A Fine Day To Be In Copenhagen / (That Went Well...)

So Obama will be making news from Copenhagen tonight while the networks lead with the worst headline unemployment figure since June 1983.  That's message management and total focus!  Well, maybe he can pitch the Chicago Olympics as shovel-ready stimulus.  I say it's on to Kabul!

BLAME IT ON RIO: Geez, Chi-town is out in the first round?  As a Yankee fan I know the feeling, but still - who knew there was so much lingering resentment of Bush around the world?  (That is the only possible explanation, right?)

Props to Drudge for a great headline - "The Ego Has Landed".  Some days he earns his paycheck.

From the BBC coverage:

"The shock of Chicago's elimination was greater for the fact that it came in the first round. And greater for the fact that President Obama had taken valuable hours from his packed and tense political schedule to travel to Copenhagen. His legendary powers of persuasion will be said to have failed him, though in reality it will be Chicago's bid that failed him. Nonetheless, this is a moment which allows the president's detractors to allege waning prestige on the part of his presidency. And it will raise questions about the political advice that he is receiving."

No mention of Bush?  I don't think it is possible but maybe, maybe it will dawn on someone in the White House that many parts of the world opposed America for their own reasons even before Bush came along and will continue to oppose it even after he leaves.  Oh, never mind.

THIS DOESN'T LOOK LIKE KABUL: 

Obama, McChrystal meet in Copenhagen

By Sam Youngman - 10/02/09 08:18 AM ET

After making his pitch to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), President Barack Obama met with the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan while still on the ground in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Well that won't provide any useful visuals at all.  What are we going to be offered, Obama looking all martial while posing with McChrystal at Tivoli Gardens?  I guess not:

The president met with Gen. Stanley McChrystal, who has called for more troops in Afghanistan, aboard Air Force One shortly before Obama departed Denmark to return to the U.S.

...The meeting lasted about 25 minutes in the president's forward cabin aboard the plane, and it was the first time the two men had met in person since mid-May when McChrystal was in the Oval Office.

The May meeting ended with the President saying "Let's do lunch sometime.  Real soon."

Comments

[Jane]

who knew there was so much lingering resentment of Bush around the world?

Indeed!

[Fresh Air]

Nonetheless, this is a moment which allows the president's detractors to allege waning prestige on the part of his presidency.

Allege?

[Elroy Jetson]

This foreshadows the results of negotiating with the Iranians, I think.
Time for the Chicago gang to go back home and try to find a legitimate way to clean up the Windy City.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Mwah-hah-hah.

And who was the first here to propose that Obama didn't have it nailed down?

[Melinda Romanoff]

Yeeeeeee-hah!

This is soooo Bush's fault.

[Sue]

Repeating from other thread on my learning Chicago was eliminated...

Are you kidding me????? I am never right and I thought this was a gimme. Dagnabbittt!!!!

[PD]

His legendary powers of persuasion will be said to have failed him, though in reality it will be Chicago's bid that failed him.

Chicago's bid failed Obama personally? Where do these people come from?

If it's not all about him, someone forgot to let the BBC reporter in on the secret.

[bishop]

Wow, who would have thought a community organizer with few responsibilities, would have nothing to show for it, I could have sworn someone told us about that

[hit and run]

You know who I feel the sorriest for?

The flight crew and staff on Michelle's plane going home.

All that sacrifice and she was rejected?

If momma ain't happy, etc.

[Captain Hate]

For the first time in my life I'm proud of the IOC.

[matt]

Barack Hussein Obama
Ha..Ha...Ha....

[Sue]

Drudge's headline...The Ego Has Landed.

Savor that for a moment.

[PeterUK]

Fresh Air,
It's the BBC,they would give Obama personal services if they could get past M.

[Melinda Romanoff]

I didn't know the IOC didn't want to upset the Bears pre-season schedule.

[Sue]

I feel horrible rooting against the US. But the grin on my face can't be denied.

[daddy]

"You know who I feel the sorriest for?

The flight crew and staff on Michelle's plane going home."

Truer words never spoken.

[PD]

That result kinda takes the air out of this CNN headline:

Michelle Obama steals the show in Copenhagen

[Sue]

The NRO guys are wondering if this means the IOC is racist.

[Pofarmer]

So, Obama fails again. He has put his credibility as a leader on the line many times in the last couple months. Cap and trade, health care, afghanistan, the Olympics. Let's hope this is a trend.

[Sue]

I comfort myself in knowing that half of Chicagoans didn't want the Olympics anyway. I will smile for them to assuage my guilt.

[peter]

Barack Hussein Obama
Ha..Ha...Ha....

so many good posts... so little time.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Cap and trade, health care, Afghanistan, the Olympics.

I think four events is enough to announce a trend.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Now, what's the over-under on the US government cutting back on support to the Olympics? And maybe a round of Waxman hearing on whether the athletes are real amateurs?

[Try Hang Gliding]

Does the host country still get to add a sport to the Olympic line up?

Guess what's big in Brazil -- besides soccer, basketball and beach volleyball?

Might have to start getting out more to hone the skills.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Oh, and did anyone notice that O didn't make it to Afghanistan as Kristol predicted, but did manage to take the CO out of theatre for a full day for a 25 minute meeting?

[Captain Hate]

Epic Fail for the Huckster-in-Chief

[Sue]

Rush is starting with IOC is racist. Drudge's headline. He is also smiling, though I don't have ditto-cam to verify that.

[Dave (in the People's Banana Republic of MA)]

So much for that.
(Q&D ms-paint)

[Fresh Air]

All that sacrifice and she was rejected?

She got herself dressed up as a Rolo candy for nothing. Oh well, there's always Halloween. That is, if that dress isn't out of style in three weeks.

[Sue]

Dave,

Perfect.

[Captain Hate]

I think Rush is blowing a load over this; for a change he's not irritating me.

This is a huge victory for the people of Chicago who weren't anxious to have their city turned upside down. Thank God no Stimulus Funds will be expended on this.

[Diana]

Color me Happy!
The World has stopped chugging the Kool-Aid!
"No We Can't"

[PD]

One of my colleagues in Brasil is hoping Rio doesn't make it, much like we who live in/near Chicago were hoping the same about Chicago.

[WestWright]

OMG, just think of the Political Capital BO has just blown, not to mention the carbon credits that the taxpayers bought.

[Cecil Turner]

There might be some good news for the Administration out of all this. I know I'm personally transitioning from schadenfreude to actual concern. These goofballs apparently believe if they just talk nice to people, other governments will forget their own interests in order to support the nice man from the hyperpuissance. As if. Combined with the continuing damage from the borrow-to-invest-in-partisan-projects domestic policies, and it's hard to see how we begin digging out.

At this point I'm not sure whether it's better to support 'em on the theory that we all need to pull together, or to kick 'em while they're down on the hopes that they'll finally pull through the denial phase. If you believe Drudge's headline, you'd lean toward the former . . . but I find myself drawn to the latter. At least this is a sort of change: they started with a slow-speed train wreck, but now they've picked up the pace.

[Mark O]

Bet on Madrid. Juan Antonio is dying and wants it in his city.

[Barbara]

Pofarmer - Exactly so.

"He has put his credibility as a leader on the line many times in the last couple months. Cap and trade, health care, afghanistan, the Olympics. Let's hope this is a trend."

He has no concept of leadership or judicious use of prestige and power. This was a huge belly-flop on an Olympic scale. Do you think he'll learn anything from it? I doubt it. He and his charming wife will blame this embarrassment on someone else.

[Me-chelle]

How the f%#& does this help my children?!

[megapotamus]

It's win-win. I'm in Atlanta and the Olympics, while modestly interesting (to me) was a titanic bust economically that entrenched the sort of gub rent-seeker that builds stadii. Congratulations Chi-Town! You are freed of this poisoned chalice and perhaps the demonstration that your Ward Heelers are not omnipotent, quite the reverse. Barry is all flash across the board; he obviously cannot even manage the simplest of electoral political calculations. What a loser.

[Fresh Air]

Now if we can just get rid of Daley...

[Sue]

The Utah Olympics are the only Olympics in (I forget the # of years) that have made a profit. $200 million. And who was in charge? Brought in to save the Olympics? Why, yes, that would be Mitt Romney, my friends.

[Captain Hate]

Has the suicide hotline been alerted to check the studios of MESSNBC? If you kill yourself on the air and nobody watches, does it really happen?

[Thomas Collins]

Big win for Obama. Having folks ding him for failing to bring the Olympics to Chicago is preferable to folks buzzing about the unemployment figures, or speculation about what Obama told McChrystal (my guess is Obama told McChrystal Afghan-Lite has been decided upon and if he doesn't like it he can quit).

[peter]

Color me Happy!
The World has stopped chugging the Kool-Aid!
"No We Can't"

......today was the day the oceans started to rise again???

[Sue]

They are blaming Michael Jordan in Chicago. That's who I would blame. The world's favorite sports figure.

[Sue]

What about all of those Obama cronies who bought up all that land and won't be able to profit from them? Shouldn't we feel sorry for them today?

[peter]

Danish Saga Blue for this cheesy prez

[Jane]

Cecil,

Give us a day to gloat and we will come around.

Of course you are assuming they are capable of learning.

[Sue]

"We were teasing her this morning and we said, 'Well, it's time for the closer to come out again,'" Jarrett said with a laugh.

"We were all teasing her this morning and we said, 'Well, it's time for the loser to come out again,'" Sue said with a laugh.

[PeterUK]

No doubt this will be on the lips of the Obamas as they fly back,leaving a huge carbon footprint.

"
Wonderful, wonderful Copenhagen
Friendly old girl of a town
'Neath her tavern light
On this merry night
Let us clink and drink one down
To wonderful, wonderful Copenhagen
Salty old queen of the sea
Once I sailed away
But I'm home today
Singing Copenhagen, wonderful, wonderful
Copenhagen for me
I sailed up the Skagerrak
And sailed down the Kattegat
Through the harbor and up to the quay
And there she stands waiting for me
With a welcome so warm and so gay
Wonderful, wonderful Copenhagen
Wonderful, wonderful Copenhagen
Friendly old girl of a town
'Neath her tavern light
On this merry night
Let us clink and drink one down
To wonderful, wonderful Copenhagen
Salty old queen of the sea
Once I sailed away
But I'm home today
Singing Copenhagen, wonderful, wonderful
Copenhagen for me "

[Porchlight]

They are blaming Michael Jordan in Chicago.

That's it! If only Michael Jordan had gotten more behind the bid, Chicago would have won.

Obama learned well from his fellow Chicagoans, I see. There is always someone else to blame.

[Sue]

PuK,

I was thinking "The Lady is a Tramp" would be the song they were humming. Looking back, that should have been my first clue they weren't enthralled with the Obamas.

[Militant Banana]

Obama: "Yes We Can"

IOC: "No You Don't"

[Melinda Romanoff]

See what happens when you send Oprah instead of Ditka?

[Sue]

Obama should have sent Romney to campaign for the Olympics. A proven winner.

[megapotamus]

That of course is pronounced "Vahnderfool, vahnderfool.... "

Think Arianna Muffington.

[Dave (in the People's Banana Republic of MA)]

Peter, meanwhile in Denmark they're signing ♪♪ "My kind of town, Chicago isn't..." ♪♪.

[Sue]

Over at Ace's the point is being made that the next speech you hear from Obama about the Olympics won't have a single "I" in it.

[Dave (in the People's Banana Republic of MA)]

Or singing.

[PeterUK]

Cecil Turner.

Remember the scorpion!

[Sue]

Dave,

I just had a wonderful thought, I could learn sign language and sign songs, since I can't carry a tune in a bucket. My family would love it! "The ears, the ears."

[PeterUK]

It might be this instead.

"Copenhagen it makes me feel so good.
Copenhagen the way I know it should.
I put a little chew in my mouth,
Go spittin and a-slobberin
All around the house, that
Copenhagen, it makes me feel so good.

1.
I took a chew just the other night-
It made me feel so fine.
I grabbed my honey baby
And I pinched her ol behind.
She said, you better spit out that
Chewin tobaccer if you wanna kiss
Me on the big ol smacker,
That copenhagen, it makes me feel so good.

Chorus

2.
I was sittin in a bar room
And I took a little dip--
Drinkin beer & talkin
But I had no place to spit.
So I spit a stream out on the floor,
And that bouncer flung me out the door,
That copenhagen, it makes me feel so good.

Chorus

Recitation

Its a cure all too-
It cures fits, warts, freckles, coughs,
Colds, runny nose.
Guaranteed not to rip, run or snag.
Makes conception a wonder and
Child birth a pleasure...
Thats copenhagen...

[megapotamus]

Cecil Turner, I also tend to take a more optimistic view looking for the didactic opportunities. Whatever else Barack is (and he's plenty o' stuff) he is a young man, not ossified like a deGaul. He CAN learn. He WILL learn (as he has lately on Israel, see Contentions) because it is his a$$ on the line. He will take it seriously because he takes himself seriously. He is an ideologue but also a survivor. He will save his own hide and friends, that means he just might wind up saving ours as well.

[Sue]

A headline over at ABC yesterday was The Obamas Go for the Gold, Can They Beat Rio. Hell, they can't even beat Tokyo.

[Stephanie]

Obama forgot one thing...the IOC had already awarded a games on the basis of race - Atlanta (Andy Young evoking MLK)... and how did the IOC and particularly Juan Antonio like the outcome?

They weren't going to make the same mistake twice particularly after Young and Jackson trashed up the city with all those disadvantaged economic enterprises and graft magnets AKA souvenir vendors...

[Sue]

Just to be clear what the headline was.

A headline over at ABC yesterday was "The Obamas Go for the Gold, Can They Beat Rio".

Hell, they can't even beat Tokyo.

[Porchlight]

You know, I'm beginning to wonder if Obama got punked. The WH really, really thought it was in the bag, and they spread the good news around (see Jarrett talking about Michelle the "closer," Rahm's smartass remarks about Chicago's critics not getting good seats, and the reaction of Chicago broadcasters to the news on HotAir).

Somebody on the IOC told them it was a slam dunk.

[Militant Banana]

Axelputz was on Fox after this was released:

"I don't pretend to know the politics of the IOC"

Wow! I thought you guys knew everything!

[PeterUK]

"He,Obama, will save his own hide and friends, that means he just might wind up saving ours as well."

Many thought the same about Tony Bliar. Like Bliar,he will simply move on the bigger things.
Don't you realise,modern politics is about politicians using their own country as a stake to get into the game.

[Steve]

We should boycott the Racist Olympics.

[Barbara]

Wasn't it Mitt Romney who was credited with saving the Utah Winter Olympics?

Peter Ueberroth ran the L.A. Olympics in 1984 and what a wonderful experience that was! It was a magical time in L.A., and was successful financially as well. A first, as I recall.

[Thomas Collins]

We Palin supporters are not happy about this result. Reason?

"A shame President Palin won't get a chance to preside over the opening of the 2016 Olympics."

I wish I could claim credit for that remark, but it is from the JammieWearingFool blog.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Porch, I don't think the Obama crowd need anyone to punk them to make fools of themselves. I'd still bet on them figuring the IOC couldn't possibly turn down the Saviour of the Nation and President of the World.

[Fresh Air]

A headline over at ABC yesterday was The Obamas Go for the Gold, Can They Beat Rio. Hell, they can't even beat Tokyo.

Sue--

Yesterday's headline of the Sun-Slimes (aka the B.O. Journal), "O-POSITIVE!"

Guess they got Samarach's blood type wrong.

[hit and run]

A headline over at ABC yesterday was 'The Obamas Go for the Gold, Can They Beat Rio'. Hell, they can't even beat Tokyo.

Hell, they didn't even get the friggin' Bronze. Fewest votes of any city in the selection process.

Rio, Madrid, Tokyo ... and Chicago

[Fresh Air]

Play the trombone, Zero.

[Fresh Air]

Try this trombone, damnit, Typhuspad:

[Jane]

And the winner is: RIO!

[bishop]

It's Rio, De Janeiro, we'll take Touzet's
"Girl from Ipanema"

[hit and run]

BREAKING RUMOR: Rahm leaning hard on Dems in Congress for bill doubling ethanol tariff on Brazil

[PeterUK]

I bet Obama is trying to work out how he can get the Rio Olympics to cost you money.

[bishop]

I think that export import bank loan is being reconsidered as we speak

[Sue]

Well good on Rio. They ponied up the most money anyway.

[Rob Crawford]

I feel horrible rooting against the US. But the grin on my face can't be denied.

Look at it this way -- no city should have the Olympics forced upon it. It's years of corruption, "private public partnerships" and tax-payer robbing that ends with a few weeks of horrific traffic.

[Stephanie]

From the comments at Ace's - a good catch and more embroidery...

His wife tugged at IOC members’ heart strings by discussing her late father, who had multiple sclerosis. She recounted sitting on his lap, watching Olympians such as Carl Lewis and Nadia Comaneci compete...

She was born in '64. Lewis' first Olympics was in 1984. So she watched the games on her dad's lap at age 20. Maybe he was crushed to death?

[Elliott]

Ueberroth on the voting: "I think they assumed that the wonderful presentation by Chicago — that Chicago was going to be okay."

[PeterUK]

The Olympics should have a permanent site. There must be some God forsaken volcanic atoll in the Pacific that could do with the income.

[Elliott]

As one person remarked to me, regarding the U.S. presentation, "If they really were serious about it, they'd have sent the television executives."

[Elliott]

But where will they accommodate the IOC members, PUK?

[hit and run]

Oh, and before I forget...

Pelé!!!

[Stephanie]

that ends with a few weeks of horrific traffic.

Actually, the traffic was non-existent here (Atlanta) for the games. They had warned about it for so long that when the games arrived, the streets were barren - all the locals had gone to the beach. We almost changed our plans and stayed home when we realized how easy it was to go downtown and buy tix to some of the less popular sports. We had a blast at field hockey, baseball, weightlifting, table tennis etc all tix for about $10 each. Not bad and meeting people from all over was lots of fun. We made friends and tried our best to be good examples of southern hospitality.

[PeterUK]

Elliott.
What are volcanoes for?

[Elliott]

Well, quite. But how do you convince the IOC to vote for that?

[Jim Ryan]

This Rio movie is beautiful: Black Orpheus.

[Jane]

Wishful thinking I know but I think this defeat will buoy health care opponents who will now realize that Obama can fail.

[clarice]

I love Black Orpheus. It is one of the few dvds I own.
Cecil, great minds and all--I just submitted an article on that nonsensical theory that if only Bush (who achieved far more multilaterally than O has) had been less of a multilateralist and more charismatic like The One we would have higher standing and more power in the world. PHEH on such stupidity !!

[PeterUK]

Elliott,
Does the IOC have any money of its own?

[A plague upon 'em.]

There's a flea circus at Tivoli G, and they're bringing home a present for the Portugee Pup.
================================

[Elliott]

With its disgusting commercialization and professionalization of the games I believe it does.

[Jim Ryan]

Antonio Carlos Jobim. Guy could write tunes.