’)I don’t subscribe to the GOP/MSM theory that the President is doing too much – that’s what Presidents (the good ones at least) do. But I do think his Olympic pitch trip is silly. You don’t need a President to sell the IOC on holding the Olympics. They’re either going to give it to Chicago or not. If the bid doesn’t succeed, it’ll get played up as a mistake by Obama, while he doesn’t get much credit if it does come this way.
I want the Olympics back in America, but I don’t think the president needs to do anything to make that happen.
The only reason he’s going is because IT IS A DONE DEAL.
It is unbelievable that he’s making this trip, plus complete entourage, for something as irrelevant as the Olympics.
He and Michelle have probably never been to Scandinavia, so why not?
But but but you’re a libtard blogger, Oliver, you’re supposed to swallow the Kool-Aid no matter what he does and not think for yourself..!
Why do you suppose the President wants to make that trip? That makes for a very interesting question.
Why do you suppose the President wants to make that trip? That makes for a very interesting question.
Yes indeed. Questions swirl…
Ok, let’s try this.
The Olympics will bring how many construction jobs to Chicago? Those jobs are what?
Yes, union jobs.
Any connections between Obama and Chicago unions?
Any connections with Chicago real estate???
Any more questions?
for something as irrelevant as the Olympics.
Right. Irrelevant. For the record, the Olympics are kinda a big deal. Good for the economy, etc.
He and Michelle have probably never been to Scandinavia, so why not?
Yeah, frame it like Obama is a selfish prick for doing this. Ooooh boy, a vacation! On the taxpayers’ dime! Sweet! Maybe after I misappropriate their money for a fishing expedition in Norway, I will go door-to-door around small-town America and molest puppies and oppress the white man!
Yes, and union jobs don’t count. They aren’t helpful to the local economy, or to the local people, in any way.
Fucking idiot.
Any more questions?
Just one: Are you really Glenn Beck? You know, what with all the conspiracy linkage and all, it seemed like an obvious question.
It is so fucking obnoxious for the right to do this shit, time after time, no matter what Obama does.
He gives a speech on education to schoolchildren.
FASCIST! INDOCTRINATION!
He goes to a meeting to secure the Olympics.
CORRUPTION! UNIONS ARE BAD!
He buys a dog for his children.
SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN IT FROM A RESCUE! ELITIST!
He has a glass of beer at a basketball game.
OMG!!! HORRIBLE! HE IS NEVER OFF THE CLOCK!
He supplies a birth certificate, indicating his birth in Hawaii.
WHERE’S THE LONG FORM! FORGERY! LIES!
What the fuck is wrong with you people? He literally can do nothing that you won’t blow out of proportion and freak out about. You’re all a bunch of idiot douchebags.
I am surprised the IOC has gone so far with Chicago, of all places, considering its own history of corruption scandals. I guess you can’t say they lack confidence…
Actually, I’m reading this the opposite way: if he doesn’t go, and Chicago doesn’t get the Olympics, he WILL get blamed. there has been a LOT of talk in the Chicago media about this; supposedly the Olympic bigwigs have been murmuring about how they’ll feel snubbed and insulted if he doesn’t show up.
Personally, I don’t think Obama cares that much about the Olympics. This trip is largely a gesture of personal loyalty to Illinois and Chicago. In that respect, it isn’t really a waste of time for him. It just wouldn’t be a great move for him to snub his home state and home town. Obama didn’t get where he is by blowing off the people who supported him early in his career. Just because Bush was a fanatic about loyalty doesn’t mean loyalty is intrinsically bad.
How soon they forget.
I am surprised the IOC has gone so far with Chicago, of all places, considering its own history of corruption scandals.
It’s not a bug: it’s a feature.
What Steve said, above. I think Obama wants to look like he hasn’t forgotten the folks back home.
As far as Chicago getting the deal, I don’t see what good can come from it. Every Olympics has had two things in common: 1) It started with the assurance that it will pay for itself, and 2) the taxpayers ended up getting soaked in the end.
From all the yelping, it sounds like I nailed it. Nice!
Steve, it’s as much personal loyalty as Cheney/Halliburton.
The only difference is that Cheney ran Halliburton, which is a real publicly traded company.
Chicago unions are basically…………………the mob.
Just when you can’t imagine the community organizer doing anything dumber…..he pleasantly surprises you.
I don’t want the Olympics back in America. The IOC should give as many participant countries and their cities as much opportunity as it can to foolishly spend hundred of millions of dollars on an extravaganza that only benefits a relatively few people. The City of Chicago, for example, is not exactly doing an exemplary job providing affordable housing and educating its young people.
But PTCruiser, think how much the City’s quality of life will improve with a new Archery Range and Kayak course!!
As been mentioned already, Obama wouldn’t be going if this weren’t already in the bag. Besides, if Chicago doesn’t get the games, the 2012 ads write themselves:
—”Mitt Romney: He brought the Olympics to America while others failed!”—-
And let’s be honest. Noone wants to see that commercial.
From all the yelping, it sounds like I nailed it. Nice!
What do you mean, joaqin? One of two things, I suppose:
a) the fact that I’m wrong and you bother to point it out means I’m right!
b) It doesn’t matter if I’m right or wrong, I got a rise out of you so I win!
Both are pretty common lines of asinine wingnut thinking, I’m just curious which one you’re going with.
Wilbur, you shouldn’t take this personal. Everything isn’t about Wilbur. It really isn’t.
Let’s have it in China again, because I want to see that opening ceremony one more time.
—”Mitt Romney: He brought the Olympics to America while others failed!”—-
Seriously? That’s your tag line for Mitt?
Any more questions?
Yes. When you sign up for an account, Mr. Beck, you should use your real name.
Union jobs are better than non-Union jobs on the whole. Higher pay = more tax revenues, not to mention people who can afford to do things like buy cars and homes and eat out at Oliver Garden or what have you.
I realize your wing-nut lizard-brains can’t handle the fact that Unions are indeed good for something, but spare us the mock outrage.
I don’t feel that strongly about the Olympics, but if Obama can take a trip to help make it happen thereby spurring a bit of economic growth, then so be it.
joaquin:
From all the yelping, it sounds like I nailed it. Nice!
me:
What do you mean, joaqin? …
joaquin:
Everything isn’t about Wilbur. It really isn’t.
heh heh heh. Classic.
But PTCruiser, think how much the City’s quality of life will improve with a new Archery Range and Kayak course!!
Yeah, isn’t Atlanta one of the most wonderful cities in the world to live.
I look at it this way, there’s always a 90% chance that the “average taxpayer” is going to get f*cked when the those with the power do anything. As a Chicagoan at least I’ll get a party first, and one that might otherwise never come again in my life time.
I’ll see you in Daley Plaza.
He’s going because the leaders of other finalist countries are going as well and getting Olympics (especially in Chicago) is a moderate boost both for the city and for him. Olympics are usually profitable these days. See this article:
http://www.china.org.cn/english/sports/111340.htm
In a nutshell, if Olympics are run well, they make at least $1 bln, possibly more. Athens Olympics lost money b/c government restricted ads and spent a lot of money on stadiums.
Every other big nation in the world is allowed to have their leader make — oftentimes successful — pitches to bring the Olympics to their country… but when our leader does it, it’s automatically a bad thing?
I can see some positives here. The US has done a lot over the past eight years to discourage foreign tourism. This could help stimulate tourism and improve America’s general perception amongst people around the world, in ways that could pay dividends far beyond the 2016 Olympics.
Wouldn’t you rather have your POTUS do this instead of the constant fundraising we saw during the Bush administration?!
The only reason he’s going is because IT IS A DONE DEAL.
This is correct. I presume that Obama has been told behind the scenes that it’s going to Chicago, so he’s making one last appearance of lobbying for his hometown so he can appear to be a hero when it happens.
I like the Olympics as much as the next guy, but I really, really can’t stand taxpayer-funded sports boondoggles of any kind, and the money laid out to accommodate the Olympics are really just another variation of corporate sports welfare. There’s a good reason that the ancient Greeks didn’t rotate it to a new city every year and instead just reused the existing infrastructure at Olympia.
Somewhat related.
Please don’t tell me that Obama isn’t planning on lining a bunch of Chicago pockets. Would he be traveling to IOC if instead of Chicago it was Miami or Dallas??? DOUBT IT!
—————————————————————
Ask Tony Soprano how the construction business is, and he’d probably say: “NOT TOO BAD, AND IT’S GONNA GET BETTA”
There has not been a lot of coverage of this. It happened back in July and is only now winding its way through the federal system.
Barack Obama and his administration are about to significantly drive up the costs of federal building construction. In an incredible reach of power, The Office of Management and Budget has directed that any federal construction over $25 million benefit unions.
The order would make all federal construction projects 10-20% more expensive by requiring all contractors to either use union workers and work rules to their employees. Contractors would also be required to make contributions to union pension funds and other union programs that non-union workers will never benefit from.
This will hugely drive up the cost of construction of federal buildings and line the pockets of unions without even having union workers involved in the projects. Statistics shows that only 15.6% of private construction workers in America belong to unions. In other words, 8 out of 10 construction workers in America will be legally denied the right to work on federal building projects.
Just what the doctor ordered in a down economy.
Oliver: “I want the Olympics back in America, but I don’t think the president needs to do anything to make that happen.”
Have you seen the composition of the IOC? A more pompous group of bandits you will never find. They are bound to hold it against the USA if their leader doesn’t come to kiss their collective pinky ring
Overexposed
The Limits of Charisma
Mr. President, please stay off TV.
“I am surprised the IOC has gone so far with Chicago, of all places, considering its own history of corruption scandals. ”
Uh – the whole Olympics enterprise is corrupt. Do some reading on how Salt Lake City got the Winter Games in 2002. The IOC is a private enterprise, and yet it makes public bodies take on huge debt loads to host the Olympics. Just as I get ticked that football, baseball, and basketball teams arm twist local governments into building them stadiums, so I am upset that Chicago is going to be on the hook for this thing (if we get it) for decades.
I live in Chicago, and read Oliver Willis daily. Hiya!
Um… we don’t want it. At least, those of us who haven’t drunk the Kool-Aid and have thought for ourselves. Please do not bring the Olympics to Chicago. I won’t be able to take a long enough vacation to avoid it. The taxpayers will be on the hook for it, our mass transit system is for sh*t anyway (and is broke, but still somehow managing to renovate every single train line, while the CTA accountants are told, in so many words, to look the other way), and it will make downtown, where a good percentage of Chicagoans go to work, completely unbearable. Crime will skyrocket, we’ll have to build stadiums and everything, all while our city’s infrastructure is failing.
Mr. President, good sir, I think you’re terrific, brilliant, and a goddamn Jedi. But please don’t help the Olympics come to Chicago.
Screw it. Between him, Oprah, and Daley, we’re going to get the damn games. Better start saving up those vacation days now.
I also live in Chicago and I read Oliver Willis (almost) daily.
I DO want it; I implore people reading this not to listen to noise coming from doomsayers. The city getting crowded for one month, six years for now is not a good enough reason pass up on a once in a lifetime experience. Money? Yeah it’s going to cost money, everything does, so why not spend some of it on something to be proud of? Even through hardship there is a basic human desire to do great things, it’s corny I know, but let’s not let the problems of today rob us of greatness tomorrow.
Go on vacation if you want, but you don’t speak for anyone but yourself.
Previous Olympic host cities include Sarajevo, Calgary, and Atlanta. And by gun, it put them on the map. (Simpsons Monorail Episode reference)
Nah, it’s more of a Shelbyville thing.