Posted on 10/03/2009 12:19:26 PM PDT by IbJensen
It's hard out there for a first lady of the United States. Take it from travel-weary Michelle Obama. On Tuesday night, she boarded a luxury 757 for Copenhagen. Think of the stairs she had to climb. Oh, the agony of the feet!
Upon arrival, Mrs. O, her "chit-chat buddy," Chicago-based talk-show queen Oprah Winfrey, and Chicago powerbroker/interest-conflicted real estate mogul/senior White House adviser Valerie Jarrett immediately embarked on a grueling, grip-and-grin campaign to secure the Olympics for their hometown. Our smile muscles ache in sympathy.
You will be comforted to know that the gracious FLOTUS feels your pain for her pain. "As much of a sacrifice as people say this is for me or Oprah or the president to come for these few days," the first lady told a group of fellow Chicago 2016 boosters, "so many of you in this room have been working for years to bring this bid home." Translation: Thank me, thank you, for all we do.
Never has self-congratulatory gratitude been raised to such an art form, but there was no time for loyal subjects to dwell.
The selflessly indefatigable Michelle Obama had to rush off for an 800-meter wine-and-cheese dash with International Olympic Committee members, followed by a rigorous aerobic Heads of State luncheon hosted by Queen Margrethe II of Denmark and another high-heeled trek to the IOC Opening Ceremony at the Copenhagen Opera House.
Of course, it's not entirely clear which "people" out there are saying that the Obamas' jaunt to Denmark is a "sacrifice."
Certainly not the families of the 43 American soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines who have died in Afghanistan since Gen. Stanley McChrystal called for more reinforcements.
Certainly not the families of the nearly 40 children and teens in Chicago who lost their lives on the out-of-control streets of the Windy City so far this year.
The first lady's slip of self-absorption reminds me of a useful passage in Washington Post writer Liza Mundy's biography of Mrs. Obama.
After graduating from Princeton University and Harvard Law School, the bitterly oppressed Michelle Obama headed back to her native Chicago to join the high-powered law firm of Sidley Austin – the ninth largest in the world.
There, Mundy's book reported, the future first lady griped about having to do the duties of a second-year associate while she was a second-year associate – demonstrating the trademark attitude of entitlement and inflated ego that led the law partner who recruited her to later describe her as "perennially dissatisfied."
Doing her first job was a burden then. Enjoying the perks of her current job is a "sacrifice" now.
Michelle Obama has a gift for selling special-interest business-as-usual as public-interest charity. Thus, the insatiable appetite of Chicago's polite elite for a massive Olympics windfall to crony developers is redefined as a do-good campaign for the children. Said Mrs. Obama:
"We need all of our children to be exposed to the Olympic ideals that athletes from around the world represent, particularly this time in our nation's history, where athletics is becoming more of a fleeting opportunity.
“When we're seeing rates of childhood obesity increase, it is so important for us to raise up the platform of fitness and competition and fair play; to teach kids to cheer on the victors and empathize with those in defeat, but most importantly, to recognize that all the hard work that is required to do something special."
"Hard work," you know, like jetting off with your gal pals to schmooze other world leaders, famous athletes and celebrities for a few days on the taxpayers' dime.
In the Olympics of the aggrieved, Mrs. Obama gets a gold medal.
A - The First Lady:
1. Unhidden cost of her US aircraft to and from Copenhagen?
2. Cost and detailed list of accompanying staff currently on the US payroll?
3. Cost of accompanying staffs' accommodations, food, refreshments, local travel (taxi), Official Transportation, etc. for First Lady's party?
4. Any additional aircraft for First Lady's party, for folks like family, press, dog, Secret Service?
5. Amount Opra is reimbursing the USA for her envolvement and that of her staff for #1 - #4, above?
6. Amount the Chicago Olympic Committee is reimbursing the USA for the First Lady's envolvement and that of her staff for #1 - #4, above?
B - POTUS
1. True and total unhidden cost of Air Force One for the trip to and from Copenhagen?
2. Cost and detailed list of accompanying staff currently on the US payroll?
3. Cost of accompanying staffs' accommodations, food, refreshments, local travel (taxi), Official Transportation, etc. for the POTUS's party?
4. Any additional aircraft for POTUS's party, for folks like family, press, dog, Secret Service?
5. Cost US picking for accompanying Press Corps, including travel, accomodations, food, refreshments, etc.?
6. Cost of flying the POTUS "big black car" and the accompanying Secret Service vehicles, drivers, fuel, staff accomodations, food and refreshments?
7. Amount the Chicago Olympic Committee is reimbursing the USA for the POUS's envolvement and that of his staff for #1 - #6, above?
C - Total net expense for "A" & "B" to the USA Tax Payers?
All I ask for a a true and honest (if that is not redundant!) of this "excercise" to the American Public. I'd be interested to also know who has personal vested interests in the possible favorable outcome for this adventure, specifically relating to the possible sale of real estate and other servicees should the Chicago Olympic Committee - 2016 be successful.
That's all I ask. Starting to think of the length of time a snow flake or many snow flakes can survive in Hell while I await the answer to the forgoing questions.
When will someone in the "main stream" news business address any of these questions and share the results with us.
I’ll grant you that that Michelle is one slack-jawed sack of gyrating flesh. That baby got back!
Somehow noble and sacrifice don’t mesh with Michelle Obama.
You can bet that if Che Guevara were alive today, he’d be tickled to death that Rio beat out Chicago. Fortunately for the world, he’s still dead. Yeah, I know. The college kids and ACORNs wish that Che was still around to witness the fruits of their labor.
Round here we call it a big ole SHELF ASS.
Woman is dragging a caboose around behind her now, isn’t she?
Makes up for it with her rosy disposition though doesn’t she?
It’s “The Man” always trying to oppress her.
Did the taxpayers pay for Oprah’s trip?
“Never has self-congratulatory gratitude been raised to such an art form,”
It appears that the first wookie has the pretensions of a diva.
After graduating from Princeton University and Harvard Law School, the bitterly oppressed Michelle Obama headed back to her native Chicago to join the high-powered law firm of Sidley Austin – the ninth largest in the world.Oh, that's good. That is very good. Steynian good. If only I could have been oppressed with a Princeton and Harvard Law education.
This Flight to Coppenhagen reminds me of the Double Standards of the Elite Liberals.
Two Jets + support aircrafts = Unnecessary Carbon Emissions that the Elite don’t want “us” emitting.
I’m glad the OIC voters smacked down the Obama’s bid for Chicago especially after their pathetic selfish speeches.
I wish someone had the balls to tell Obama he needs to reinburse the tax payers for the wasted trip to that meeting.
“We need all of our children to be exposed to the Olympic ideals that athletes from around the world represent,
_____________________________________________________
Why ???
Would it not be much better that “all of our children to be exposed” to the patriotic and self sacrificing ideals that servicemen and women from all branches of the United States military represent ????
What was the aim, anyway ???
There will be no accounting for this debacle, as there is never any accounting for the anointed. Accounting is for the enemies of the anointed elite.
Accounting is for the Whittaker Chamberses, the Joseph McCarthies, the Barry Goldwaters, the Richard Nixons, the Ronald Reagans, the newt Gingriches, the George W. Bushes, the Sarah Palins.
Sympathy and support goes to the Alger Hisses, the Communists in the State Department, the LBJs, the John Deans, the Jimmy Carters, the Bill Clintons, the Algores, and the O Bamas.
Thus, the Black Panthers obstructing the voters, Islamists attempting to destroy the U.S., and the AcornNuts will get a pass, while the CIA Interrogators and the AcornNut Videographers will be prosecuted.
It has forever been thus.
Thank God for talk radio and the Internet. It’s the only power the Right has.
“to teach kids to cheer on the victors and empathize with those in defeat...”
Michelle gets to empathize by being one to experience the DEFEAT part...
Wonder how well that is going over?
I’ve despised this woman ever since I heard her bitching about having to repay her student loans.
Rover: “Now if this President wanted to win in Afghanistan the way he wanted to win in Copenhagen, a whole lotta people, including the troops would be cheering”
That was the worst speech if you can call it that i have ever heard, it was embarassing to watch on youtube.
The thing about Lewis, and then me I and my dad with MS and
just everything was just off the wall.
And I am trying to be really fair here.
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