as a lack of respect.”
Yeah right.
But I blame some of this on Obama's people as well. They should have been playing down his trip and they should have painted it as a last minute and desperate attempt to try to get Chicago the games. Instead they made it seem like Chicao landing the games was a fait accompli; and, as a result, there was a little egg on their faces as well. Apparently they don't know the folks at the IOC that well, either.
Pic courtesy of the Detroit Free Press.
76 comments:
Well, I dont feel sorry for Chicago - DC-Bmore lost our bid for the Olympics, so there!
:)
L
I don’t know what’s worse; not getting the Olympics or knowing that the two most powerful Black people in the world failed.
Do you realize just how big this is? Shit, if Barack Obama and Oprah Winfrey couldn’t get the Olympics to be hosted in Chicago, we Negroes should just g’head and forget about reparations, jobs, getting’ rid of the bumps on the back of Forrest Whitaker’s neck n’ all’dat.
Yep, throw the idea of Obama being president and gettin’ the bad credit of Negroes erased out the window, son; we’re screwed, and we should all find us a late night talk show host to extort while we still can.
I could be wrong, and Rush Limbaugh could be right; but maybe Chicago would have won if Obama had his ACORN homies stuffing the ballot boxes at the vote.
One question: Were they not feeling his sales pitch in Copenhagen because he's Black or because they're not down with the idea of Universal Health Care for the entire world?
One insider, at least he talked like one, said the fix was in.
He said our side had pledges from 31 African nations to vote for Chicago in the first round, but that they were persuaded (By the IOC?) to vote for another county.
With the 18 votes actually received (I believe that was the number.), it knocked Chicago out in the first round.
Ed Schultz was pretty pissed with the Republicans today, suggesting that their criticism of Obama might have hurt his chances in the final analysis.
I'm thinking the Republican leadership is slowly losing credibility: How do you bet against your own country?
Oh, well, another day in Do-Nothing-ville, where the Do-Nothing party is content to sit on its collective ass, and criticize the real movers and shaker.
The Republican party is moving closer to the edge of insanity and irrelevancy.
Somebody should show'em a little compassion, and give'em a little push.
Oh! Lord...Personally, I'm happy for the country that won. Obama put his neck out there to help his hometown favorite and he struck out. The man tried to help Chicago and it ended badly...lol
Sorry, for laughing about this situation but all this shit is to damn funny. Republicans are acting like they won the freaking Superbowl today...Yet, these fools seem to fail to see a "US City" lost the bid and not Obama. I wonder if Republicans are only Patriotic when a Repub is President.
Did all that many Americans outside of Chicago care one way or another? But all of Brazil cared, & bless 'em for their enthusiasm. We've had our fair share of Olympics since Lake Placid, plus nearby Calgary & upcoming Vancouver.
I generally couldn't give a shit about the Olympics, which I consider to be overhyped, overcommercialized, and corrupt. So I look at Obama's pitch in purely political terms, and find it amazingly amateurish.
Look, you don't send the president to a summit meeting and have him come away empty handed. It is embarrassing and humiliating. If they hadn't greased the skids for this, then he never should have gone.
What's even more puzzling is that these are Chicago politicians surrounding Obama. Of all people, you'd think they'd know the basics. I look at this and begin to think that Obama's elecion campaign might have been a fluke.
A non-story in my book.
I'm more worried about Team USA crackin' heads Leafs style in ice hockey at Vancouver in February.
This was King Richard II's obsession and I'm glad it failed. The President turned in some markers when he went to Copenhagen. I didn't want him to go, but I understand why he did.
THRILLED FOR RIO.
Grinder, the President of other Country were in Copenhagen as well!
Rippa, you know what, this was a minor thing compared to the Victory's the President will have in the future! this was just a steppingstone, you learn as you go! so is he suppose to give up because of the Olympic's? NO! you press on, the President has a Country to take care of, and who care's about Rush Limbaugh and his Klan! this man can only sit around and criticize the Leader of this country! Rush Limbaugh is a mere NOTHING!
The President and his people went forth to do a Good Deed for this country, he has to Multi Task all day long, this man has to make sure America is kept safe from danger, and that mean's all American's! those REP/CON are included as well!
The President, Michelle and Oprah will not allow this to affect them, these people are Survivor's!!!
iseeisee
Lola, DC-Bmore & Philly should try to do something together. Here in Philly there has been a group pushing for the games for years. Everything is in place here except the small minds of some of our leaders.
"I'm thinking the Republican leadership is slowly losing credibility: How do you bet against your own country?"
Wroong BD, they aren't "losing" it, it's already lost.
Bob, I agree with you, it's a much bigger deal to other countries, let them enjoy it.
~
This of course means that the police and the vigilantes will again be set loose in the slums of Rio de Janeiro, to kill and exterminate Black youths; I mean to clean up Rio to make it safe for visitors to the 2016 Olympics.
`
Well yes NSangoma, Rio does have a serious crime problem. But let's be honest; Chicago is not exactly heaven on earth when it comes to crime.
I don't think Skippy is concern about Chicago losing the bid for 2016,he left the house at 5am for his second job which helps to pay the rent!
What a shame the racketeering scum of the Chicago Machine won’t have this windfall to skim-off of, LOLOL
Aren’t things going great since Valerie Jarret has been running the country?
Obama took a black eye on this one. But hey, it was stupid. You would think he'd have been more worried about those pathetic job numbers for this month. Of course, if Chicago had one the National Guard would have to be brought in a year ahead of time to clean the place up.
I'm no President Obama junkie,buts let's spread the blame around for Chicago's failure,what is occuring today in Chicago and many other American Cities is a direct result of years of neglect!
"What a shame the racketeering scum of the Chicago Machine won’t have this windfall to skim-off of, LOLOL"
How can some of you say the above comment and others like it aren't patriotic? They are, when you consider the people who make them are white nationalists.
Glad to see Obama get bitch slapped.
Also,i'm glad to see the look on the faces of you negros and white liberals when you heard your God had failed you.
RIP the power of the "o".
Look on the brightside. All that money that was going to be raised for the games can go to fixing schools and feeding hungrey negros in Chicago.
Yeah,like thats gonna happen.LMAO!!!
The last time the Olympics were held in USA was Atlanta, 1996, right? A man named Eric Rudolph planted a powerful bomb near a bench. The security guard who spotted it and evacuated people, saving many lives, was vilified and falsely accused. The same group of violent wingnuts that produced Eric Rudolph has grown in size and volume. Maybe the IOC has been paying more attention to our news reports than we have? grammy
The 2002 Winter Olympics were held in Salt Lake City, and were riddled with corruption on the part of the American organizers. They can't blame ACORN for that.
The IOC still has negative feelings from the 2000 games held at Salt Lake City due to the USOC scandal. In addtion, we had the 96 summer games in Atlanta. Here is a reality there was nothing Pres Obama could have done or said to get the game back to the United States, and I would not hinged his presidency on it. The decision probably was made before he made an appeal to the IOC. It is not reflection on the President, but the county has a whole. While it is true that the President has mass appeal in the world, they still do not like US foreign policy. Americans have short memories, the rest of the world does not and it's about politics even in the olympics.
Grinder, the President of other Country were in Copenhagen as well!
Those other presidents traveled to Copenhagen at the last minute, in reaction to Obama's trip. If Obama hadn't gone, they wouldn't have gone either.
Beyond the political embarrassment to Obama, and to a degree the United States, I think the International Olympic Committee is an arrogant, money-sucking monster whose individual and collective ego only grows when shit like this happens.
It also occurs to me that the I.O.C. almost had to reject the U.S. bid, given the accumulated resentment built up over the years. The more I think about it, the dumber Obama's trip over there looks.
Gee, I'm pretty much a Republican, though an Obama Republican (you can look that one up), and I:
1) thought it was OK that Obama went to Copenhagen
2) am happy for Rio (can't wait)
3) am not pissed at Obama for not winning this, I'm happy that he tried.
I guess some people are in the business of making mountains out of mole-hills. Some people, hell if you look at internet blogs and just most media outlets, you'd figure that's all we do any more in this country.
Grinder...this getting ridiculous. Look Obama is not the first head of state to visit the I.O.C on behalf of his country in past years.
You know whats really embarrassing our "US" media celebrating our country being humiliated. Now, that should ruffle your feathers more than our US President going to I.O.C to bat for a "US" City. Sure Obama should not have gone but he chose to stand up for a US city he loved at the I.O.C. Notice how nobody is trashing Oprah, Mayor Daley and Michelle for failing to bring in the bid. These fools were there days before obama arrived and not one them called to let him know the US had no shot.
MR.R .....Obama didn't bitch slapped. A "US" fucking city you moron was rejected. You do remember Chicago is part of the "United States". Your kind is so obsessed with bringing Obama down you fell to see those who rejected the "US" bid is not laughing at just Obama but your "American Ass" also... Pleases remember you live and work in the Untied States just like the rest of us.
So, those foreign countries laughing at America are most likely laughing at you too.
Anon mr.r does not share your vision of A-merry-ca.As long as the O is being bashed he is good with that.
You know whats really embarrassing our "US" media celebrating our country being humiliated. Now, that should ruffle your feathers more than our US President going to I.O.C to bat for a "US" City. Sure Obama should not have gone but he chose to stand up for a US city he loved at the I.O.C. Notice how nobody is trashing Oprah, Mayor Daley and Michelle for failing to bring in the bid. These fools were there days before obama arrived and not one them called to let him know the US had no shot.
I don't think the news media (I don't include Fox -- they are entertainment and propaganda) are "celebrating" anything. They are reporting the story.
Why don't critics go after the others you mentioned? Because there is one president, and they aren't it. I think Obama was foolish to take that trip. Pure amateurville.
I think his right-wing critics make a good point about it, which is that it shows that you can't conduct foreign policy on the basis of pleading and charm. Sure, people outside of the U.S. like Obama, but do they respect him?
Let's see. He can't get the Olympics. Health care is somewhere between dying and dead. Now the climate change bill is on hold.
The economy is about to go back down, now that the stimulus bill's effects are wearing off, and you can forget about a second stimulus package.
So, where is the "Change" we voted for, anyway?
grinder...Don't worry once republicans take back over America will get so much better. Remember all the good days with President Bush was president. I'm sure once that shameful Obama is run out of office the shitty American economy he inherited will magically become better back in Republican hands...oh, to be fool and naive...
ginder said... "I think his right-wing critics make a good point about it, which is that it shows that you can't conduct foreign policy on the basis of pleading and charm. Sure, people outside of the U.S. like Obama, but do they respect him?"
___________________________________
And my question to you is did they respect Bush I an II, Carter,Clinton and Regan? Hell, No. They thought of Bush I ineffective, Cater to weak, Regan a war hawk, Clinton a sex addict, Bush II insane and now Obama just a charming fellow. The real questions is does other countries respect America as a whole. But why would I respect your President when I see in the media everyday lack of respect for him...
Anonymous said...
MR.R .....Obama didn't bitch slapped. A "US" fucking city you moron was rejected.
Hey moron,soon has your God,his wife, and Oprah's big ass got on planes and tried pimp Chicago to the IOC it became all about the "O".
From the NYTimes--
“They shouldn’t try to make politics of this,” Rahm Emanuel, the White House chief of staff and a Chicagoan himself, told ABC News. “I think they should take some pride in the U.S.’s win, and you know, we’ll make sure they get some good seats once Chicago does host the games.”
Countin' dem chicks before dey hatch!!
Mr.R Said...Hey moron,soon has your God,his wife, and Oprah's big ass got on planes and tried pimp Chicago to the IOC it became all about the "O".
_______________________________________
Say, it with me FIVE TIMES Chicago is part of the "United States". The I.O.C rejected a US City you idiot!!! Obama only represents the country that elected him no matter the ones living here like yourself who didn't. You think those bastards at I.O.C. care if you didn't vote for the so called colored commie/socialistic God Obama...No, those foreign nations think your America behind is scum too...Get now moron!!!
You know I find it highly suspicious the job reports were released just as Obama made a fool of himself for a Olympic bid he knew the US had no hope of getting.
Notice how many in the mass media is focused on this crap about the olympics and not to much on the Jobs report released earlier. One think the White House planned this little distraction for the MSM. Just saying!
It was a lose-lose situation from the jump. If Obama didn't go to Copenhagen to support Chicago, he would have been blamed for not giving the city enough support. So he went, and now he's being blamed for Chi-town being knocked out of the first round. And now the rethuglicans have found themselves yet another stone to hurl at Obama.
Personally, I think Obama should have sent someone else in his stead to take the heat. Someone like, you know...Bill and Hillary. That would have been somethin :D
Why you rethugs hate the Black man so much? You guys don't think their competent enough to run cities, states and nations, but it's a-ok when they're running around with balls for your general entertainment or slaving away at menial jobs for your benefit. What's up with that? You guys missing the days where the Black man had to make the White man feel superior, upon pain of death? That must be it....
Your right Field, can't blame the Mulatto in Chief (MIC) for this one, and its a new Physical Year so its cool to put some miles on Air Force One win or lose...
Of course scheduling that "meat and greet" with the IOC and Reverend Wright...maybe not such a good idea...
Dayley's still Mayor of Chicago??? damn that guy must be OLD...
Frank
This is an obvious decision...who would choose Chicago over Rio De Janero?? wtf
Damn the International Olympic Committee is corrupt did anyone read about Salt Lake City scandal? Chicago should count it's lucky stars it didn't get the bid.
Grinder, I read you right, you are forever trying to throw INSULT'S toward's the President's, and I know why! now you try to hang with Black folk's on this form, but, when it is all said and done, you Reverse back to your Nature!!!! I am sure you Cheered when Chicago did not get the bid!
Grinder, you made a list of the thing's YOU say, the President has failed at or is failing at, I beg to differ, for the Greatest Accomplishment he has made thus far, is to make it into the White House, and Rush and his buddy's couldn't Stop it!!! so now they are Scrambling around like a bunch of Misplaced White men!!! and the Entire world is witnessing their behavior!
Grinder do you think it look's good for the world to see a Group of White men ATTACKING ONE SINGLE BLACK MAN day after day? keep in mind, the White Man has made Many Enemy's around the world! and they have a track record to prove it! and you want to talk about, whether or not, other country's have Respect for the President! please the question should be(why has the White man, managed to accumulate so many Enemy's around the World?
Grinder, the President is the Leader of this Country, now, you can say your little Coded word's to Belittle him, but, at the end of the day, he has the Trump Card's! and he has Many!!! now think about that!
The Health Care Bill is not dead, your Coded word's do not go unnoticed by me!!! maybe other's, but, not me!
iseeisee
There was no problem with Mr. Obama as he does represent the US and part of his job. I do not expect him to win every battle. I mean Tony Blaie represented the UK and won the bid for olympics to be held at London. Let us accept the fact that decision was made, and it was given to the country that is a growing ecomonic force in Latin America and is the first time that the games will be held there. Obama is not diety and that is okay. We need to understand that we cannot have the olympics here all the time, and as someone wrote earlier the media are over blowing the matter.
Look, folks, I contributed $2,300 (the maximum) to Obama's campaign, and I enthusiastically supported him, and defended him here well into the summer. I've never cast a Republican vote for any race higher than city council.
This is not a matter of my disliking Obama, or favoring the Republicans. Unlike some people here, I am old enough to remember Jimmy Carter. Oh, don't worry, I will vote for Obama the second time around. Just like I did for Carter, Mondale, Dukakis, Gore, and Kerry.
The guy and his people had better wake the fuck up and see what's happening to them, if it's not too late already.
Mike Lyon's, this is part of their Nature, they can't help it! it is Bred in them from a early age! take heed that I said the word (BRED)
Read: White Slave.Com, this may answer some of your question's! as I can recall you said the word SLAVE!
isseisee
"I guess some people are in the business of making mountains out of mole-hills. Some people, hell if you look at internet blogs and just most media outlets, you'd figure that's all we do any more in this country."
Our manufacturing sector has been relocated to Mexico and China. Molehills are about all we CAN make these days.
grinder, if Obama had not gone, the wingnuts would be screaming about how "He didn't even support his hometown or the USA or jobs, blah blah blah!"
Now look at the reaction of the wingnuts, they are openly CELEBRATING the fact that the United States was beaten out on the international stage, just because they can tie it on to Obama. You think that kind of Rush Limbaugh behavior will endear them to anyone else besides the ultra right? The Republican Party is constantly proving itself as nothing more than a fringe group of haters. Look at Mr. R. and his race baiting. That is what the Republicans have reduce3d themselves to. I sure don't see them making a serious challenge in the political arena if that's all they got. And it IS all they got, because their trickle down has all trickled out.
hey contant gina: if you're gonna post the same thing on two blogs, you might want to mix it up a bit.
at least your spelling improved.
What a pathetic failure by the Obamas in their Olympic pitch. Chicago went from being one of the two favorites to finishing dead last. Why?
Maybe it was because their pitch focused on personal stories (and outright lies). Michelle said some of her fondest memories were sitting on her daddy’s lap watching Olga Korbut, Nadia….and CARL LEWIS.
She was TWENTY YEARS OLD when Carl Lewis first competed in the Olympics.What was going on between her and her "daddy"?
These people are complete amateurs. When making a business presentation, do you focus on yourself? Or do you focus on what your company (in this case, city) can offer the prospective client?
Totally pathetic.
Ernesto, I know what the wingnuts are saying, and I really don't care other than their one good point about how you really can't base foreign policy on personal charm and charisma.
Look, this is a small thing. Nothing collapses because Chicago doesn't get the Olympics. But it's a good illustration of Team Obama's problems. They are rather full of themselves, to put it mildly. So full of themselves, apparently, that they lost sight of some basic politics.
Does this mean he's doomed? Nope, but if you look at the rest of his agenda, all I see is trouble. Health care hanging by a thread. Climate change legislation delayed, which is going to embarrass the U.S. at the summit on that topic later this year.
In Afghanistan, the military commander is openly defiant. The economy is still in rotten shape, and because Obama blew his wad on a half-stimulus bill that could be a huge issue pretty soon.
I vividly remember the high hopes when Carter was elected. There were more than 290 Democrats in the House then, and 68 Democratic senators. And they didn't get anything done, while the economy and everything else collapsed around their ears.
Trust me, I very, very, very much want Obama to succeed, but I am more and more worried by how this is going. You can get pissed off at me if you want, but that won't change what's happening out there.
Ernesto said...
Now look at the reaction of the wingnuts, they are openly CELEBRATING the fact that the United States was beaten out on the international stage, just because they can tie it on to Obama.
This failure is tied to Obama.We are openly CELEBRATING the man you on the left made into a GOD has failed you.The look on the face of Obama's cheerleaders at CNN and MSNBC was priceless.
You think that kind of Rush Limbaugh behavior will endear them to anyone else besides the ultra right?
Our 2010 numbers are looking really good.Thank you.
grinder said...
This is not a matter of my disliking Obama, or favoring the Republicans. Unlike some people here, I am old enough to remember Jimmy Carter. Oh, don't worry, I will vote for Obama the second time around. Just like I did for Carter, Mondale, Dukakis, Gore, and Kerry.
You voted for Carter twice? Did you know about the UFO and killer rabbit? HA!!!!
grinder....Has in recent post raised some good concerns I have with Obama. First, being the two wars we have going on. Second, the economy and last health care. So, far Obama is having trouble on all fronts these issues. Did I expect it to be easy a win for him in dealing with Health Care? No. But like grinder I at least hoped they would have there shit together covering that issue.
It looks more and more Team Obama in the White House is struggling to hang on to it's agendas. Another sad fact him going to pitch for the Olympics was only to pay back political favors for Mayor Daley. So, I'm glad they lost out on the bid. He needs to take care of America Economical needs right now and stop paying political favors back to his cronies.
MR.R said...
You voted for Carter twice? Did you know about the UFO and killer rabbit? HA!!!!
You are so wrong for saying that...hahahah
You probably voted for Bush twice.
Grinder, we are told tidbit's of what is taking place in Washington! in other word's, we are told what we need to know, now did we know Clinton was going to China to get those young lady's released! NO, we found out at the last minute! now, how do you think they managed to keep that a secret!
Now, that Olympic Stuff is nothing Major as far as I am concerned! you may be upset that the President did not get the bid, but, so what!
Grinder, to be honest, white people have been acting up since the President was Elected! you think the world is not watching! who would want to vote for the Olympic, to take place in this country at a time like this!
VIOLENT TOWN HALL MEETING'S*
TEA BAGGER'S with HATE filled sign's aimed at the President*
HATE FILLED RADIO and TV FOLK'S trying to incite a RACE WAR*
YOUNG BLACK YOUTH KILLING each other, and no I will not let my people off the hook*
A MAN found HUNG*
God only know's, what the Secret Service has to deal with from day to day*
Now, it is not a Secret that their are people that are trying to DESTROY this administration! some face's we see and some face's we do not see! we call this a Conjoined Conspiracy!!! and I am sure, someone or some people were behind the Olympic's not coming to Chicago! MONEY TALK'S!!!!
We see from day to day the way the RE/CON are fighting against the Health Care Bill, this is no secret, but, my Prayer is Poor White REP/CON will WAKE UP and realize, it is their Politician's that are trying to keep them from getting the help they need, for we know REP/CON do not fight for POOR PEOPLE! and now we have the so called Blue Dog's, these people are undercover REP/CON! good, now they are EXPOSED!
I'm with Jim. Except I'm not a Republican.
Go Rio! Wahoo!
grinder, I'm not mad at ya I just think you are losing sight of the obvious fact that Obama would have gotten just as much derision from the usual suspects if he had NOT gone and lobbied. Personally, I am glad that the wingnuts are reacting this way. It makes it even more obvious that they don't care about the country, they only care about their own narrow political agenda. Which is why they will not be making any big comebacks any time soon. Who does the behavior appeal to besdies their base? Pandering to the base was the kind of strategy that got them blown out in the last two election cycles.
There's really only one thing that matters for the Democrats: job growth. If job growth numbers don't go up by the 2010 midterms, the Dems are gonna get a beating. It won't matter what the Republicans do; voters will punish the party in power.
@Ernesto: "Obama would have gotten just as much derision from the usual suspects if he had NOT gone and lobbied."
Right on!
Pubs are on the march like a hoard of locust out to destroy everything in their way with a voracity only matched by their stupidity: they can't destroy Obama without laying bare an already trampled political landscape.
I really wish people would read what I write. I already said that I don't give a shit about the Olympics themselves. I think the Olympics are 1 part great athletes and 9 parts outrageous scam job. If I lived in Chicago I'd be part of the group that was trying to keep them from coming there and sucking up money needed for real priorities.
To me, Obama's little trip is a side issue. It's a little thing. I am commenting on it because sometimes when you look at little things without a lot of complications, you get insight into the people, and can transfer those insights to bigger stuff.
I don't give a shit if it was a favor for Mayor Daley. I assume that everything meaningful that happens in Chicago is a favor for Mayor Daley. If that was a disqualifier, you'd hate everything about Chicago, which I don't. I love the place, Mayor Daley and all.
My point is that Team Obama blatantly bungled this. The president isn't a man, he's a symbol and an institution. You don't send the president overseas to actually get anything done. You send him there to take the credit for the staff work.
Well guess what? There wasn't any staff work. If there had been, they'd have never sent him without ironclad assurances behind the scenes that this was in the bag.
I'm not stating some bold new thesis. This is Presidential Politics 101, and whoever runs Team Obama doesn't seem to know it. This reminds me of how Jimmy Carter used to manage the schedule for the White House tennis court. It's like Gerald Ford's "Whip Inflation Now" buttons. It's like Al Gore's personality transplants between the debates in 2000.
All of it would be a whole lot easier to ignore if Team Obama was actually getting anything done, but they're not. A lot of it is the fault of the corrupt Democratic Party in Congress, but Team Obama knew all about that going in.
Look, I desperately want them to succeed, which is why I'm so pissed.
In case you hadn't noticed, Obama's team sucks. It's filled with some of the same characters that brought us the wonderful great recession. I guess that's change?!
@Grinder: "I know what the wingnuts are saying, and I really don't care other than their one good point about how you really can't base foreign policy on personal charm and charisma."
C'mon, Grinder. The wingnuts got a "good point?" Let me ask you a question: What is President Obama's foreign policy?
You and the wingnuts imply that it's a policy of "personal charm and charisma."
Even you know better. And I thought you were against the use of a "straw man" argument.
There's straw sticking out all over that argument.
Here's what I think: You suspect Obama is weak on foreign policy (although you have nothing concrete to build a case on), so you side with the Pubs who're using that tack (although they have nothing to base it on either) to eviscerate him.
It appears that their straw man approach is winning converts: They have you picking straw from your clothes and not a shred of evidence.
On foreign policy: Obama is contemplating our next move in Afghanistan, as well he should.
He canceled the missile shield in Poland and a radar station in the Czech Republic designed to stave off any nuclear threat posed by Iran.
The current proposal will be a great deal more effective, and commonsensical.
His multilateral talks with Iran appears to have born some fruit with Iran acquiescing to giving inspectors a look see at their newest reactor, and submitting to third-party uranium enrichment.
Now, you can say his approach is weak, but if it bears fruit, and makes the world safer at the same time, then, I say, bring on the "charm and charisma."
Is that the first "colored" country to host an olympic game...Oh no China...okay I remember. Well he should have campaigned for Haiti to host..it's a "commonwealth" of America that needs money and infrastructure. Or why not the Phillippines or any other country the US has its troops monitoring.
I can't care less about the Olympics, having it set in Chicago just sounded too cronyish for me.
He's still doing favors for the folk that put him in office. $1 million dollars a week from regular citizens my ass! Pretty soon, his friends will have his ass in a fourth war -with Iran!
Now, you can say his approach is weak, but if it bears fruit, and makes the world safer at the same time, then, I say, bring on the "charm and charisma."
Me too. I hope I wind up being wrong about all of this. Things are rarely as good as they look or as bad as they look. We'll see.
Here is a very good article about the Olympics that neatly encapsulates my objections to any particular city hosting them. My comments about Obama's fiasco in Copenhagen have nothing at all to do with any desire on my part for Chicago to have won its bid.
yep, it's a shame all around. The corrupt Chicago Dem machine would have reaped tons of graft, and kicked back to Obama. Also, people from around the world would have seen Typical Negro Behavior and how it is embodied in rap music and black culture - while they were getting robbed and murdered in the streets. What a shame.
For the first time in my adult life I am proud of the IOC. They didn't kowtow to the reverse-racism that rules the entire establishment of the U.S. They slapped down the arrogance of Obama and Oprah.
For the first time in my adult life I am proud of the IOC.
Proud of the IOC? Oh please. In any arrogance and corruption contest, they'd come out on top of the pile. The reason they didn't give it to Chicago was that Obama didn't spend three days in Copenhagen kissing ass.
What bugs me is that Obama's staff didn't scope all of this out in advance. They should have known. It is their goddamn job to know how it works, the idiots.
grinder: I hear your arguments, I’m not sure I agree with them all. But we CAN agree on that fact that the O-Man needs to "appear" to get his priorities straight and just "man-up" in general. But let’s face it to suggest that the O-Man should have remained in the US to attend to business instead of taking a DAY TRIP to COPENHAGEN on Air Force One is a little ridiculous. He’s not leading an Antarctic expedition! However, while it's nice to focus on CHI can we spend a few moments on RIO?
I definitely believe that "Developing Countries" deserve their spot in the sun. HOWEVER, RIO makes the list of the world's-worst on a lot of things. Not to mention they give Thailand a run for its money on the sex slavery industry-- which includes children. Of course we ALL know about the slums of RIO, the infamous shanty towns. Brazil also ranks 1st in South America for the most-overpopulated and violent and largest prison in the region (although to be fair the US has NO LEG to stand on this issue). Which is quite remarkable when you consider that this includes countries like Columbia.
The worst part is that many people I know & respect have visited RIO, loved it, did the samba til' the morning, all the while trying to ignore the gross poverty in all its glory. I’m not sure what that says about us – actually I have an idea but I’m trying to “ignore” it. As for the African Diaspora in Brazil, whenever I want to wash my hands of the race relations here in the US - places like BRA will remind me how far we've come (& how far we have to go).
However, it’s been WAY overdue for a South American country to host the Olympics. So in that respect good for them.
As for the IOC I echo everyone’s thoughts on the hater-ation going on against the US - & the corruption. There really should be a MINIMUM of standards when considering a city PRIOR to being considered. Granted I’m not sure how to… find a diplomatic-yet-challenge-countries-to-do better set of rules. Like having one of the most EXPENSIVE cities in the WORLD - London, host the 2012 Olympics is ridiculous because it prices out most Developing countries’ athletes, staff, and fans or having a chance at a decent chance at being competitive. But then there’s something… wrong when I see all the technological advances that our athletes have to compete paired w/ a country that has little resources, but only had enough money to send an athlete or 2, is problematic. That doesn’t prevent me from cheering though – it’s just 2 claps instead of say... 5.
It’s ironic that CHI was tryin' to pimp itself out when during their 'pitch' an honor roll student gets beaten to death - nothing new i know. but it garnered all sorts of media attention. It’s kind of like giving a speech in front a crowd and ignoring that your pants have fallen. As a result, like in Philly w/ all the violence and body count rising, CHI kinda didn’t deserve the Olympics.
So BRA has A LOT to clean up. But maybe this will be a blessing for its citizens because the gov't is finally pushed into making big improvements in the areas I mentioned -- not that we’ve made much improvements either (ATL 1996 –it’s GA: think Saxby Chambliss & love LA and its Skid Row). Chances are though they'll just do a gov't band-aid -- which spells more human rights violations.
Finally, back to the O-Man? Yes, he keeps disappointing me but I never expected a perfect President. And when you consider his record, being a “Clinton-ite” during his Senate stay, he never struck me being a Progressive even if he touted himself as such during the campaign. But I VERY MUCH believe that he wants to do ‘right’ by the people, luckily so do lots of people and compared to the ReThugs he’s MUCH easier to swallow. So this CHI thing will ‘smart’ for a little bit but lucky for him his TO-DO List is SO huge this noise will get lost in the back-ground.
But I VERY MUCH believe that he wants to do ‘right’ by the people, luckily so do lots of people and compared to the ReThugs he’s MUCH easier to swallow.
During a campaign, you can judge him onm what he wants to do. Once he is in office, you should judge him by what he gets done. So far, I don't see much difference between the the Obama administration and the Bush administration.
A few little things around the edges, but when it comes to the stuff that really matters to a lot of people? Nothing much so far. The biggest plus-mark he gets so far is the Sotomayor appointment to the Supreme Court. That's about all, though.
Check this out: The Dalai Lama is going to be in Washington, and Obama won't meet with him because he doesn't want the Chinese to be mad.
Now, I am not even remotely part of the wine & cheese Buddhism crowd with the "Free Tibet" bumper stickers on their cars, but since when does the Chinese government get to tell a U.S. president who he can meet with in Washington, D.C.?
Oh, and word's just in that Obama won't end the ban on gays in the military until after the U.S. has pulled all troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan, which means in functional terms that Obama's promise on that issue was a lie.
You know, Obama had better find some way to distinguish himself from the Republicans or he's going to find himself in the one-term club with Jimmy Carter and George Bush Sr.
i agree grinder! it's clear that they're (Obama & Emanuel) are banking on the fact that people would rather "see" him than any other ReThug. which is dangerous thinking and one that's lost them LOTS of political capital in the past.
it also means that they continually take us for granted. i know i keep saying Emanuel but there's a reason why Rahm was booted from DEM-strategy team after he kept pushing that let's-win-the-states-that-are-traditionally-DEM. it was Howard Dean who changed that strategy into what you see now as the DEM majority. this of course caused extreme hatred btw Dean & Emanuel & Co (this includes Clintons). it's why when people thought he was a shoe-in for Obama's Admin they were unpleasantly surprised to see they wanted him far away.
you know it's too bad that Obama isn't governing from the One-Term-Mentality then he might actually get something done. & it looks like that stimulus-deal w/ the banks is looking worse and worse.
as for the healthcare battle: why do (the progressives & House) and almost EVERYONE w/ sense have to fight this hard for a public option?! EVERYONE knows that if Obama publically & emphatically come out for it, it would pass. instead there's tons of stories coming out of DC about Rahm & Co twisting Rockefeller's arm about keeping quiet on the public option. and even worse we have to wait to see what Reid will do.
i still have hope for Obama though --- my expectations weren't too high because is there anything more dirtier than politics? i'm aware that that may be the HARDEST job in the world and there are no easy answers. we are essentially asking him to change a SYSTEM that's been in place for decades, if not longer in some instances. and it's ONLY been 9 months!
i'm giving him the 2 year deal: if people are still talking about banks who were supposed to of lend money to people struggling from suspect mortgage deals via the stimulus, or there's been little to no improvement on trade policy (tires?! that's it?!!!), the health care bill sucks, & the climate bill sucks... then let's talk.
i don't expect the job market to vastly improve -- we have A LOT of unemployed-former-factory-workers who've known nothing else except how to build cars or washing machines and our manufacturing sector is in the toilet (over 70,000 cars came to the US from Korea last year, only 6 or 7000 went to Korea from the US). that can't be fixed in 2 years time - maybe not in 4 -- that's A LOT of business interests he has to fight & we indebted up to our eyeballs to China and a few other countries.
so unless he REALLY pushes through a Great Deal, i just don't see this happening.
go rio!!!
NOBAMA!!!
no more ignoring young black corpses/gangs etc!!!
see more:
OUTLOOK
OBAMA'S GOLDEN GOOSE GOT COOKED!!!
http://aliciabanks.blogspot.com
grinder/gb1/anon:
ditto
i am a native chicagoan and a resident who adores chicago!
but we did not deserve the olympics for MANY reasons!!
and obama has only himself to blame for the EGO/EGG on his clueless and distracted face!
____
assnon:
what came first?
the chicken or the egg?
what is worse?
expecting change from obama/gwb 2.0?
or
expecting change from OTHER republican clones in 2010/2012?
there is ONE govt party in the usa and one agenda
all else is fatal folly!
wake up!
I give George W. Bush credit for one thing, and that is his brazenness. He never worried about having been appointed in a stolen election. The man acted as if he had won in a landslide.
Obama, and the Democrats, won a decisive victory, yet they act like houseguests. It's insane.
grinder:
what you see in obama and his drones is not shyness or reticence
it is shock at how transparent and painful his hoax has suddenly become...
obama is missing a carl rove/dick cheney
he is the same bumbling cloned quarterback on a much weaker team of players/puppeteers
I don't think Obama is a hoax any more than Jimmy Carter was a hoax. It's been less than a year, so Obama has time to turn it around. But he'd better start doing it.
And yeah, the Democrats need some enforcers. One of the party's problems is that they're so damn "reasonable" all the time, so they look weak.
The one guy from Florida who accused the Republicans of wanting sick people to die was great. We need a hell of a lot more Democrats like that, who will throw fastballs straight at the other side's head.
If Team Obama wants respect, they have to do a couple of things. They have to act like Democrats in their policies. They have to get their shit together on the mechanical politics. And they have to stop being a fuckin' doormat for the Republicans. In short, they've got to make the other side afraid of them.
we disagree
obama = bush = republikkkan = demokkkrat
and obama has been WORSE than bush with budgets/wars/bailouts/rock star bs/auto cos/banks etc
and his worse antics have only just begun
Black Disaspora - You have no shame and you don't GIVE A DAMN that you don't have any.
[quote]Ed Schultz was pretty pissed with the Republicans today, suggesting that their criticism of Obama might have hurt his chances in the final analysis.[/quote]
I am sure you are right about this one. EVERY MEMBER OF THE IOC FROM AROUND THE WORLD WATCHES FOX NEWS. I am sure that they were taken in by the bias of the Republicans. :-/
We need to SHUT DOWN FOX NEWS!!!
[quote]
I'm thinking the Republican leadership is slowly losing credibility: How do you bet against your own country?
[/quote]
I wonder if YOU BELIEVE that the Democratic Machines that run the failing cities of Baltimore, Philly, Buffalo, Rochester, Cleveland, Detroit and Milwaukee HAVE ANY CREDIBILITY?
[quote]
The Republican party is moving closer to the edge of insanity and irrelevancy.
[/quote]
You are right.
DESPITE their departure from PHILLY.......the GOP is STILL the favorite subject for Filled Negro and other ideological bigots to talk about.
Black Disapora - did you realize that Chicago was made a finalist in 2007 - DURING THE EVIL BUSH YEARS where the Iraq War was going strong and WE DID NOT SIGN KYOTO - as Jesse Jackson noted.
If what you say is so - WHY didn't the IOC boot Chicago out and not pick a more FAVORED nation instead?
I wonder - If Johannesburg or Cairo are in the running against LA or Houston - WOULD YOU cheer for these two AFRICAN nations over your home nation to host the 2020 Olympics?
If what you say is so - WHY didn't the IOC boot Chicago out and not pick a more FAVORED nation instead?
The IOC's personnel are infamous for their corruption. I'm sure that Chicago spent all kinds of money under the table on their bid, and that the IOC's people were happy to accept it. This is how Salt Lake City got the winter games, and I'm sure the Brazilian oligarchy spent lavishly.
Post a Comment