Oct 1, 2009 11:28pm
Closing Arguments: Obamas Go for Gold
EmailPresident Barack Obama is on his way to Copenhagen on Air Force One — where he will meet the First Lady, and they will make their case for Chicago to host the 2016 Summer Olympics. It is the first time an American president has taken such a step. Chicago faces stiff competition from Tokyo, Rio de Janeiro and Madrid. Bookkeepers are currently giving Chicago the edge over Rio. The International Olympic Committee will announce the host city tomorrow at 12:30 p.m. eastern. So tonight, we ask: Which city is going to win? Tell us what you think. You can follow "Nightline" anytime on Twitter: http://twitter.com/Nightline.
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I heard Michelle took a big plane over there and Obama took the 747. What ever happened to the global warming talk?
Posted by: Huh | October 1, 2009, 11:47 pm 11:47 pm
Oh, come on…Chicago is Oprah’s town…watch money talk.
Posted by: Judy | October 2, 2009, 12:14 am 12:14 am
With everything going on in the United States I do not think this is the time to leave. The wars, healthcare,economy, etc. It feels like there is no control of anything. He only knows how to campaign.
Posted by: Lori | October 2, 2009, 12:17 am 12:17 am
If he can’t campaign for it he isn’t interested. When will he become the President and do his job?
Posted by: Manic Mechanic | October 2, 2009, 1:08 am 1:08 am
It will cost taxpayers from Chicago, Illinois, and all over America. Bejing lost billions. London will will have the 2012 Olympics is already billions over budget. Athens lost billions. They say that Salt Lake City would have lost money if Mitt Romney hadn’t come in and straightened out the mess. Chicago is one of the most corrupt cities in the country everyone knows that. There will be much corruption, cronyism, and cost overruns to line pockets of the Chicago bigwigs. I’ve been to Chicago twice and would not consider it a good locale for a summer Olympics. Let Rio have it.
Posted by: Ellen | October 2, 2009, 1:10 am 1:10 am
President Obama, come home; STOP apologizing to the world for America — MY country who has built more hospitals, forgiven millions of other nations’ debt, sent money and US citizens to rescue people around the world from the results of natural disasters and evil dictators mass-murdering their own people.
Get back home and listen to the people who you have been elected to lead. Begin to follow through on your campaign promises of “government transparency” and “open, honest debate on the issues.” AND empower our military to protect the US soldiers in Afghanistan who have suffered the greatest 2 months of deaths since the whole war against global terrorism started after the Twin Towers were leveled in NYC.
Ditto Manic Mechanic, Ellen, Lori !!!
Posted by: Joy | October 2, 2009, 2:31 am 2:31 am
I hope all that voted for him, realize that he’s just trying to be another show biz guy. We have so much going on in this world and looks how he waste our money. What about helping out the floods and earthquake people? Also Chicago and his friends are all corrupt. I pity the people who leave there if it’s picked. What a waste.
Posted by: sarge | October 2, 2009, 2:44 am 2:44 am
Sounds like the Obama’s need to make a payment back to the Chicago slum lords.
Posted by: Ed | October 2, 2009, 3:15 am 3:15 am
here is a thought ABC, why not calculate how much in tax payer dollars was spent for two flights to Copenhagen by the Obama’s and Oprah, the advance teams, Secret Service, fuel costs and all additional staff and report that? How many additional planes were required to make this trip? Did the backup Airforce 1 fly over as usual? How about the armored limo he rides in? This would be useful information about our tax dollars since we are in an economic crisis.
Posted by: Tenacious Moses | October 2, 2009, 5:38 am 5:38 am
I heard on the radio this morning that Rio has won. That is good. I had indicated in other polls over the past week that I thought Rio was the right choice.
Now Obama looks like an even bigger fool than he already did for going to Copenhagen. This is among the top five unpresidential acts by any president ever. It is in a class with Clinton sneaking Monica into the Oval office or Nixon using taxpayer dollars to finance major improvements to his mansion in San Clemente.
Obama has embarrassed this nation and its people by making a trip to Copenhagen to hype the Olympics coming to Chicago. That is something the mayor of Chicago should do, not the US president. Bringing the Olympics to Chicago or any other US city is not a federal issue. It is silly and embarrassing to the people of this country. There are serious matters that he is neglecting on the wars, the economy, and healthcare. While he is in Denmark, many of his countrymen will die in Afghanistan and Iraq, because he has not reinstated the draft and sent more troops over to these countries to win the wars. By leaving the lean troop levels there now, he is just prolonging the wars, not fighting them to win, and needlessly killing off our fellow citizens in the service, while he fools around with Oprah in Copenhagen.
Obama should pay the cost of this junket and other frivolous trips that he has taken on Air Force One out of his own pocket. He has turned Air Force One into Air Farce One. It is not his personal toy. It is a government resource owned by the taxpayers—by We The People! Also, he should have his wages docked for the time that he spends doing the Mayor of Chicago’s work while he is president. His abuse of government resources smacks of Nixonism, as in Richard M. Nixon.
Be our president or give someone else the chance, Obama.
Posted by: Proud Native American and Angry Independent Voter | October 2, 2009, 1:42 pm 1:42 pm
So now I am seeing polls on the internet that indicate three-quarters of the US population think Rio was the best choice for the 2016 Olympics. So now Obama not only looks like a fool but also looks like he is arrogant and does not care about the will of the vast majority of the American people–not to have the Olympics in Chicago. He is behaving like a dictator.
Posted by: Proud Native American and Angry Independent Voter | October 3, 2009, 3:29 am 3:29 am
To be fair, the leaders for Tokyo, Madrid and Rio had made the trip to Copenhagen, and perhaps that (along with Michelle and Oprah not being able to ‘seal the deal’) is the reason for President Obama’s last minute decision to travel to the IOC, make a ‘C-’ grade speech (“Walk this road together”?? That line has been used in your speech before Mr. President…). I’ve seen more passion in the 4 attempts Rio had; this enabled Brazil to take home the prize, and Madrid to wind up in second. I had thought that all the media (perhaps just in the US) would aid Obama’s quest to bring Chicago an Olympic bid. Perhaps First Lady Michelle’s or President Obama’s speeches should have less about themselves, and more about the city and its big hearted people. Yes, we know that those around the Obama’s and Oprah would have fiscally benefited from the business dealings if the Olympics were held in Chicago, but the IOC awarded the Olympic games to the city which showed the most heart and conviction to bring about the best they had to offer, regardless of who would profit (or not more than likely). Too bad Chicago – it may have been a great Olympics (as long as the natives weren’t displaced from all the visitors/athletes), and congratulations to Rio – after 4 tries, you’ve earned the Olympics.
Posted by: KeepDChange | October 3, 2009, 5:52 am 5:52 am