Obama’s Olympics Timing is Impeccable
The White House made their move to control the news cycle
By STEVE BRYANT
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There are several ways to look at Obama’s announcement that he will, finally, irrefutably, slam-bam-thank-ya-ma’m-ally be going to Copenhagen.
One: It was always so. The 2016 Olympic gang and the White House orchestrated a PR campaign that climaxes with the arrival, in Copenhagen, of the leader of the free world. Boo ya. Compelling, if only for the sheer conspiratorial excitement.
Two: Luck. Obama found time in his schedule. Meh. If Obama was hedging in public, it was a political hedge. If he had committed to going weeks or months ago, his detractors would have made hay. Bails and bails of hay.
Three: Seeing Rio take the #1 spot in contender rankings Sunday, and seeing that Tokyo’s prime minister finally decided to go to Copenhagen, the White House made their move to control the news cycle.
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By announcing first thing Monday morning, Obama buries both Around the Rings’ press release and the news out of Tokyo.
Obama protects himself from accusations he’s not as dedicated as Yukio Hatoyama, and gives Chicago’s delegation something to tout over Rio’s numbers.
Now it’s Obama in the headlines — likely for the entire week.
http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/politics/Obama-Copenhagen-62338487.html