Posted on 10/05/2009 10:59:12 AM PDT by markomalley
The Chicago Tribune reported yesterday that the US Olympic Committee told the White House early last week that the voting was tight and that a visit from Obama -- who, the Trib says, was if anything dubious about making the trip at first -- could well seal the deal. Valerie Jarrett, the leading White House aide, was told that leading backers of the Chicago bid had done some nose-counting and that a personal appeal by Obama could well tilt things their way.
Oh well. Live and learn.
Did the USOC play the Obama administration here? I'm not suggesting that the USOC leaders are a bunch of Glenn Beck followers, although it would be interesting for some enterprising young reporter to run down the board members' and top executives' political donations, because nearly every outfit is political to one degree or another.
But I don't really mean that. I just mean that the USOC cared about getting the Olympics, not about how and when Obama should use his political capital, so they may have painted a rosier picture of Chi-town's chances (note to Brits: in this usage, "Chi" is pronounced "shy") than was in fact the case.
Some of the talking heads were saying on the American Sunday shows yesterday that it was boneheaded because you don't put your prestige on the line when you haven't done a vote count and don't know the outcome.
I can't really argue with that, although the real lesson Obama and David Axelrod need to take away from this is something else: Don't give the right wing any excuse to chortle over your carcass.
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
The farmer imagines power and place are fine things. But the President has paid dear for his White House. It has commonly cost him all his peace, and the best of his manly attributes. To preserve for a short time so conspicuous an appearance before the world, he is content to eat dust before the real masters who stand erect behind the throne. Or, do men desire the more substantial and permanent grandeur of genius? Neither has this an immunity. He who by force of will or of thought is great, and overlooks thousands, has the charges of that eminence. With every influx of light comes new danger. Has he light? he must bear witness to the light, and always outrun that sympathy which gives him such keen satisfaction, by his fidelity to new revelations of the incessant soul. He must hate father and mother, wife and child. Has he all that the world loves and admires and covets? — he must cast behind him their admiration, and afflict them by faithfulness to his truth, and become a byword and a hissing.
This law writes the laws of cities and nations. It is in vain to build or plot or combine against it. Things refuse to be mismanaged long. _Res nolunt diu male administrari_. Though no checks to a new evil appear, the checks exist, and will appear. If the government is cruel, the governor’s life is not safe. If you tax too high, the revenue will yield nothing. If you make the criminal code sanguinary, juries will not convict. If the law is too mild, private vengeance comes in. If the government is a terrific democracy, the pressure is resisted by an overcharge of energy in the citizen, and life glows with a fiercer flame. The true life and satisfactions of man seem to elude the utmost rigors or felicities of condition, and to establish themselves with great indifferency under all varieties of circumstances. Under all governments the influence of character remains the same, — in Turkey and in New England about alike. Under the primeval despots of Egypt, history honestly confesses that man must have been as free as culture could make him.
The Zero and Company got Played like a Fiddle.
That fiddle should be worn out by now.
Oops, sorry quoted Emerson in wrong spot!
The Chicago machine ran into a real one.
Dude, don’t bogart that joint!
That’s the difference between the US and UK media. Both are left, but the former is partisan as well. Be it ever so true, they will not publish anything that might harm Democrats.
Oh, the USOC would engage in wild exaggerating of Chicago’s chance? You’re kidding. They’d sucker the President with BS on the off-chance that he could pull off a Hail Mary? You’re kidding! /sarc
Actually, who hasn’t recognized that the USOC is a self-perpetuating Country Club for the well connected? Zero is truly a fool.
What is “nose-counting”?
Well, let’s be fair here. IF HE HADN’T gone, and Chicago lost, he would look worse for not trying.
I think Obama said in the campaign that one must multi-task as president.
Looks like the big boys talked Zippy into a high stakes and very expensive snipe hunt. It still cheers my soul to listen to “Chicago is out? Chicago is out?” replay in my head.
This is so bogus----two tax-paid planeloads of know-nothings trying to cover their *****.
We need to see the emails and cell phones to the Chi/Trib by Jarrett, Axelrod. Mrs O, Rahm and Daley to see when/how they setup this bogus "save."
What did the Chi/Trib get in return for saving their sorry *****?
=====================================
The Chicago mob planned to sucker the IOC.........arrogantly told the IOC how great the Games would be FOR THEM.
“You can play a great game and still not win” Ohaha said on the loss.... without a shred of introspection.
Ohaha actually justified his stupid bid for "diversity games," Mrs O's ridiculous "sacrifice trip to Denmark".....two planeloads of cronies looking to make a buck, all financed by taxpayers.
Makes you wonder how dumbhead Axelrod---architect of the presentation fiasco----- made a living before he got his filthy hands on our tax dollars in the WH.
CHI/GO CAME IN LAST WHILE THE SAVIOUR SPOKE Supposedly the voting was close and a visit from Obama -- who, the Trib says, was if anything dubious about making the trip at first -- could well seal the deal.
Mmm, mm, mmm......delicious to savor how the Chicago mob was mugged by Danish-style sensibility.
“The Chicago Tribune reported yesterday that the IOC told the White House early last week that the voting was tight and that a visit from Obama...”
Not the “IOC” but the USOC...United States olympic Commitee.....and they likely did!!!! It is currently being run by MORONS!!!
Good, because that was a real head-scratcher! Good read, though.
I didn't know that and I've lived in Illinois many many moons.
Needed fixin'.
MMMMM....MMMMMMM...MMMMMMMMMM, Barack Husein Obama, Chortle-Chortle-Chortle.
“This is so bogus——two tax-paid planeloads of know-nothings trying to cover their *****. “
Nuff said...........Cut! Print! Lunch!
Thanks-—USOC not IOC-—Freudian slip in my part.
I am beginning to think that Obama's middle name is not Hussein. It is Kingfish: "Holy mackerel!"
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