This time, courtesy of Victor Davis Hanson .. and others
A PR Nightmare for the Obamas [Victor Davis Hanson]
One can understand an American president’s lobbying for an American city to obtain the Olympics, but the blitz by the Obamas proved a PR nightmare. Let us count the ways:
1) Obama’s brand is trans-nationalism and an “America is not exceptional” multiculturalism. According to his worldview, it makes sense that a South American country — especially a powerful, ascendant country such as Brazil — should at last have its turn at hosting the Olympics. It did not seem consistent that a politician who had reached out to the Castros, Chávez, Morales, and Ortega, in parochial fashion, would lobby for his own hometown over a “yes, we can” Latin American initiative, especially one involving an exciting city such as Rio.
2) The Obama lobbying speeches were counterproductive. The world has its own inspirational narratives and is not impressed that much by the Obamas’ Chicago sagas. It was accidental but unfortunate that the global viewers had seen some horrific YouTube clips of street fighting in the Windy City, and then were told by Michelle that her father had taught her how to land a right hook, and that it was a sacrifice for her to fly to Denmark to make the case for Chicago.
3) The Chicago bit was overdone. Obama should remember that there is a perfect storm brewing: The more we hear about Valerie Jarrett, Rahm Emanuel, Bill Ayers, and all his old Chicago friends, along with rumors about Tony Rezko–style backroom deals to cash in on Chicago real estate involving the Olympics, and continuing stories about Chicago’s street violence and corruption — the more it hurts the president to be identified as a “Chicago politician” who tries in heavy-handed fashion to implement change through the “Chicago way.” To a younger Obama, Chicago was the romantic can-do town of Reverend Wright, Michael Jordan, Oprah, and the Daley machine; to the world at large, it is something quite different, and far more unappealing.
4) Obama’s messianic appeal is wearing thin, both at home and abroad. I think that once Sarkozy essentially said to the world, “The emperor has no clothes,” the Obama facade crumbled. And here we are.
Robinson: 'Obama Invited A Comeuppance' [NRO Staff]
From Eugene Robinson, via WashingtonPost.com:
Told ya.
I wrote earlier this week that President Obama's trip to Copenhagen to lobby for Chicago's Olympics bid could be futile or even counterproductive. Obama-mania notwithstanding, the U.S. president is always seen at international gatherings as the ultimate Bigfoot, and nobody likes to be Bigfooted. Chicago used the Powell doctrine of "overwhelming force" to try to win, but in this context the deployment of presidential power and charisma only served to invite a comeuppance.
The Olympics movement is a strange culture with its own etiquette and mores. I don't think Chicago would have won the games if Obama had stayed home, but, clearly, his going didn't help. The International Olympic Committee likes a little humility, and — almost by definition — no POTUS can be convincingly humble. The first lady would have had a better shot on her own.
I have to be happy for Rio de Janeiro and all of Brazil, though. Rio is one of the world's great cities — a place where sea, mountains and urban electricity all meet in a setting so beautiful it melts your heart. The city knows how to throw a party — carnaval happens every year, and it's the greatest show on earth. Parabens, cariocas!
Carlson: 'Why Didn't Obama See This Coming?' [NRO Staff]
Tucker Carlson on Obama and the Olympics, via WashingtonPost.com:
But here's the most interesting question about today's Olympic vote: Why didn't Obama see this coming? He spends all this time, gets all this press, uses all this political capital to promote Chicago, and then loses? What an amateur. Prosecutors don't ask witnesses questions in court unless they're sure of the answers. Presidents don't stake their personal reputations on contests whose outcomes are uncertain. Very foolish move. No wonder he can't get health care passed.
Top 10 Reasons Chicago Didn't Get the Olympics
10. Dead people can't vote at IOC meetings
9. Obama distracted by 25 min meeting with Gen. McChrystal
8. Who cares if Obama couldn't talk the IOC into Chicago? He'll be able to talk Iran out of nukes.
7. The impediment is Israel still building settlements.
6. Obviously no president would have been able to acomplish it.
5. We've been quite clear and said all along that we didn't want the Olympics.
4. This isn't about the number of Olympics "lost", it's about the number of Olympics "saved" or "created".
3. Clearly not enough wise Latina judges on the committee
2. Because the IOC is racist.
1. It's George Bush's fault.
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