And the winner is…Rio
Olympics 2016: Tearful Pele and weeping Lula greet historic win for Rio
Football legend Pele, right, and Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, left, celebrate with their delegation after it was announced that Rio de Janeiro has won the bid to host the 2016 Summer Olympic Games. Photograph: Getty Images
The prospect of beach volleyball on Copacabana and sailing in the shadow of Sugarloaf mountain dramatically trumped Barack Obama's last-ditch intervention today as Rio de Janeiro was awarded the 2016 Olympic Games.
Just two years after Brazil hosts the World Cup in 2014 and 120 years after the first modern Games, they will come to South America for the first time after IOC members overwhelmingly bought into Brazil's vision for expanding the Olympic movement into fresh territories and turbocharging economic development. Rio conclusively defeated Madrid, the third time in a row the Spanish capital has come close, in the final runoff by 66 votes to 32. (Full Article)
Obama's EPIC FAIL
Wow, this one is hard to explain. The President jetted off to Copenhagen to make his case for Chicago hosting the 2016 Olympics. A move that the President shouldn't have been dumb enough to make if he wasn't fairly sure of the outcome. Chicago was the first city to be eliminated from contention for the 2016 games. A total embarrassment to the President--who is likely reaming out whoever it was that made the call to go to Copenhagen. Glenn reacts to the breaking news. ( Beck Radio Transcript )
U.S. first lady Michelle Obama is seated with television talk show host Oprah Winfrey at the opening ceremonies of the the 121st International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session and XIII Olympic Congress at the Copenhagen Opera House October 1, 2009. Chicago, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo are competing to host the 2016 Summer Olympic Games and the IOC will choose the winning city in a vote on Friday, October 2. REUTERS/Charles Dharapak/Pool (DENMARK SPORT OLYMPICS POLITICS ENTERTAINMENT)
Michelle Says a Sacrifice for Her to go to Denmark for Olympics
The noble “sacrifice” of Michelle Obama; Updated: Chicago & Tokyo eliminated; Games over, prepare for recriminations; It’s Rio
The Noble "Sacrifice" of Michelle Obama
by Michelle Malkin
It's hard out there for a first lady of the United States. Take it from travel-weary Michelle Obama. On Tuesday night, she boarded a luxury 757 for Copenhagen. Think of the stairs she had to climb. Oh, the agony of the feet!
Upon arrival, Mrs. O, her "chit-chat buddy," Chicago-based talk-show queen Oprah Winfrey, and Chicago powerbroker/interest-conflicted real estate mogul/senior White House adviser Valerie Jarrett immediately embarked on a grueling, grip-and-grin campaign to secure the Olympics for their hometown. Our smile muscles ache in sympathy.
You will be comforted to know that the gracious FLOTUS feels your pain for her pain. "As much of a sacrifice as people say this is for me or Oprah or the president to come for these few days," the first lady told a group of fellow Chicago 2016 boosters, "so many of you in this room have been working for years to bring this bid home." Translation: Thank me, thank you, for all we do.
Never has self-congratulatory gratitude been raised to such an art form, but there was no time for loyal subjects to dwell. The selflessly indefatigable Michelle Obama had to rush off for an 800-meter wine-and-cheese dash with International Olympic Committee members, followed by a rigorous aerobic Heads of State luncheon hosted by Queen Margrethe II of Denmark and another high-heeled trek to the IOC Opening Ceremony at the Copenhagen Opera House.
Of course, it's not entirely clear which "people" out there are saying that the Obamas' jaunt to Denmark is a "sacrifice."
Certainly not the families of the 43 American soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines who have died in Afghanistan since Gen. Stanley McChrystal called for more reinforcements.
Certainly not the families of the nearly 40 children and teens in Chicago who lost their lives on the out-of-control streets of the Windy City so far this year.
The first lady's slip of self-absorption reminds me of a useful passage in Washington Post writer Liza Mundy's biography of Mrs. Obama. After graduating from Princeton University and Harvard Law School, the bitterly oppressed Michelle Obama headed back to her native Chicago to join the high-powered law firm of Sidley Austin -- the ninth largest in the world. There, Mundy's book reported, the future first lady griped about having to do the duties of a second-year associate while she was a second-year associate -- demonstrating the trademark attitude of entitlement and inflated ego that led the law partner who recruited her to later describe her as "perennially dissatisfied."
Doing her first job was a burden then. Enjoying the perks of her current job is a "sacrifice" now.
Michelle Obama has a gift for selling special-interest business-as-usual as public-interest charity. Thus, the insatiable appetite of Chicago's polite elite for a massive Olympics windfall to crony developers is redefined as a do-good campaign for the children. Said Mrs. Obama:
"We need all of our children to be exposed to the Olympic ideals that athletes from around the world represent, particularly this time in our nation's history, where athletics is becoming more of a fleeting opportunity. … When we're seeing rates of childhood obesity increase, it is so important for us to raise up the platform of fitness and competition and fair play; to teach kids to cheer on the victors and empathize with those in defeat, but most importantly, to recognize that all the hard work that is required to do something special."
"Hard work," you know, like jetting off with your gal pals to schmooze other world leaders, famous athletes and celebrities for a few days on the taxpayers' dime.
In the Olympics of the aggrieved, Mrs. Obama gets a gold medal.
The Cost of Obama's Copenhagen Trip
A reader adds a few points to my back-of-the-envelope math on the cost of President Obama's trip to Copenhagen to lobby the International Olympic Committee and (probably?) witness the announcement that Chicago will host the 2016 games.
When I mentioned the cost yesterday, my aim was to note the financial, time, and opportunity costs for the president. I have a hard time believing Obama would take this trip halfway around the world if there was any chance he will be left standing as they announce that Rio is getting the games. I suspect the IOC has given the White House a wink and a nod, so to speak.
As to whether Chicago should get the Olympics, I'm undecided. I attended and enjoyed the Atlanta Games in 1996, but I also know hosting the games has enormous costs and headaches for the locals. It's a chance to shine on the world stage, but it also brings all normal economic activity in your city to a grinding halt for about a month. You end up building a decent amount of infrastructure that will rarely be used to that extent again; there's rarely enough ability to get around the city; and of course, you become a target for terrorism.
Bottom line, this seems like small potatoes for a president with a full plate. As Ed puts it, "Barack Obama has decided to put his international influence on the line not to push for more support in Afghanistan or sanctions on Iran, but to act as Salesman in Chief for Chicago and its Olympics bid for 2016."
The cost of Obama’s trip will not be close to $1 mil. It is well over $10 mil if it is a dime. The figures you quoted (accurately) are for flying a VC-25 (Presidential 747). Presidential trips require both 747s, as one is a backup. However, the costs soar when you realize that from the moment a POTUS indicates he wants to go somewhere, dozens, if not hundreds of people start preparing every detail. These details include security, communications, protocol, logistics that boggle the mind and transportation that most people never see. Several Air Force cargo planes of equipment are loaded and flown to the destination with armored limos, security personnel from the Secret Service and the relevant military branches, fuels specialists, etc. A National Airborne Operations Command Post 747 from Offutt AFB, NE will accompany him to keep POTUS in constant communications in case of national or word emergency . . . We are now up to three 747s, multiple cargo planes and costs for personnel who fly commercial ahead of POTUS. If FLOTUS flies separately, add a C-32 (757) for her and her staff, entourage, hangers-on etc, with attendant security, logistics, etc. Add a few more million dollars, though many personnel in Denmark will cover preparations for both POTUS and FLOTUS.
Air Force One is a perk for all Presidents and I hesitate to criticize their use and cost. Bill Clinton flew the wings off Air Force One, but I criticized him for his policies, behavior and attitudes toward what he considered the benighted peasants of this country. He is the head of his party and, all Presidents use AF 1 liberally, as they should. Moreover, we need to keep him safe at all times and in contact with whomever is needed. AF 1 is like the medieval king arriving to fanfares of trumpets and bringing the majesty of the office (however tarnished by recent occupants) to all destinations. Despite Obama’s words and best efforts, we are still the dominant country on Earth and any President is both head of state and head of government. Let the trumpets sound upon any POTUS’ arrival.
Obama’s trip to Copenhagen to bring the Olympics to my hometown is both stupid and unnecessary as half of Chicago does not want them. It will be the ultimate trough for the piggish politicians in Chicago to bury their collective snouts in corruption. However, I encourage all conservatives to go after Obama on the substance of the trip, not the cost of flying there. We shall soon have conservative POTUS and he or she will use AF 1. Let’s not justify the inevitable criticism from the lunatic left about use of AF 1.
Jim Geraghty Report
Related Resources:
The diminishing power of the other O
An illustrated guide: All the president’s Olympic cronies
Olympics in Chicago… 10 Reasons Why Chicago Should Not Host the Olympics
Where Valerie Garrett Fits Into the Obama WH Scheme - Video
Here Are ALL of the People the WH Has Thrown Under the Bus – Video
WH Advisor Valerie Jarrett Slum Lord and Funded Slum Lords – Video
Making The Connections… (Part 1) – It is Time to…
Community Organizers (in Chicago) Pray “to” Obama…
Posted: Knowledge Creates Power – Cross Posted: Daily Thought Pad
No comments:
Post a Comment