Conservatives Revel In Obama's Olympic Bid Failure

I have to ask is, is it normal for a President to make a personal bid to host the Olympics in an American city?

But, regardless, do those on the right who accuse all people on the left of having rose colored glasses for Obama not see that they are JUST AS BAD in regards to their hate of him?

I mean, just like lefties will use any success, no matter how minute and pointless, to show how much of a great leader he is, the righties, with equal fervor, will use any failure to show how much of a horrible leader he is.

If he tripped and fell, they'd be screaming "If he can't even walk right, how can he run the country?".

reply to post by Gixxer


But the amount of money brought in due to the Olympics usually surpasses what is spent, i.e. profit.

Plenty of other world leaders have personally lobbied for their cities to get the Olympics so there was plenty of precedent for it.

Get used to it. No matter what Obama does he's going to be pummeled from some quarters.

If the U.S. had won our bid to host the Olympics, they would still find fault with his making the trip at all (taxpayer dollars to fly Air Force One, etc.)

Face it, there's nothing he can do that won't be trashed by somebody. They're desperate to see signs of Obama's fall from power and will grasp at straws.

BTW: It would have been nice if Chicago won, but the U.S. has hosted a number of Olympics here in the states. I think this is one factor the Olympic Committee took into consideration. IMO South America has never had one, so I guess it's Rio's turn to shine.

The important thing is that Obama gave it his best shot. He didn't feel it was beneath him to fight for U.S. jobs and tourist dollars.

Let the detractors have their mindless chatter.

Please! To make the bid for the Olympics into some kind of international mandate pro or anti Obama is absurd! Is it just possible that more than like or dislike of The President was involved here?
I think the "conservatives" quoted here are sounding off because they apparently have little else to say. Certainly they are not offering us any positive
ideas for solving our problems, problems that their party has created
Sad that the right is so intellectually vacant as to crow about such things.

Conservatives that liked george bush are just as big as planks of wood as liberals who love obama.

George bush = obama

Both rubbish presidents period.

Well honestly...is the response from the right any suprise? If they are going to make a fist bump national news then of course they will spin this.

Obama is not the Messiah...isn't that what they keep saying? So are they shocked that they were correct? They create a myth and then act suprised when he can't do all things?

In the end it is what it is.

Rio has an extraordinarily high crime rate...murder, kidnappings etc. Makes Chicago look like Switzerland...so I think they have a real security challenge ahead of them.

Yes many other leaders went, Rio brought Pele and made an impassioned case about fairness and how no South American country has ever hosted an Olympics.

Yes Obama should have gone..it was a USA thing...

the rest is just boring predictable rhetoric.

[edit on 2-10-2009 by maybereal11]

reply to post by grover


I'm glad the USA didn't get the Olympics. With the economy this bad,we don't need to be spending the exorbitant amounts of money it would take to get ready and stage the Olympics.

The self hate is a little disturbing.

Why does it matter if the president has an ego... hes basically the leader of the free world, an ego is almost prerequisite to sit in the chair folks. I guess when 2012 comes along republicans will be voting in the shyest, most cowardly, intellectually stunted candidate of the bunch, it should be entertaining!

Booo self esteem! Booooo!

Honestly, with the REAL problems that we are facing in this country right now,
why do we give a crap about the Conservatives getting a kick out of this?
Obama should stop playing president and actually BE the POTUS instead of worrying about the olympics, the left/right paradigm is a bunch of meaningless garbage, and does anybody honestly watch the olympics anymore anyway?

Winter Olympics>Summer Olympics

If I could physically choke one thread a day, I would be gripping this thread up like a helpless little creature.

[edit on 2-10-2009 by mpriebe81]

Originally posted by AshleyD
reply to post by grover

 

To be fair: I couldn't care less if he lost the bid and will not be ridiculing him for it. He tried, he failed, it's small news. Let's move on. If they are criticizing him for that then it's sad. We have so many real issues we need to be dealing with that it is ridiculous if anyone is actually making a big deal out of his lost bid.

However, on the same token, that is what upsets me: It is such a small issue and we are in the middle of so many serious problems that I'm highly surprised he would have put being personally present to submit a bid for the olympics on the front of his to-do list.

As a typical American citizen would know, when you're in a bind, it's time to roll up your sleeves and get to the grindstone. You don't go on a week long beach vacation when your house is in danger of getting repossessed.

Likewise, I really do feel Obama's priorities were way out of line. If I'm upset about anything, it's not that he lost the bid- that's petty. It's the fact he was worried about adding 'the fluff' instead of cleaning 'the filth.' And that is what he needs to be focusing on.

I'm sorry to say this, Grover, but I have a feeling you'd have a completely different opinion and be in agreement if a conservative president did what he did during such a vital time in our country.

AshleyD, you have hit the nail on the head, so to speak.

I could care less where the Olympics are held, America, Russia, or Hell for that matter.

American citizens right now do not give a damn about this particular event, they want and need jobs, they want and need housing, and they want and need food on their tables, not some pompous affair when people compete for a Gold, Silver, or Bronze medal that does nothing for for our rumbling bellies and empty wallets.

Obamaland : Cotton Candy, Gumdrops, and Rainbow Dreams, This is the Land of Collusion

This is something international which only means dragging more international people into our already struggling country, which may or may not lead to more work, I highly doubt that it will whatsoever, but I can guarantee it will do one thing, bring with it a higher crime rate, put Law Enforcement at its limits because of the background checks of those people coming in to compete, and as well be something no one in America will be able to watch because we will be too busy trying to stay warm over a barrell filled with our last belongings as we watch our hopes and dreams melt away.

The man has done nothing to raise the economy, he has done nothing to make more jobs, he has done nothing to assist the citizens and done everything to further screw our country by giving away the tax money to the banks in the scam that is the "Bailout Package" as well as apparently the Government is seeking yet more money to keep it running for one more month.

Senate Approves Stopgap to Keep Federal Government Running

Children are apparently singing this man's praises for his plan for the economy?

Obama Song Lyrics Pre-Approved by Parents - Part of Program Honoring Many

I have yet to have seen a damn thing he has done for our economy except screw it.

Those Stinking Homeless Should Go Get Jobs!

So, apparently, Chicago, is the whole entire nation, Mr. Obama?

The Olympics will not assist our entire country, it might assist Chicago, but that's it.


[edit on 2-10-2009 by SpartanKingLeonidas]

I think its pretty damn funny, to be quite honest. He's got more important things to do than spend a few million taxpayer dollars trying to influence the venue of a sporting event. He went over there on an ego trip thinking that his title could win the bid for his home city and no doubt enrich some of his major political donors in the process. The IOC, to their credit, slapped him down hard.

I commend Mr. Obama for making effort for his country .
I am not quiet sure what left wing and right wing means so I will not get into that. People should be proud a President took time and made efforts to bring a respected event like Olympics to the country and I am sure many are.
It's the efforts that count in my book whatever the result.

If I'd be asked to choose a President who will stand up for the country in International stage and try to bring goodwill and more oppurtunity to the country instead of a President who will sit and twiddle his thumb, I will go for the first one.

He should be doing his job and communicating with the generals on the ground abroad and trying to find a way to get our troops home instead of flying out to bid on the Olympics.

Originally posted by maybereal11


Obama is not the Messiah...isn't that what they keep saying? So are they shocked that they were correct? They create a myth and then act suprised when he can't do all things?

[edit on 2-10-2009 by maybereal11]

No, conservatives are shocked that it seems so many liberals still don't get it that obama is not the messiah. We see post after post here by members that can find absolutely no fault with anything obama has done. The only person by definition that perfect would be a messiah.

Originally posted by nydsdan
Darn this uppity POTUS and his ambitious efforts! How dare he take time away from running the country to go off and try to bring global attention to a heartland city - his core constituency - which is hit hard by the recession. How dare he try to get the Olympic games here on US soil to boost tourism revenue!

Nice one there...especially with "upity" bit. You should be proud of that.

Anyhow, I can see a lot of things the POTUS should be doing FIRST before trying to snag the Olympics for his hometown patrons. Let's see, there has to be something ......hmmmm..... Oh how about the ECONOMY, healthcare, Afghansistan, Iran, Israel and the Palestinias, terrorism, the budget, immigration.....

Nah, all that stuff can wait. Silly me.

Originally posted by Aggie ManAs a recent example, the Olympics have done wonders for China's image. Image is EVERYTHING!

Image is everything to pre-teens and morons on the outside looking in. To the people on the inside the fiction of 'image' is just more lying trash. In this case, incredibly expensive trash nobody can afford.

There may be a temporary boost to the host but it never lasts. Eventually the billions it costs has to get paid and the big scheme (the scheme of all cities) to lure in more taxpayers to flip the bill never works in the long run. They hang out long enough for the administrators to get cocky and start spending what they dont have then the new taxpayers move away (generally citing high cost of living) leaving the suckers to pay the bill for all the obscene 'splendor.' Just ask DeStephano how his 100,000 heated bus stops in New Haven, CT are doing.

Cities are cesspools and they're always run by morons who cant balance a checkbook. When a moron wants the Olympics to be held in his cesspool you know it's a bad idea.

Edit to add:

I did some quick searching and it looks like the only Olympic in recent history to turn a profit were the games in LA in the 80's. They claim it was due to a huge push of private sponsorship and advertising. Since then the games have left nothing but massive debt. I'm still looking though.

After the Olympics comes debt
By Kelly Sinoski, Vancouver Sun, January 13, 2009

The Olympic Games will always turn the world’s eyes to a host city but they won’t necessarily bring gold to the city coffers, according to an Olympic scholar.

Except for the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984, cities — including Montreal and Athens — generally don’t make a profit hosting the Games, said Kevin Walmsley, co-director of the University of Western Ontario’s International Centre for Olympic Studies.

Most are left holding the bag, which for Vancouver could be an $875-million-plus debt for the Olympic Athletes Village. In Montreal’s case it was a $1.5-billion debt and a white elephant Olympic Stadium dubbed the Big Owe, which was built in 1976 for the Summer Olympics and just recently paid off. www.no2010.com...

[edit on 2-10-2009 by thisguyrighthere]

If you want to conduct a fun excercise...ask yourself what the spin would be if the USA got the bid instead of Brazil?

I suspect there is a memo that goes something like this....

GOP Spin sheet if Chicago gets bid....

(1) Chicago got the bid because the IOC is notoriously corrupt and so is Chicago...Of course money changed hands, probably delivered personally by Obama. We should have congressional hearings to find out!!

(2) Imply in a question form..."What did Obama promise the IOC in return for the bid going to Chicago??" What don't we know about? What was the quid-pro-qou?

(3) Ask suspecting questions about who will run security. Any Olympics will require federal level security to prevent terrorist attacks...Appeal to the fringe elements of the right about government crackdowns and Marshall law.

Leak a fringe story that the Olympics in Chicago will require a special federal police force to run security...and this will be Obama's segwey/trial run for Marshall law. Whenever there is construction happening in Chicago...mention how they appear like "holding centers" being built for US Citizens....

(5) Question the expense of hosting the Olympics in light of a struggling economy. Cite past Olympic hosts who lost money...these figures are vague so easy to slant in our favor to make it look like an unneccesary expense and that hosting the olympics will bankrupt Chicago and possibly the nation.

(6) Talk about the New World Order and the strings Obama pulled to host the Olympics.

Etc. Etc.

If Chicago loses the bid?

(1) Just rail into Obama and imply his personal vying for the Olympics was a waste of time and taxpayer dollars for the visit.

(2) Talk about how he is no longer the Messiah...even if we were the only ones claiming he was.

And generally the talking points in the OP.

For the partisan right it is always a Win/Win or Lose/Lose you just have to spin it the "right" way.

reply to post by maybereal11


The liberals were also in a win win situation.

Obama wins the bid and they report how upset the conservatives are and blah blah blah.

Obama loses and they report how happy the conservatives are and blah blah blah.

Both sides win sucking on the life blood of the other.