bonnie Posted October 3, 2009 Share Posted October 3, 2009 http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091002/ap_on_an/oly_obama_olympics_analysis U.S. President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama leave the stage after AP – U.S. President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama leave the stage after they made a presentation … By JENNIFER LOVEN and JULIE PACE, Associated Press Writers Jennifer Loven And Julie Pace, Associated Press Writers WASHINGTON – OK, so it wasn't health care, climate change or war. Still, President Barack Obama's high-profile failure to win the Olympics for Chicago could feed negative narratives already nipping at his heels — that he's a better talker than closer, more celebrity than statesman. And this could hamper his efforts on the weightier issues. Despite Obama's fabled charm and powers of persuasion, his in-person plea for Chicago to host the 2016 Summer Games fell flat. It was a hugely embarrassing defeat. His adopted hometown — considered a front-runner heading into Friday's voting — didn't just lose, it took last place, shocking nearly all by getting knocked out in the first round while the remaining three contenders moved on. The defeat could soon be a distant memory, and may never be more than a quixotic-blip trip. But if, for whatever reason, bigger losses start piling up in Obama's corner, his performance in this case could be regarded as emblematic. Obama tried to put the best face on his trip, saying upon his return to the White House, "One of the things that I think is most valuable about sports is that you can play a great game and still not win." He said he was proud of everyone's effort. However, almost every aspect of his involvement this week in the Olympics quest recalls a strain of criticism that has been gaining ground on him: • He's trying to do too much at once. The line is familiar by now: It's nuts for Obama to tackle the dismal economy, the overhaul of two wars, a remaking of the U.S. health care system and climate change all in one year, and with other difficult issues on the agenda as well. He has achievements to be proud of in less than nine months in office. But with most of the bigger issues still in the air, voters — even some in Obama's own Democratic Party — are beginning to wonder whether he's someone who tries a lot but succeeds at little, and whether he has the sense to focus on the most important things. A jaunt across the Atlantic, and an extraordinarily expensive one at that, doesn't help. • He doesn't have what it takes to close a deal. The why-Chicago-lost story has many contributors, with Obama's last-minute flight to Copenhagen for an emotional appeal probably among the least of them. Regardless, he is now tied inexorably to Chicago's defeat, and that verdict isn't good. • He is a celebrity, for sure, but is that always a good thing? Remember how Republican John McCain tried to stoke doubts about Obama during last year's presidential campaign by calling him all flash and no pan? A bit of that is in play here, too, where some perceive Obama as arrogantly relying too much on his celebrity status and not enough on the nitty-gritty work of winning votes. For instance, some IOC members resented the fact that Obama blew into Copenhagen for just five hours, jetting back down the runway toward Washington hours before the result was even announced. "It can be that some IOC members see it as a lack of respect," said former IOC member Kai Holm. • He's too casual with the use of his own time. This White House has been drawing questions about its tendency to turn to Obama as its only closer, with not much of a bench. Other White Houses have been more judicious about deploying their most precious resource, the president — doing so only when really needed, and usually only when they know they can win. This reduces the chances of overexposure reducing his effectiveness. It might have been wiser to know more about the vote count before he boarded Air Force One. In hindsight, there was plenty of reason to doubt Chicago's chances. • He's junior varsity-league, still learning on the job. The votes of IOC members are notoriously hard to count ahead of time. But so are those in the U.S. Capitol. Will Obama do as poorly predicting how health care votes are leaning in Congress, and make similarly ill-fated strategic decisions as that long and complicated debate unfolds through the fall? Keep in mind: If Obama had not gone to Denmark and Chicago lost, he no doubt would have been blamed for not making an effort. He tried, as he often does, to thread the needle — make the trip, but make it a quick one to deflect questions about taking time away from the pressing health care and Afghanistan debates. Aides said the president viewed the trip as worth it, despite the painful outcome. "If you can't do more than one thing at a time," said spokesman Robert Gibbs, "the president wouldn't have gotten through the first day." But the president risks seeing the pool of his easy doubters grow with each misstep, even these smaller ones. ___ Quote Everything you do is based on the choices you make. It's not your parents, your past relationships, your job, the economy, the weather, an argument, or your age that is to blame. You and only you are responsible for every decision and choice you make, period ... ... Wish more people would realize this. Quotes by Susan Gottesman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Shane Posted October 3, 2009 Share Posted October 3, 2009 I don't think this failure will really impact his approval rating. I think it just gives his critics more to make noise about. Quote Pastoral Family Counselor... Find me at www.PostumCafe.com Author of Peculiar Christianity Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonnie Posted October 3, 2009 Author Share Posted October 3, 2009 I don't think this failure will really impact his approval rating. I think it just gives his critics more to make noise about. Time will tell.His critics on this involve some liberal's Quote Everything you do is based on the choices you make. It's not your parents, your past relationships, your job, the economy, the weather, an argument, or your age that is to blame. You and only you are responsible for every decision and choice you make, period ... ... Wish more people would realize this. Quotes by Susan Gottesman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonnie Posted October 3, 2009 Author Share Posted October 3, 2009 Top 10 Reasons Chicago lost Olympic bid Ethel C. Fenig Too, too funny! Too, too true--and so many people believe the number one reason killed it. Add your own. And thanks to Rich Lowry of NRO for sharing 10. Dead people can't vote at IOC meetings 9. Obama distracted by 25 min meeting with Gen. McChrystal 8. Who cares if Obama couldn't talk the IOC into Chicago? He'll be able to talk Iran out of nukes. 7. The impediment is Israel still building settlements. 6. Obviously no president would have been able to accomplish it. 5. We've been quite clear and said all along that we didn't want the Olympics. 4. This isn't about the number of Olympics "lost", it's about the number of Olympics "saved" or "created". 3. Clearly not enough wise Latina judges on the committee 2. Because the IOC is racist. 1. It's George Bush's fault. Quote Everything you do is based on the choices you make. It's not your parents, your past relationships, your job, the economy, the weather, an argument, or your age that is to blame. You and only you are responsible for every decision and choice you make, period ... ... Wish more people would realize this. Quotes by Susan Gottesman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonnie Posted October 5, 2009 Author Share Posted October 5, 2009 HEY BONNIE THAT list is funny for sure dgrimm60 Told you this was the fault of President Bush. You have to wonder if this group will ever grow up enough to reach accountable adult hood and quit blaming someone else. Talk about a bad taste,Rev Jackson leaves one everytime he speaks ON M. PALLASCH Political Reporter apallasch@suntimes.com Some Chicago officials say anti-American resentment likely played a role in Chicago's Olympic bid dying in the first round Friday. President Obama could not undo in one year the resentment against America that President Bush and others built up for years, they said. RELATED STORIES NOT EVEN THE SECOND CITY "There must be" resentment against America, the Rev. Jesse Jackson said, near the stage where he had hoped to give a victory speech in Daley Center Plaza. "The way we [refused to sign] the Kyoto Treaty, we misled the world into Iraq. The world had a very bad taste in its mouth about us. But there was such a turnaround after last November. The world now feels better about America and about Americans. That's why I thought the president's going was the deal-maker." 1 Quote Everything you do is based on the choices you make. It's not your parents, your past relationships, your job, the economy, the weather, an argument, or your age that is to blame. You and only you are responsible for every decision and choice you make, period ... ... Wish more people would realize this. Quotes by Susan Gottesman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 I actually saw the guy who got obama's senate seat, say it was Bush's fault. No kidding, he said that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonnie Posted October 5, 2009 Author Share Posted October 5, 2009 I actually saw the guy who got obama's senate seat, say it was Bush's fault. No kidding, he said that. Jessie Jackson did,I am sure there will be more. The next three and half years will be governed by it is the fault of President Bush Quote Everything you do is based on the choices you make. It's not your parents, your past relationships, your job, the economy, the weather, an argument, or your age that is to blame. You and only you are responsible for every decision and choice you make, period ... ... Wish more people would realize this. Quotes by Susan Gottesman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Shane Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 I have been surprised by how many times President Obama has blamed things on Bush. I can't recall of President Bush blaming President Clinton for anything - although many conservatives did and still do. It just seems petty for the President to blame a predecessor for problems. President Clinton made major cuts to Defense and the CIA. He also stopped the CIA from doing business with shady characters. That may well have contributed to the intelligence failures that led to 9/11 and the mistaken WMDs in Iraq. But I never heard President Bush make that connection. Quote Pastoral Family Counselor... Find me at www.PostumCafe.com Author of Peculiar Christianity Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zeta Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 Okay...I thought I would give you a hand since you can't find it. Below is only one example: "his pastime of blaming his predecessor, Bill Clinton, for the economic recession. "Two-and-a-half years ago, we inherited an economy in recession," he told donors at a Bush-Cheney '04 reception yesterday in Miami. He has raised the same accusation in fundraising appearances since mid-June in Washington, Georgia, New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco. It's a good applause line for a crowd of red-meat political supporters. The trouble is it's a case of what the president has called, in another context, revisionist history. The recession officially began in March of 2001 -- two months after Bush was sworn in -- according to the universally acknowledged arbiter of such things, the National Bureau of Economic Research. And the president, at other times, has said so himself. The bad news came on Nov. 26, 2001. The NBER, led by an informal economic adviser to Bush, Martin Feldstein, pronounced that economic activity peaked in March 2001, "a determination that the expansion that began in March 1991 ended in March 2001 and a recession began." At the time, Bush accepted the verdict with perfect accuracy. "This week, the official announcement came that our economy has been in recession since March," he said in his radio address the next weekend. "And unfortunately, to a lot of Americans, that news comes as no surprise. Many have lost jobs or seen their hours cut. Many have seen friends or family laid off. The long economic expansion that started 10 years ago, in 1991, began to slow last year. Many economists warned me when I took office that a recession was beginning, so I took quick action." Quote Be Blessed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonnie Posted October 5, 2009 Author Share Posted October 5, 2009 I have been surprised by how many times President Obama has blamed things on Bush. I can't recall of President Bush blaming President Clinton for anything - although many conservatives did and still do. It just seems petty for the President to blame a predecessor for problems. President Clinton made major cuts to Defense and the CIA. He also stopped the CIA from doing business with shady characters. That may well have contributed to the intelligence failures that led to 9/11 and the mistaken WMDs in Iraq. But I never heard President Bush make that connection. The blame game is all he has. For the smartest man that ever graced the White House you would think he would wise up. He is mesmerized by his own "rock star status".Sooner or later it will catch up with him,but the damage he is doing to this country will be the price Quote Everything you do is based on the choices you make. It's not your parents, your past relationships, your job, the economy, the weather, an argument, or your age that is to blame. You and only you are responsible for every decision and choice you make, period ... ... Wish more people would realize this. Quotes by Susan Gottesman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted Oplinger Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 The political parties are SOOOOO predictable. I predicted the Obaama blames Bush back on the Michelle Obama thread...and true to form... Quote "As iron sharpens iron, so also does one man sharpen another" - Proverbs 27:17 "The offense of the cross is that the cross is a confession of human frailty and sin and of inability to do any good thing. To take the cross of Christ means to depend solely on Him for everything, and this is the abasement of all human pride. Men love to fancy themselves independent. But let the cross be preached, let it be made known that in man dwells no good thing and that all must be received as a gift, and straightway someone is offended." Ellet J. Waggoner, The Glad Tidings "Courage is being scared to death - and saddling up anyway" - John Wayne "The person who pays an ounce of principle for a pound of popularity gets badly cheated" - Ronald Reagan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonnie Posted October 5, 2009 Author Share Posted October 5, 2009 The political parties are SOOOOO predictable. I predicted the Obaama blames Bush back on the Michelle Obama thread...and true to form... If he wins or is praised for something it is because he is Obama the Annointed One. If he makes a poor choice,showing or decision it is the fault of President Bush. To bad he can't grow up and wear his big boy pants Quote Everything you do is based on the choices you make. It's not your parents, your past relationships, your job, the economy, the weather, an argument, or your age that is to blame. You and only you are responsible for every decision and choice you make, period ... ... Wish more people would realize this. Quotes by Susan Gottesman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted Oplinger Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 Same can be said for all the leaders in the House and Senate as well. Not to mention all the Obama cheerleader groups and the synchophants in the robot media... Yet, to wear big boy pants, they need to first grow up - else they'll be tripping over the pant legs just as much as their currently untied shoe strings... Quote "As iron sharpens iron, so also does one man sharpen another" - Proverbs 27:17 "The offense of the cross is that the cross is a confession of human frailty and sin and of inability to do any good thing. To take the cross of Christ means to depend solely on Him for everything, and this is the abasement of all human pride. Men love to fancy themselves independent. But let the cross be preached, let it be made known that in man dwells no good thing and that all must be received as a gift, and straightway someone is offended." Ellet J. Waggoner, The Glad Tidings "Courage is being scared to death - and saddling up anyway" - John Wayne "The person who pays an ounce of principle for a pound of popularity gets badly cheated" - Ronald Reagan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Shane Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 Okay...I thought I would give you a hand since you can't find it. Below is only one example: "his pastime of blaming his predecessor, Bill Clinton, for the economic recession. "Two-and-a-half years ago, we inherited an economy in recession," he told donors at a Bush-Cheney '04 reception yesterday in Miami. Quote Pastoral Family Counselor... Find me at www.PostumCafe.com Author of Peculiar Christianity Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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