Explaining the Vote

That should be obvious……politics.
The Olympic committee has its own political agenda, in who is selected to host, and the US is not at the head of the line (or anywhere near it), at the moment.
Just as well……it is a very expensive event to host.

Yes, Brazil’s President is the most popular politician on earth right now, and he’s a socialist.
What I don’t get is why the wingnutosphere is so happy about. I thought they hated socialism.

I blame Bush.

“Yes, Brazil’s President is the most popular politician on earth right now, and he’s a socialist.”
This is, on the surface, correct. But, Lula – to much suprise – has not governed/led as a socialist.

We’re number four! We’re number four!
One has to wonder why Obama took such an unnecessary and significant political risk only to have it blow up in his face. Very strange indeed.

The IOC must have been listening to our president telling the entire world what he really thinks about the United States. Then too, no doubt they’ve heard about his problem with the word “victory.”
No schadenfreude here, but it is a bit ironic that an historic choice sank Obama’s unprecedented effort.
Too bad. But apparently, personal narratives don’t mesmerize IOC members.

Brazil now has the Olympics 2016 Game. America still has a talker, Mr. Obama.

“This is, on the surface, correct. But, Lula – to much suprise – has not governed/led as a socialist.”
ROFLMAO!
Right wingers can’t be seen praising a socialist so in their inherent dishonesty they pretend Lula is not a socialist!
The lesson as always? Right wingers lie.

“They are clueless and completely out of touch with everyday people.”
According to a USA Today/Gallup poll, 64% of Americans think Obama understands the problems they face in their daily lives. 72% say he is willing to make hard decisions, and 66% describe him as a strong and decisive leader.

What went wrong? How did Chicago, with seemingly so much momentum – thanks to the President, First Lady, and of course, the woman who is her own brand – Oprah – ultimately earn just 18 votes?
=======
Obviously, the momentum was in the imagination of those who thought they saw it.
It is quite possible the personal narrative of the Obamas simply isn’t as compelling to others as it is to those who constantly praise it (or report on it).

“What would the left do if they couldn’t blame Bush . . .”
______________________________________
If it wasn’t for the way Bush left the national debt doubled, the deficit soaring and the economy in almost complete free fall, there wouldn’t be any problems to be blamed on anybody . . . unfortunately reality gets in the way.

maybe, it’s a simple matter of the olympic comm. afraid to have games in a country that extols the virtues of right wing paranoia, xenophobia, lauds people bringing guns to political events, and rants endlessly about the president not being a lawful citizen…if that were another country, I wouldn’t want to go there either

This confirms it: Obama is now an incompetent, impotent fool in the eyes of the world.
The world may love him. But they do NOT respect him, fear him, or even take him seriously.

Ms de Nies report is superficial, and focuses on personalities and politics rather than on policy.
What were the comments and questions from members of the IOC? Reading ABC news, you wouldn’t know.
It seems the world believes that the US would be a bad place for the olympics because foreign travelers to the US face “a rather harrowing experience” according to one IOC member.
The main problem is the security theater at the airports.

maybe, it’s a simple matter of the olympic comm. afraid to have games in a country that extols the virtues of right wing paranoia,
———
I don’t think so. They’ve been fine with left wing paranoia in the past.
I’d say it’s the case that the IOC, as had been reported for months, favored Rio. It’s historic, it’s dynamic, it’s gorgeous, and they had a very detailed bid. Chicago’s bid had never been considered to be very strong, until the Obamas decided to both go. Then suddenly the press (and unnamed Obama advisors) said this was very close, and Obama might just push Chicago to the top.
They didn’t.
And what people have long been expecting to happen, happened.

It’s strange that people are so happy to see America get passed up for the Olympics. Extremely petty. I guess Rush was serious when he said he wanted Obama to fail.
It kind of teaches you how to interpret their opposition to health care…
It’s not about what’s good for the country… It’s about the opportunity to see Obama fail. And they don’t really care if it means that millions of people will have to live without health care… they just are caught up in partisan politics…
Posted by: gobot | Oct 2, 2009 5:24:33 PM
***
Exactly. And they’ll twist themselves into knots and gyrate through hypocritical hoops opting out of energy reforms too (all the while claiming they have some mythical magical secret plan, or at the very least a Cantorian “pretext”)
Do they care about the best thing to do when it comes to missile defense shields, Russia, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, stimulating the economy and so on? Nope. Sheesh, they freak out at the slightest suggestion of deliberation and thoughtfulness. They’ll call Obama names no matter what and be their uncharmingly belligerent selves- shrill, baby, shrill.

“She said the Obamas impressed the members, but that this vote was not about them.”
Wow. I wonder how often Obama, Omichelle, Oprah, and Ovalerie have ever heard those words, and when they do, I bet their heads tilt sideways like a confused dog.

Aly,queen of the eyeroll, what are you talking about? It seems your comments are coming from someone looking down with disdain on people who don’t agree with you. Gyrations? Shrill? Belligerant,hypocritical,uncharming? Please, this invective paints you as mean and I don’t think you really are.

This is from ABC news:
The White House billed the trip as an “official” journey, so taxpayers picked up the costs for the slightly more than 14-hour round trip on Air Force One. The Defense Department pegs the operating costs for the president’s 747 at $100,219 per flight hour. Double it to include the backup plane that always accompanies the president. Add the costs of the Air Force 757 that Mrs. Obama used to fly to Copenhagen earlier in the week. It adds up to nearly $3-million dollars. And that doesn’t include the aircraft used to fly the presidential limousines and Secret Service vehicles there as well.

Please, this invective paints you as mean and I don’t think you really are.
Posted by: Elle | Oct 2, 2009 8:23:46 PM
**
Well, thank you for that. I actually don’t mean to say that all Republicans or everyone who disagrees with me gyrates and twists and just says no. But I am very, very frustrated and disdainful of those who are knee-jerk against everything the president does, or every reform. I wasn’t like that with Bush even though I didn’t vote for him, was very upset by the situation with him, Gore and Florida, and disagreed with him profoundly on many things. It would never occur to me to root for him to fail at just about everything, and to be so nasty about an Olymic bid that didn’t pan out. And I do believe there are people doing that in a very hypocritical way– some everyday folks, some commenters here and some prominent folks, including pundits and politicians. But not everyone. My frustration spilleth over, I’m afraid. I had actually hoped for unity and bipartisanship (ha!!) Now, I’m partisan myself. But I don’t actually like to be mean– I mean, I would still save the life of a knee-jerk partisan, or give them food or shelter or whatever they needed, of course. The dear husband even employs several :>)

“Why does DeMint want to give aid and comfort to our enemies in the coup government anyway?”
Maybe because they are not our enemies. Maybe because, as the Congressional Research Service found, they acted in accordance with their constitution and with the approval of both the legislature and the Supreme Court. Maybe because Zelaya violated the criminal laws of his own country.
They seem to be the “enemies” only of the very strange bunch in the Obama foreign policy establishment. There is no Marxist to whom Obama is opposed in any way.

I’m glad the IOC saw through those sappy stories from Obama and Michelle.
It may have been enough to dupe millions of Americans back in November, but the IOC was not fooled.
Congratulations to Rio!!

I wonder if Obama will ever get it.
His arrogance and massive ego will bring him down.
It hurt Bush. But Bush didn’t revel in his celebrity. You would never know he and Laura were millionaires. They never acted rich or holier than thou.
They were down to earth people.
Obama and his wife wallow in celebrity and seek the spotlight–they love being rich and famous.

Que Sera Sera What Will Be Will Be….Now get back to work…

Apparently the Congressional Research Service has become the supreme law of the land in Honduras. I wonder why I never got the memo.
The coup leaders in Honduras are indeed our enemies. I use the word ‘our’ to mean the United States. That is official policy.
Apparently Fascist Hyena doesn’t deign to consider himself American now that Obama is President.
Just get over it.

===The dear husband even employs several :>)===
What a good Samaritan your husband is.
Posted by: Axey | Oct 2, 2009 9:43:55 PM
Seriously! Particularly after all their hoopla about going Galt or moving to a less socialist country (couldn’t find a first world less socialist country that met their needs, as it turned out)
Okay, I likely need to point out that I’m saying that “seriously” tongue in cheek.

I’m a right winger in Chicago, and although I would’ve been thrilled to have the Olympics here, I’m happy Rio gets their time in the spotlight. GO RIO and best of luck!

I’m just guessing that Michelle didn’t help when she talked about the sacrifices she was making by going to Copenhagen.
I’m not sure who is more clueless Michelle, her husband, Rahm, or Axelrod.

add to his fiasco the scorched earth policy of axelrod and emmanuel – their petty sniping about the IOC being “political” will cost this country for years in terms of bringing the games here–even liberals should be up in arms over this–more apologizing for America on a world stage, more self-centered me-ism (he needed to bring up last november??) – if it weren’t so pathetic it would be funny – these people are not equipped to run the United States of America – this is all beneath amateur hour standrds

Obama has worked hard, both before winning Prez and after, to convince the world that America is ‘a mean country’ (isn’t that what he learned from Michelle)? So I guess he did do a good job at something: the OIC totally believed Obama’s America wasn’t fit for the win.

Obama isn’t interested in victory in Afghanistan, but he sure wanted this Olympic victory.

“And it’s double sweet to seem him rejected by a bunch of his fellow globalist Eurotrash who infect the IOC.”
I don’t understand the invective towards the IOC. What’s wrong with thinking globally? Is the object to keep all nations safely in opposition?

the reason people disapprove of Obama’s actions is that he has shown himself to have a far left ideology.
***
Far left? Which is why he pushed the larger stimulus that folks like Krugman suggested, right? And opted for the Swedish model when it came to the banks? And that’s why we’re moving to a single payer universal health care system, I suppose. And it’s also why we’re already out of Iraq and pulling out of Afghanistan.And of course that’s why Gitmo will be closed by the end of the year along with Bagram. It also must be why we’ve ended indefinite detention of terrorism suspects, right? And repealed the Patriot Act? And that’s why high level members of the Bush admin are being investigated for war crimes, Cheney included; that’s why don’t ask don’t tell is a thing of the past, as is the federal law banning same-sex marriage. That’s why there’s no doubt the President will be in Copenhagen again in December for the climate-change summit in December, announcing the bold steps we’re taking to do more to end global warming, and that, of course, is why the U.S. is doing more to stop the killing in Darfur. The far left agenda also includes moving legislation that gives illegal immigrants a path to citizenship,pronto, which is why we have that moving. And it, of course, explains why, ahem, Rahm is chief of staff and General James L. Jones is the National Security Advisor.
My point? He’s not FAR left or VERY liberal. That’s like saying McCain is on the far right. On some issues, he is, but it doesn’t really fit overall. I really think the problem is that for many (not all) conservatives and neocons anything liberal, progressive or a little left of center has come to seem somehow VERY liberal, even “socialist” which seems over the top to me. I think the fairer points to make about Obama is that the President has a lot on his plate, he’s a bit green, he’s taking on a lot quickly including hot button issues like health care when the economy is in still in turmoil, he’s not perfect and he’s made some mistakes as has his admin– and maybe folks on the right still have some resentment regarding how Bush was treated. They also disagree with Obama ideologically on many things. And they’re worried. And then there’s the 24/7 news cycle including cable news shows plus the hyperactive blogosphere– AND more people than ever are engaged and have been since the primaries. The noisy wheels seem to get the most attention, so pundits say outrageous things for ratings.
At least some Republicans are beginning to tone down the naysaying and exaggeration which has become more mainstream rather than remaining on the fringes. In an interview with Karen Tumulty, Bill Frist, a Republican, said that he’d vote for the health care bill. It’s not perfect, of course, but he’d vote for it. And he “faults some in his own party for injecting alarmism into the debate,” noting that Republicans voted for a Medicare prescription drug bill that would have established a version of a public plan if private-sector competition had failed to materialize ( a trigger option).
Meanwhile, Lindsay Graham has called Glenn Beck a cynic, noting that cynicism and tears are not the heart of the American can-do spirit.
And Mitt Romney actually supported Obama’s Olympic bid efforts in Copenhagen.
So maybe there’s hope for us all. Either that, or they’re running for President in 2012 and want to make a play for the moderates and independents. We’ll see :>) But I disagree with the characterization of Obama and his agenda as “far left.” I’d call that an exaggeration and I’m pretty sure those on the far left would agree.

“Far left?…..My point? He’s not FAR left or VERY liberal”
Posted by: Alyson | Oct 3, 2009 1:05:02 AM
Strong

Only a rank amateur would put his prestige on the line without being absolutely sure of success but this amateur-hour narcissist is so full of himself he thinks that phoney smile of his will achieve something. Well, I guess his corrupt cronies will have to find another scam to enrich themselves …..

“Meanwhile, Lindsay Graham has called Glenn Beck a cynic, noting that cynicism and tears are not the heart of the American can-do spirit.”
Lindsay Graham is a tool. He is in microcosm why Republicans lose. He wants to play nice while Democrats beat him over the head.
No.
It’s best to play the game the same way as Democrats.
Democrats call the opposition “terrorists” and “un-American” and claim Republicans want you dead and complain that Republicans are behaving badly?
Only a hypocrite would make that argument.

From the Times in London:
Obama’s Olympic failure will only add to doubts about his presidency
“There has been a growing narrative taking hold about Barack Obama’s presidency in recent weeks: that he is loved by many, but feared by none; that he is full of lofty vision, but is actually achieving nothing with his grandiloquence.
Chicago’s dismal showing yesterday, after Mr Obama’s personal, impassioned last-minute pitch, is a stunning humiliation for this President. It cannot be emphasised enough how this will feed the perception that on the world stage he looks good — but carries no heft.”

Obama is so wonderful and loved by world leaders. Castro loves him. Hugo loves him. Kadafi wishes he was president for life. That bald Korean dude probably likes him too. Achmadinejahd seems to like him too. And I stand in awe and wonder that the whole world is feeling a shared thrill up their legs and singing praises to our glorious leader! The oceans have stopped rising. There is no more global warming. There is free healthcare for all. And he even made the honey bees return. There are no more famines. There are no more wars. There is only hope and change!!!

A British view from the UK Times:
“There has been a growing narrative taking hold about Barack Obama’s presidency in recent weeks: that he is loved by many, but feared by none; that he is full of lofty vision, but is actually achieving nothing with his grandiloquence.”

Calling citizens who don’t agree with you ‘un-American’ is patently Republican. You can keep credit for that tactic for yourselves thank you.
Posted by: Skip | Oct 3, 2009 10:19:46 AM
Agreed. And let’s think about…Atwater, Newt, Rove, Limbaugh, Hannity, the Swiftboating of Kerry …

“… the Swiftboating of Kerry …”
Having fought in the Mekong Delta and had five good friends held as POW’s, and being fully aware of the scope of Kerry’s lies, I was a proud (and happy) contributor to the Swiftboaters.

Skip wrote: “Even single payer doesn’t mean that the government would own all the hospitals like they would if it were really socialism.”
We actually agree on something! Albeit from a different starting point!
Just because something doesn’t happen from day one doesn’t mean it won’t ever happen. It occurs in steps. The first step is to pass the public option. Step two is the public option eliminating the private sector and resulting in a single-payer government run system. Step three, in an attempt to make all hospital care equal, is the nationalization of our hospitals.

Wow.. wasn’t this a fun news cycle?? Just remember media (like you don’t already know) it all pays the same.

Axelrod arrogantly told CNN that Chicago losing the Olympics was “the world’s loss”.
Hard to tell who is the most abrasive in the Obama administration.
I’m betting arrogance and a lack of humility causes most of their problems.
Rio deserved it more.

“Not so easy without those Disney characters voting for him.”
________________________________
You don’t understand the process. A person cannot vote without proper identification . . . some phoney names were submitted (so the canvaser could make a couple of extra bucks), but there was no massive fraud, and no massive vote fraud. Those terms are nonsense as far as the ‘ACORN Disney characters’ go . . . but are played up and sensationalized by the right attempting to discredit the President.
It’s weak. Quit repeating it.

Getting back to the actual topic (ahem)…
There are a host of reasons why Chicago wasn’t selected to host the 2016 Olympics, starting with the simple fact that the IOC is essentially a cartel within which the U.S. has disproportionately low representation/influence (the U.S. has only 2 of 108 delegates – as many as Morocco and less than the Netherlands, Switzerland, etc.; see 538′s recent report for a more detailed breakdown).
Furthermore, the U.S. has already hosted many times, while no South American nation ever has, so that was certainly due.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Olympic Committee alienated the IOC earlier this year when it announced plans to unilaterally launch an Olympic cable network, without consideration or consultation with the IOC (or its existing broadcast partners; over half of worldwide Olympic broadcast fees come from the U.S.).
But perhaps most glaringly, the U.S. was singled out by IOC members as offering international visitors “a harrowing experience” when traveling through U.S. Customs, perhaps the most unaccommodating in the world these days (see the NYT’s InTransit blog).
Finally, given a choice, where would you rather go – Chicago or Rio de Janeiro?
This is not rocket science.

‘I….I…..I…..I….I……ME….ME….ME…..ME…..ME…..
ME…..ME..”
,,,doesn’t work all the time, does it?

Latest round of Obama-excusing spin from the Leftist cabal:
Naturally, the IOC would reject Chicago’s bid for the games, because 8 years of Bush’s evil imperialism destroyed any credibility we had left in the world.
So, yes, we still blame Bush.
Posted by: Obama: World’s Greatest Celebrity | Oct 5, 2009 8:49:04 AM
Don’t forget Rush. I even heard someone blame the republicans how does that make sense.

Let’s be clear. Chicago lost this not only to Rio, but also to Tokyo and Madrid.
Mayor Daley is to blame for why Chicago did so miserably. This was a bad bid, from a foolish stadium scheme to flip-flops on finances.