What do you think about THE 0bama's FAILED grandstand for the Chicago Olympics?

Obama's Failed Appeal for Chicago Games Seen as 'Teachable Moment'



Matthew Mosk





President Obama's failed Olympic gambit Friday was a blow to his image on the world stage and a very public humbling experience for a man who has grown unaccustomed to losing elections.



After carving out 20 hours to try and secure the games for his hometown of Chicago - about 15 of them spent in the air between Washington and Copenhagen, where the International Olympic Committee ultimately voted for Rio de Janeiro to host the 2016 Summer Olympics - Mr. Obama emerged sheepishly from Marine One Friday afternoon and loped, head down, across the South Lawn. During brief remarks a few moments later, he congratulated the people of Brazil, and expressed no regrets.



"I believe it's always a worthwhile endeavor to promote and boost the United States of America," he said.



Whether the Copenhagen defeat will carry lasting implications for Mr. Obama's image back home, though, remained a subject of intense debate even after the president returned to the Oval Office with a commitment to focus on more substantive matters, such as the latest flagging employment numbers.



To many of the president's allies, the episode represented a brief political diversion that was worthwhile on the chance it could elevate Chicago's bid at a time when Brazil was emerging as a sentimental favorite.



To Mr. Obama's critics, the trip resonated as a sign that the White House has begun to overestimate the value of Mr. Obama's personal magnetism and the power of a well-delivered speech. The episode was, in the view of Republican strategist Todd Harris, something the president might call a teachable moment.



"I think there's an arrogance that permeates just about everything the Obama administration does," Mr. Harris said. "I don't think the IOC's decision will hurt him politically, but it is illuminating and hopefully will be a learning experience about how much influence he does or does not have abroad."



Inside the White House, the decision to jet to Copenhagen to make a last-ditch appeal to the members of the International Olympic Committee, while not the original plan, began to look like a worthwhile risk. From the vantage point of seasoned Olympics watchers, even Republicans like former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, the move seemed inspired.



Mr. Romney told reporters he thought the president's personal outreach would seal the deal. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva thought it would, too.



"We saw a plane, President Obama's plane, Air Force One, arriving and the television was showing all the time President Obama. And my friends were saying 'Oh, we've lost now. President Obama has arrived and we're going to lose," he said Friday in an emotional interview.



But the high expectations only made it look worse when Chicago's bid was knocked out in the first round of voting.



"The president put his prestige on the line and to have him lose, it was really a slap in the face to the United States," said John Feehery, who served as top aide to former Republican House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert. "I do think this is instructive about how seriously the international community takes Obama. It seems they don't take him very seriously."



Mr. Obama's supporters said the sting of the defeat will only be momentary.



Robert Zimmerman, a public relations executive and Democratic National Committee member from New York, said the 24/7 news cycle will initially draw attention to the defeat.



"This will be a major story for the pundits, and it will be replaced in the next 24 hours by something else," Mr. Zimmerman said. "That's the strength and weakness of the 24/7 news cycle. Nothing is forever, neither the good news nor the disappointments."



Democratic strategist Howard Wolfson said the outcome reminded him of the trip New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg made four years ago in an attempt to secure an Olympic bid for his city.



Mr. Wolfson, now an adviser to Mr. Bloomberg, said when the mayor returned empty-handed, voters still thanked him for the effort.



"I think it was right for President Obama to go and make the pitch," Mr. Wolfson said. "They clearly went in another direction. But the president needs to be able to go and make a strong case for the country."



How the public responds may help future presidents assess whether the Olympic bid process is an appropriate stage for an American president, said Dana Perino, who served as press secretary to former President George W. Bush.



Unlike other countries, Ms. Perino said, "the tradition in America has been that we don't use our government to influence our Olympic team, and presidents typically leave it to the private sector to win that bid."



But she, for one, does not fault Mr. Obama for breaking with that tradition and making the effort.



"I think President Obama sincerely wanted to help his hometown and the country to get the Olympics because itWhat do you think about THE 0bama's FAILED grandstand for the Chicago Olympics?
Another example of his inability to place the public above the greed and corruption he dragged with him into the White House.He expected to gain from supporting his Chicago cronies back home with the IOC selection of Chicago, but it blew up in his face once more, because he never learns.
I think we should be proud that Obama made the effort. We have no reason to scorn him for not succeeding.What do you think about THE 0bama's FAILED grandstand for the Chicago Olympics?
I bet it was BS and he was just using us to take Michelle on yet another Euro trip for shopping.
All I heard when listening to his speech was 'me, me, me, me ,me' and not why the Olympics would be good in Chicago and how Chicago could improve the Olympics. He was not a salesman selling his product which he should have been.What do you think about THE 0bama's FAILED grandstand for the Chicago Olympics?
His ego took a big kick. So bet it. He should have stayed home and saved all of us taxpayers some bucks. But does he ever think about that? No way...he thinks about his image first, always his image first! Disgusting, and this "show" of his importance indicates that he's definitely losing his "glow". Thank God for that!



BY THE WAY, I NEVER COMPLETELY READ QUESTIONS THE LENGTH OF YOURS. YOUR QUESTION COULD HAVE BEEN POSTED WITH A LOT LESS WORDS, BELIEVE ME.
I think it is about time that Obama quit promoting himself and finally do something as a president. He certainly accomplished nothing as a US Senator A president has to be able to do something other than vote present. It is like he doesn't want to do anything for fear of damaging his own self image.



Just like he doesn't want us to know anything about his years at Harvard Law School., he continues to have a fear of us discovering things that he feels the need to stay hidden.. For some reason he will not open up his hand written long version of his birth certificate in Hawaii.



He has certainly been doing an incredible job of damaging the image of the United States in the eyes of our foreign countries. We have totally lost the respect of our enemies and they don't fear us, as a strong country. Actually, we are the laughing stock of Iran and many other countries. Now, Obama has damaged his self-inflated image in the eyes of foreign countries. He has finally proven himself to be a empty suit with over used words that he uses to promote himself.



Obama needs to learn to stay out of the private sector. He is not the president of the IOC and had no logical reason to have gone to Denmark with Michelle and Oprah. I think his appearance hurt Chicago's chances.



Simply put, Obama cannot control everyone and everything. He nees to roll up his sleeves and do the job he is being paid to do. America needs a leader, not a world-wide celebrity, who spends his time apologizing for America.
Oh please... get over it... and would you people please stop using the zero when you write Obama's name. You did it in your question. It's really immature.



Matthew Mosk is an idiot. I mean, he can write articles and get published, I guess... but this is a load of tired partisan drivel.



The Obamas went to the Olympic Commission and supported the bid to have the Olympics in the U.S.A. That's nice. I don't mind. Kind of nice, in fact.



Chicago is the adopted hometown of the Obama's. That's nice. Now it even makes more sense to me why they might want to strongly support the U.S. bid for the Olympic games.



Big freakin' woop.



People can moan, cry and complain about Obama and say "Oh, that was a bad move" or "Oh. Look at that. The Obama's failed."



But... you know what? What I see is that my President stood up and spoke out for having the Olympics in the United States.



I don't have a problem with that.



Mr. Mosk's tiring article is petty, nit-picky and, frankly, uninteresting to me.



I know what my President did - and I liked it.
Teachable moment. LOL. Where was the teachable moment when that teen was just beaten to death in Chicago? http://cbs2chicago.com/local/Rev.Jackson鈥?/a>
i would guess he will be the first and last sitting president to make such an appeal. while i am neutral on his involvement, i hope it was a learning moment for him. this is the first olympics ever held in south america and i say good for them, i would rather be in rio than chicago anyway.
If Obama says " I believe its a worthwhile endeavor to promote and boost the United States of America" then why does he continuously trash us on the national and world stage ? Let me rephrase that for you MR OBAMA !! What you really meant to say was this "I believe its a worthwhile endeavor to promote mine and boost my political cronies best interests" God im so sick and tired of this man Obama , his lying , his half truths and obvious political patronage"
What a crime for the President of your country to try and help seal the Olympics for Chicago.



Obama is the best thing that happened to the USA in the last 50 years - though it seems its only the rest of the world that see it!