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

[Rick Ballard]

I had thought that perhaps His Nullity was dodging the headline BLS number on unemployment. Having read the whole release now, I believe he may be hiding from this:

Each year, the Current Employment Statistics (CES) survey employment estimates are benchmarked to comprehensive counts of employment for the month of March. These counts are derived from state unemployment insurance tax records that nearly all employers are required to file. For national CES employment series, the annual benchmark revisions over the last 10 years have averaged plus or minus two-tenths of one percent of total nonfarm employment. The preliminary estimate of the benchmark revision indicates a downward adjustment to March 2009 total nonfarm employment of 824,000 (0.6 percent).

I applaud the writers of this press release on their ability to ellide the fact that the BLS has totally blown their normal error range by 300% by the simplest of expedients - writing out "two-tenths of one percent" rather than 0.2 percent.

I would note that these are jobs which never existed (kinda like The Mystery of the Mythical Missing Mexicans). They come from the very broken BLS birth/death model. Perhaps the BLS should switch to a slow death/quick death model for the remainder of the Obama Maladministration?

[PeterUK]

"Antonio Carlos Jobim. Guy could write tunes."

Most certainly. He dedicated "One Note Samba" to Obama.

[Greg Q]

Damn, that's beautiful. Eliminated in the first round.

Someone needs to set up a google bomb of Obama, the Chicago Olympics bid, and "miserable failure".

:-)

[MDr]

When Barry originally announced he wouldn't be going to Copenhagen, he wasn't aware that ACORN had been grounded. Upon learning same, the SEIU was dispatched, their powers of persuasion working, and BO got the word. The votes are in the bag - it's safe to put your EGO on the line. And it was until, in the bag, until Broke Inane OBlubber uttered his third "I", during his myoptic speech.

[Ranger]

In other news, the new graph showing the persistant damage the Porkulus did to employment in this country is out:

http://michaelscomments.wordpress.com/2009/10/02/september-unemployment-the-job-loss-accelerates/>September Unemployment: The Job Loss Accelerates

And, http://www.slate.com/blogs/blogs/kausfiles/archive/2009/10/02/rattner-s-legacy-the-chooch-is-at-the-door.aspx>Kaus has an interesting observation on auto sales (via instapundit):

GM's sales are down 45% from last September (when sales were already bad enough to drive the company into banrkuptcy). Chrysler is down 42%. Ford is only down 5%. Car buyers are clearly punishing the two bailout recipients brutally. Robert Farago of Truth About Cars predicts that GM and Chrysler will both "go down by the end of next year" without a second, new federal bailout. The only question, he says, is whether the two bailed out manufacturers will need the cash before the 2010 midterm elections.

There is an embedded link worth reading as well.

[Elliott]

At least we can be thankful so much suffering was averted:

'Together we can dream and we can suffer. Because when the games have finished we will be better people'...This is signed by the people of Madrid.

--A member of Madrid's delegation, quoting a heartfelt missive to the IOC

[peter]

I copied and pasted this posting from Don Surber's blog's comments. It's obviously written by a liberal, but what cracked me up was the last line.

Here's the post:

Hate.

Nothing is dripping from this essay except hate.

It has nothing to do with the Olimpics, or sport, or civilization, or the work, sweat, and tears of people wishing for the Olimpics to come to their town.

This article is showing what the Republicans have become. A bunch of traitors.

The bid for the Olimpics was supposed to be for all of America, not just the USA, but for the whole continent.

Visitors of the olimpics to LA went to Mexico, visited Alaska and Canada, have seen the Carribean after yellow stone, and smelled porto ricon flavored food on its land, after American pie where Elvis dwelled.

No one from the Republicans threw his hat Chicago Olimpics bid, they just applied the only principle that collects Republicans now; If I’m not in charge, I’ll make sure every one fails.

Read the article again, and the comments to know the Republican plan for the country: Their plan: turn 98% of the Americans into their servants and domestics, after all, China and India is what Republicans are looking up to.

The night Chicago died.

[Elliott]

Maybe the Chicago delegation shouldn't have left the violin cases at home.

[Tom Bowler]

Jane,

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

I'm not sure it's all that wishful. Has he succeeded at anything since he got elected? Stimuli got shoved through before anybody knew what was in them because the financial world was threatening to come to an end. In that circumstance it wouldn't have mattered who happened to be in the White House.

Unfortunately for Obama, everybody caught on to his never-waste-a-crisis game plan, and that's when pissed off voters began gathering at tea parties. He's had quite a different time of it since. With full control of both Houses, he still has a real problem getting health care passed. He's demonstrated his influence in Copenhagen.

And isn't it reassuring that he's managed to spare 25 minutes for the war.

[clarice]

Good catch, Rick. I don't think the two-tenths and 0.6% were accidental variants.

[Rick Ballard]

Perhaps Jobim could come up with a Zombie Samba as a theme song for the Democrats next year? The former employees of Saturn, GM, Chrysler, Citi?, BAC? etc. could make a helluva conga line.

[Elliott]

Are we still emboldened, Jane?

[Charlie (Colorado)]

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

I actually kind of think it should be set up as a permanent site in Greece. Do a permanent site and the investment can be made once, and then extended or expanded, instead of needing to be re-done every two years.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Antonio Carlos Jobim. Guy could write tunes.

Word.

I've got something like 20 hours of Jobim on my iTunes, and I can set it to play random and go for days.

[clarice]

Chaco, that would make sense if you didn't consider that this is a boondoggle for govts to give out money to favored contractors and for the IOC member sto pocket some change. It's a damned SCAM and I really can't imagine why my man, Mr PUK, hasn't got me my share of the pelf yet.

[Pagar]

Riehl World View has it Right!

" Next Time Send Sarah Palin"

LUN

[fdcol63]

The Olympics on Mount Olympus.

That's the ticket!

[MayBee]

On Twitter, WH CBS Radio correspondent Mark Knoller has the most hilarious dry wit. I love him

Me: @markknoller So Axelrod has done all three cables, plus CBS, just to explain that Obama isn't worried about failure to bring Olympics home.

His response: @MayBeeTweet that's what senior advisors do.

[Fresh Air]

So...does Zero's Portugese water dog have to take one in the temple for this?

[bishop]

Send a proven negotiator, who doesm't boast of a deal, until it's actually signed. She'll look great at the reviewing stand in Rio, though

[Elliott]

The BBC's Sam Lyon has the voting breakdown:

First round: Madrid 28 votes; Rio de Janeiro 26; Tokyo 22; Chicago 18 (Chicago eliminated).
Second round: Rio 46; Madrid 29; Tokyo 20 (Tokyo eliminated)
Final round: Rio 66; Madrid 32 (Rio to host 2016 Games)

[Captain Hate]

So...does Zero's Portugese water dog have to take one in the temple for this?

I hope that Bo has gotten attached to members of the White House staff that serve as surrogate owners when Rolo isn't walking him for photo-ops; and I won't repeat the poor taste of the lefties but rather state that hopefully the daughters dote on him. Still I wouldn't want house pets to be around two vain jerks like Il Douche and Rolo in their current mental state.

[MayBee]

Other than that, I'm with Cecil. This WH has really fallen into believing their own press, which is especially dangerous considering how adoring their press has been.

I think this can show our press and our President that he can't have what he wants based on his being and biography.

I mean seriously. Who thought Michelle Obama would sway the IOC to give Chicago the Olympics because HER DAD WOULD HAVE LIKED IT?
Anyone who bought into the "power" of that presentation needs to check themselves before they wreck our country.

[in_awe]

Obama punked again!

Seems like the voters of the world really weren't so impressed by him after all.

Wonder if Iran, North Korea, Russia, al Qaeda have been paying attention?

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Anyone who bought into the "power" of that presentation needs to check themselves before they wreck our country.

Small typo: "check themselves in".

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

Oh, all those poor, disappointed SEIU hacks.

[MayBee]

I love it that Chicago's color was traffic cone orange. Hard hat orange. Prison road crew orange.

[Sue]

18 votes. That is something.

[Tina]

Or like the Club GITMO orange merchandise that Rush was selling.

[Fresh Air]

Get me to a waaaaaahhmbulance!! It's okay honey, you still have your city job.

[Sue]

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.

VDH. I didn't get the connection between street fighting and learning how to land a right hook. That's why he gets the big bucks and I slave away worrying about typos and dangling participles.

[PeterUK]

Another one for the fashion assassins of JOM.

[Fresh Air]

I am heading downtown for a big, frosty mug of Schadenfreude!

[peter]

Damn, Peter, the first lady got back porch.

[Rick Ballard]

I don't get what's wrong with Felony Orange as the color of choice for the Obots. They may as well get used to it.

[Elliott]

I remarked earlier this morning on the Gates thread (where JMH and I were liveblogging) that something was rotund in the state of Denmark.

[Barbara]

Jane,

Is your island anywhere near Rio?

[Captain Hate]

Dear God in heaven PUK; is there an automatic beeping sound when Rolo backs that thing up?

[bishop]

Seeing how, on an AT thread, Crowley, the AF version of Robert Gibbs referrred to repatriated Gitmo detainees as 'political
refugees' it seems appropriate

[Sue]

I don't know how to link pictures, but in http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/US-first-lady-Michelle-Obama-US-President-Barack-Obama-Chicago-2016/photo//091002/ids_photos_sp/r352449959.jpg/#photoViewer=/091002/photos_sp_wl_afp/b718bd021f091b43d63e193051d31db3>this shot it doesn't look like our first lady is wearing a bra.

[Sue]

http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/US-first-lady-Michelle-Obama-US-President-Barack-Obama-Chicago-2016/photo//091002/ids_photos_sp/r352449959.jpg/#photoViewer=/091002/photos_wl_sa_afp/f554287125338022851ca931b6d16e10>Is she pregnant?

[Jane]

Barbara,

It's OUR island, and I'd love to go to RIO.

Is it wrong that I am still so happy at O's screw-up?

[Sue]

And just to prove I'm not just a MO basher, I think she looks very pretty http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/US-first-lady-Michelle-Obama-US-President-Barack-Obama-Chicago-2016/photo//091002/ids_photos_sp/r352449959.jpg/#photoViewer=/091002/483/cph11810020735>in this shot.

[Jane]

Barbara,

It's OUR island, and I'd love to go to RIO.

Is it wrong that I am still so happy at O's screw-up?

[Sue]

Next page faster please.

[Rick Ballard]

Sue,

It's a shame that dork next to her spoiled the shot. BTW - they needed the wire and spandex from the bra to reinforce the "foundation" garment. 40' of #4 bar just wouldn't quite handle the load.

[Barbara]

OUR Island!!!!! Great!

No, it is NOT wrong that you and everyone else that I know of is thrilled at O's screw up! Z-achilles has a heel - and it's his gigantic ego.

[Militant Banana]

O has to push that thing through the plane doors

[Barbara]

Jane, make that.....

No, it is NOT wrong that you and everyone else that I know of are thrilled at O's screw up! Z-achilles has a heel - and it's his gigantic ego.

This is an exciting day!

[Neo]

But CNN reported ...

There has been widespread speculation that Obama is flying to Copenhagen for a four-hour lobbying mission only because the White House has gotten a private heads-up that Chicago will win and that he should come to claim victory.

... and I have some beach land in New Mexico that Obama might be interested in.

[PeterUK]

Sue,
She used to need a bra,but that is all behind her now.

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

Jane, you're not wrong. I'd be happy to have the Olympics in a U.S. city, just not the home base of that corrupt political machine.

[Sue]

She used to need a bra,but that is all behind her now.

Oh man, I wish I had written that.

[hit and run]

It was accidental but unfortunate that the global viewers had seen some horrific YouTube clips of street fighting in the Windy City

I Blame Obama's Failure in the Annenberg Challenge!!!!!!!

[Ignatz]

--It was accidental but unfortunate that the global viewers had seen some horrific YouTube clips of street fighting in the Windy City--

Don't know if it's been posted but here is some comedy gold from youtube on Barry's Olympic sized epic fail.
Short but hilarious. Take a look.

[Militant Banana]

Because they used to love HIM, but it's all over now.

A Rolling Stone that hits Obama in the nuts.

[Tom Maguire]

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

Think of it as rooting for Rio - it's working for me.

[Joseph Brown]

Man, I wouldn't want to be on any of the airplanes bringing that crowd home!

[Sue]

Think of it as rooting for Rio - it's working for me.

Oh dear. I think I might faint. Dear Leader quoted me. ::grin::

[Militant Banana]

I was rooting for Rio as well, about damn time for South America to host the Olympics.

[Jane]

I think we should all save our pennies and go. We can run the Internet Cafe.

[JM Hanes]

Slip sliding away:

Economic insiders attribute the unprecedented job losses reported on Friday to the closing of Chicago based Halos 'R Us, SA.

[Strawman Cometh]

Ed Schultz (I go so you don't have to) :
This is the Republicans fault!

Worst unpatriotic display since Jane Fonda went to North Viet Nam!

Congresswoman Schakowsky (D)Daleystan: It's Bush's fault! (really)

[bgates]

Worst unpatriotic display since Jane Fonda went to North Viet Nam!

My favorite part of that sentence is it gives me hope that 4 or 5 elections from now I will get to hear some Democrat stooge complain something we do is the most unpatriotic display since Obama's world apology tour.

[MayBee]

The weird thing is, this was never sold to us as a patriotic thing. In fact, I don't remember the American public being rallied around the Chicago Olympic bid at all. I'm sure in Chicago it was big news, and maybe in the White House--- but who was talking about this excitedly before Obama decided to go?
Who really felt our country's pride was on the line for this?
Nobody, right?

[Gregory Koster]

Late as usual, but must take issue with megapotamus, viz:

"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."

What has The Once ever "suvived" that compares to, say, FDR's polio or Nixon getting beat in 1960 & 62 or even Reagan's career collapsing underneath him in the 50s?
The Once has gotten by on melanin and dam little else. Book was written for him, his political opponents committed suicide or were bumped off by the Chi machine. No, I disagree absolutely. The Once still doesn't realize the peril he's leading this nation toward. So the tuition bills will continue, getting more expensive by the day.

[PD]

Who really felt our country's pride was on the line for this?
Nobody, right?

Right.

Once Obama gets involved in something, it's hard to keep any thought of national pride from evaporating.

[flodigarry]

As a Chicagoan who has been "rooting for Rio" for years, this is not a surprise. Actually, in discussions with friends from across the globe over the past few years, we concluded that Chicago was a long shot, particularly with Rio in the mix.

I am glad that Chicago has been eliminated, it would have been one of the worst economic events to be inflicted upon Chicago, other than the Chicago machine that is.

As for Rio - while I got choked up due to their well deserved opportunity, and the country's exuberant happiness at the win, - they are no less immune to the immense graft, corruption, cronyism, and "I got mine" attitude", etc. of any of the other contenders. An honest analysis will reveal that they are likely the City least able to deal with these elements. Oncoming events will reveal whether these concerns are real or not.

Regardless, I wish Rio well, and will watch from a discreet distance.