October 1, 2009
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Olympics in the U.S.
President Obama is under fire for making a special attempt to get the Olympics in his home city of Chicago for 2016. The decision will be made on Friday.
Some people are concerned about all the effort he is going through because of the recession and important issues facing our country. Here is the link: Link
Do you think the President should focus his attention on getting the Olympics to the U.S.?
Comments (119)
no. not really.
he’s so retarded. what the heck is he doing. the Olympics are not going to solve any crisis!
It could create jobs.
Let’s face it, “for some reason or another” anything President Obama does will be under scrutiny. Period
He should focus his attention on his Presidency.
That’s retarded.
He’s our fucking president. How about running the country?
Sure. It’s safer than health care.
@juslook - You said it. It’s a shame, but true.
nah, the olympics has been in the states enough.
give the other countries a shot at the bid!
Of course not his whole attention should be focused on that, but I imagine there are plenty of things that come across his desk, so to speak. We just like to complain about whoever’s in charge and focus on whatever will spark controversy.
Is there anything people think Obama is doing a good job on?
Olympics will bring in money to Chicago if he gets it.
No not really, but he will do it. It may bring in something actually and it could be good in the end. I dunno..it seems foolish but we wont know till the end.
Sure, no big loss. With a jet that travels on his schedule, I don’t imagine President Obama would tradeoff that many Presidential-hours.
The possible payoff of an Olympic hosting– world exposure, economic boost, diplomatic back-slapping– seems well worth the tradeoff in time.
I think he needs to worry about the gang problems and shootings in the South side of Chicago rather than bringing the Olympics there. Things like this, http://magistertom.xanga.com/713342083/honor-student-beaten-to-death-in-chicago/, shouldn’t happen.
No. I don’t think he should focus his attention on that. but whatever. he obviously just does whatever he wants. lol.
@joyouswind - He’s always done a great job of reading from a teleprompter.
Anything he does that isn’t curing cancer or stopping terrorists from raping angels is going to be treated as an egregious waste of time, no matter how much it could help our economy and dozens of industries.
@CelestialTeapot - Not to mention he can do pretty much anything but wage a nuclear war from airforce one, and that’s even somewhat doable.
I’m assuming most of the people leaving comments haven’t read the estimated revenue/job creation that would be come with the olympics.
Oh noes the president is gone for one day. The country is gonna explode!!!
Let’s forget all the afghanistan/healthcare/iraq/foreign policy meetings and just complain. Waaaaaaaa
i don’t understand what the big deal is?
Whatever.
As long as traffic dosent pile up starting from Minneapolis to Chicago, I’m fine.
Wouldn’t that boost the economy at least a little bit? The amount of tourists would be substantial.
Not all of it, and I’m sure he’s not. I think its really low move that they’re picking on him and criticizing his every move.
@neverreallyover - That’s retarded. He’s our fucking president. How about running the country?
Diplomacy is a part of “running the country.”
And as agnophilo mentioned, President Obama has a pretty awsome plane– it allows for efficient multi-tasking.
Hell NO
@CelestialTeapot - I understand there needs to be diplomacy, but there are definitely more efficient and important places to do that besides the Olympics.
why chicago, why not sandiego or kansas city or seattle… oh, right… . i wonder if we could kindly ask the commitee to host the olympics elsewhere. perhaps the president could do his job instead of this. and despite what some people think, the international olympic commitee is not a soveriegn nation with whom we have diplomatic relations. this is another self engradizment play for his image just like everything else he has done.
@ionekoa - why chicago, why not sandiego or kansas city or seattle… oh, right… . i wonder if we could kindly ask the commitee to host the olympics elsewhere
Cities formulate plans and submit bids before undergoing successive rounds of elimination. Chicago submitted their bid and made the cuts.
perhaps the president could do his job instead of this.
National representation comes with being “President of the United States.”
, the international olympic commitee is not a soveriegn nation with whom we have diplomatic relations.
Neither is the UN, the World Bank, or NATO. So the fuck what?
this is another self engradizment play for his image just like everything else he has done.
Oh right, Obama-tainted economic boosts wouldn’t actually help the recession.
@agnophilo - And yet, the same people who are criticizing Obama about him not curing cancer while destroying Iraq at the same time were quiet when Bush took all those vacations.
He could probably be doing other important things, but it’ll create jobs and bring in a bunch of money. However, that’s 6 1/2 years away, so who knows what stuff will be like then.
He can do whatever he want, he’s the president. Give him a break.
ugh. i live in chicago. that’s the LAST thing i want. we have enough traffic congestion as is and it’s a waste of money. kids in our schools don’t even have BOOKS yet they spent $4 mil on the buckingham fountain (to make it look nicer for the olympic committee)? how backwards.
Hey, they guy deserves at break for at least a day. Maybe he picked a bad time to take that day-break? I DO think he should focus more on the problems at hand than on the Olympics, but of course he’s not just going to be all about “problems problems problems”, he’ll have other interests. They should, however, take the back seat.
Sure. Whatever.
it may help bring in some tourist moolah.
@bodyheartmindsoul - ugh. i live in chicago. that’s the LAST thing i want. we have enough traffic congestion as is and it’s a waste of money. kids in our schools don’t even have BOOKS yet they spent $4…
Securing an Olympic bid would bring a tourism boon to Chicago. The profile of the city will be seriously raised (with long-term benifits). Serious cashflow will go through hotels, restraunts, and shops.
Different hosting cities have undertaken different strategies for funding the competition, and many have yielded net profits. Television deals and corporate sponsorships go a long way in off-setting cost.
Frankly, I want Tokyo to get it. I’m more likely to be there to see it in 2016 than in Chicago. >.>
Take it from someone who lives in Vancouver, the city hosting the 2010 winter Olympics:
H-E-L-L NO!
Vancouver had so many more important issues to deal with before the Olympics came along, such as homelessness, drug abusers on the streets, and lack of low income housing. Now Vancouver and the province are billions of dollars in debt, and for what? For two weeks of the world’s biggest jack off? Not worth it and my life as a resident is going to be hell because all the regular services I rely on are going to clogged full of international Olympic maniacs.
@CelestialTeapot - so… this is not diplomacy. this is the president doing a secretaries job in order to promote his home town and thereby his own ego. it’s a waste of time and money that could be spent doing other, more important things. instead of meeting with jocks perhaps he could be meeting with generals, you know, the whole “commander in chief” thing. heaven forbid he take a break from his concert tour to actually do something that requires the president.
i love how distractionaries <—- new word! can obliterate the real problems when it’s convenient. just when people start to focus in on something, they pop out with something like this to get us all thinking about something else…. like the doctor telling you to turn your head just before he gives the shot.
i think he shouldn’t focus ALL his attention on the running of Olympics, but it would bring a new source of income into America wouldn’t it? just look at how China’s economy boomed after the Olympics. ((:
People are ::always:: going to complain about whatever Obama is doing. It doesn’t matter what he does/says, there seems to be an uproar.
Personally I don’t think it’s that big of a deal for him to go over to Europe for a day. Seriously? Past presidents have randomly gone off on mini-vacations with no motive at all and that seemed to be okay.
Plus…wouldn’t bringing the Olympics here be incredibly good for our economy?
i think it may bring in revenue in the long run if it were in the states again that soon.. though, i want my tax money back
No, no and no!
i don’t like obama, or agree with most of the things that he does. Maybe I am wrong, but wouldn’t hosting the games here bring in revenue? Wouldn’t tourists come and spend money here? As much as i don’t like him I am having a difficult time disagreeing with something like that.
@MissKatieSue - I think that there was a system of checks and balances that were set in place in the founding of the government to keep him from being able to do what ever he wants as the president…. but I think I know what you meant.
@neverreallyover - I think part of running the country is looking for potential revenue during an economic crisis, which is what he is doing.
I am finding it difficult to be upset at him for trying to do the thing a majority of well meaning Americans voted him into office for.
iunno what kinda people would be dumb enough to say no to this.
Olympics = money.
nuff said.
The question for me is, have presidents in the past spent time lobbying for the olympics to be in our country? Is this typical?
I think that should be the last thing he should be trying to get done right now. Focus on issues and problems facing everyday people not getting the Olympics in the U.S. We’ve had it here several times that I can recall. Isn’t it suppose to be for every country not just the US to host?
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While I dont really get why he’s focusing on the Olympics all of a sudden, I don’t see it as a bad thing. I’d say it would be a big boost to our economy (even though it’s forever away lol). But I guess since he wont get anything “big” happening right now (what with the Republicans crying at every corner) he might as well get a few of the small things through.
No, I don’t have a particular problem with it. Though I’m kinda rooting for Rio de Janeiro, as the Olympics have never been in South America.
Our President is wasting his time lobbying for an Olympics to be hosted in a country that we may not have control over in 2016. According to the commander in Afghanistan (Gen McChrystal), we need 40,000 more troops to prevent complete failure. So yes, the Olympics in Chicago would be great for the economy, but there are ABSOLUTELY more important issues that need to be addressed FIRST. Sure, he can multi-task from Air Force One, but IS HE ACTUALLY DOING IT? That’s something no one can answer unless they’re on the plane with him. I’m not convinced…
Misguided priorities….but if it keeps him from screwing up healthcare…..
It’s an awesome way to bring in some cash, from what I recall hearing. . .
Therefore, yes.
But get some jobs, while we’re at it.
Won’t having the olympics bring money INTO the country?
I doubt this is the only issues he’s focusing on…. Everything is still there & he’s focusing on the other issues too.
I bet he just wants something positive for the future. Something to look forward to. So. Who cares?!
First he apologizes to the world for America being the U.S. of Asshats; now he want to invite the world to come spend a couple of weeks in Chicago because it’s such a wonderful place.
@Rob_of_the_Sky - Yep. When he took his wife to see a play and they bashed him for it I was amazed. Bush took more trips and vacations than any president in history.
It’s like bashing him for the emergency spending to keep the economy from collapsing, when they re-elected bush who was consistently 20% over budget.
@weakerlink - I’m tired of fucking mindless drones like you repeating these “he apologized for america” crap when it literally never even happened.
He said america has made mistakes and isn’t perfect, then criticized europe for being anti-american. And he’s been reminding people around the globe that he’s not george bush because GWB whether you like his domestic policies or not made america a laughing stock around the world and pretty much didn’t do foreign policy that didn’t involve bombing people.
Bush said “we don’t talk to states that do x, y and z things” because he didn’t know what to say to them.
Obama’s getting countries like russia and france to work with us to put the screws to iran on their nuclear program.
@AlterEgo909 - Yes. Can’t have that in a recession.
Why is everyone so pissed about this? He’s the President, and this is a huge international event. It’s being held in the United States. Why shouldn’t he go? Everyone bitching about this sounds rather unintelligent, as if there is ONLY ONE THING that the President can ever do. Sorry, I guess international relations don’t mean anything?
@afburd - Yes. And sure he CAN wipe his ass after he goes to the john but I won’t concede that he does unless someone goes behind him and does a sniff-test!
You’re being just super-fair minded.
@jupiter312 - Stupid people are being angry at what fox news tells them they should be “outraged” about this week.
@agnophilo - Silly me, I forgot that people aren’t logical and don’t think for themselves!
@jupiter312 - Rookie mistake : P
@agnophilo - His actions and lack thereof in certain situations lead me to believe that he’s not running a tight ship. He also wants us to judge him by those around him. Just a couple of examples are Rev. Wright and Van Jones…that’s enough for me.
Why does everyone care so much? It’s not like he isn’t taking care of other things at the same time. “He should be working on the economy.” Bringing the Olympics to Chicago could help with that, at least a little. If all everyone has to worry about is Obama bringing the Olympics to the U.S, what does that say about the productivity in their own lives?
I’d rather he worked on getting the Olympics for 2012. That would get us off the hook in London.
Olympics? Take them away!
And, Obama was quite right to apologise for America. And Europe is right to be anti-American.
@ionekoa - so… this is not diplomacy. this is the president doing a secretaries job in order to promote his home town and thereby his own ego….
This may be suprising for you, but Chicago, IL is in the fucking United States of America.
Sure– President Obama would be promoting what happens to be his home town, and he may have a bit of ego (I don’t know, I’m not a telepath)– but general national benifits will come out of the United States hosting the olympics.
Celebrity endorsement isn’t a secretary’s job.
…it’s a waste of time and money that could be spent doing other, more important things…
Balanced against the potential gains, it would not be a “waste of money.” The sacrifice in Presidential-hours wouldn’t be that great.
President Obama has, at this disposal, one of the most high-tech planes in the world. Especially in the age of wireless technology, Air Force One, I’m sure, would allow for seemless multi-tasking.
…instead of meeting with jocks perhaps he could be meeting with generals…
IOC members by-and-large aren’t “jocks.”
Do you remember what President Bush was doing at the moment of 9/11? He was reading, in a library, to school-age children. The task of the President extends beyond economic and military grim reaper.
…you know, the whole “commander in chief” thing…
Yeah. A bit like the “President” thing.
..heaven forbid he take a break from his concert tour to actually do something that requires the president.
Have you been living in a fucking cave in the past year? Compared to the previous two administration, President Obama’s transition to the White House has been quicker and more seemless. And in the past year, policy-setting out of the White House has gone towards tackling some pretty big issues.
@agnophilo - Dude, you need to pull the bug out of your ass and replace it with a sense of humor.
Hmmm. Let me think about this one.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Thats all I got on that one. I cant even begin to answer it.
Having the Olympics in the US, regardless of city, would create new jobs, especially new construction, infrastructure, and planning to support the Olympics. I believe that he is making time for various duties and engagements. There are other issues that are bigger, but I do not think he spent too much time on the Olympics one. I also think that he would return from Denmark more energized to work on bigger issues. Finally he may meet with other state officials while in Europe to discuss bigger issues informally (mainly the Middle East). Besides, when does any person speak about one thing or do only one thing for an extended period? I know that I am more productive juggling a reasonable amount of tasks, because the variety keeps my energy up and skills sharp.
@kidzandK9z - @josiebunny - @Paul_Partisan - @CelestialTeapot - @AlterEgo909 - @theacematt2 - @Dare2BDiferentt - BTW I agree with you. Olympics regardless of location helps with jobs and the economy.
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Passby ~^^
I don’t really care. Just as long it’s not taking up all his time or anything . . . On second thought, he should spend a lot more time on the Olympics so he won’t be thinking up more lousy policies. Red herring, FTW!
Tho that would be cool to have them here scince i live in chicago but i think he would be worring about more important things!
I don’t think he should focus ALL his attention on that, but it certainly wouldn’t hurt to have the Olympics in the US sometime soon.
@CelestialTeapot - ”Celebrity endorsement isn’t a secretary’s job”. nor is it the presidents. we can leave that to athletes actors and rockstars. it’s rather sad that the office of the president has been reduced to such a low esteem that it is simply a means of attaining celebrity status
@afburd - “His actions and lack thereof in certain
situations lead me to believe that he’s not running a tight ship.”
Damnit man! Why do you have to be so specific?
“He
also wants us to judge him by those around him. Just a couple of
examples are Rev. Wright and Van Jones…that’s enough for me.”
Where did you get the impression that he wants you to judge him by anyone but himself? Fox news wants you to judge him vicariously, not the president.
Mostly the Olympics committee and a few select people from Chicago are doing it. I am kinda nervous about the whole world coming here so close to home for me…I want to at least go if we do get the bid!
Considering that I live in Illinois, I am all for it. Not because it is the Olympics, per say, but because it will bring in tourists and boost the local economy. You haved to remember that it is not just Chicago that is benefiting, but all of the surrounding areas, be it in Illinois or other closer states.
@agnophilo - I didn’t know I needed to be specific, but how he’s prioritizing his tasks (such as worrying about the Olympics before putting troops where they are needed) seems clear enough to me.
I didn’t get an impression on what Fox News wanted me to believe…BHO himself said that he wants everyone to judge him on the people around him. Considering that roster, I’m afraid my views can’t be that he’s the smartest individual we could get for this Position.
um, yes? It brings money into our economy from foreign countries, helps relations with foreign countries, and creates jobs for US citizens. I’m pretty sure that that’s why he’s taking the trouble to do that.
Yes he should. Same as Mitt R. did for Utah. It will benefit our economy. Of course some are critical of everything he does even if it helps them personally they will never admit it.
@afburd - He can chew gum and walk at the same time which is a big improvement.
@CelestialTeapot - honestly i don’t care. the last thing i want is that many people in our already crowded city. and even if that does bring all of that money to us, they’re giong to rip up so many of our beautiful parks and landmarks to put it stupid olympic buildings. and not only are they going to be ripping our nice landmarks, they’re going to be tearing up the bad neighborhoods as well, causing even worse gentrification. and there’s still 7 years left before the olympics happens, if we even get it. and that’s 7 more years of wasting money on superfluous things and ignoring the things that we ACTUALLY need to be spending money on.
@jeanmarie26 - Last I checked, chewing gum while walking at the same time wasn’t a prerequisite for the Position. I know it’s hard for a lot of people to believe, but I DO want him to succeed because I understand where we’re headed if he doesn’t succeed. Either he’s not listening, or he doesn’t care what is best for the country.
Though the Olympics will bring a lot of jobs, the real money is going to go to the wrong people. Chicago might be the most corrupt city in the United States. I live here and do not want the Olympics coming here.
no we have much more important things to worry about.
no. i think we’ve had the olympics more than our fair share of times ofer the last 30 years or so… focus on something else.
@TheGiantSlayer - Ok I can see potential revenue. It would give some jobs to people. But I’m just not sure I feel this is a good direction, plus that’s 6+ years from now. I just wish more energy was being spent, and more media was showing things going on for small towns, for the people that are forgotten in everything…
Having the Olympics hosted here would bring in tons of money, which I think would be useful.
If it involves celebrities, i.e. Oprah…he’s gonna surround himself there. He is a media hungry person. I don’t care if the Olympics are in Chicago, okay with me, but we have plenty of others to plead the case, not the president of the U.S. He can solve the countries real problems since that IS what they people voted him to do. Look how he went on Letterman as well– I get that he can and should multi-task on that awesome plane, but as a tax payer…I do not WISH my money to pay for his and his wifes (they took two separate planes) galavanting all over the world for trivial issues. Someone else can and should be taking care of this!
How’s his rating so far?
Only in passing. There are other more important issues to deal with first.
His critics are idiots. The investment gained by China from the last Olympics was over $2 BILLION in investment dollars and infrastructure. The Chinese government at the same time signed deals for an additional $10 billion in investment. If Obama is being held accountable for the economy then he was be stupid NOT to get on a plane and go make the pitch…
no? it doesn’t even matter where they’re located… seriously.
No. But then again there are a lot of things that he should be focusing on that he isn’t. Which is how all presidents are. -.-
oh no hum longtime to wait.
No, but I’m would hope he’s not going to focus all of his attention on that…
@jeanmarie26 - And he hasn’t choked on any pretzels yet! Don’t forget that accomplishment!!!
Just because he’s thinking about the Olympics does not mean he’s putting all other plans aside.
It’s great that Pres. Obama is touching upon a variety of ideas to make America a better place, unlike former Pres. Bush who seemed to only focus on the war in Iraq and forget about everything else (although I do feel a bit of sympathy for Bush who had to unexpectedly deal with such a big mess, but that’s besides the point).
I don’t see why not to the plan, except national security will have to be in tip top shape, as always…
Like others have said, it will also create some jobs
(although it’s six years from now, and who knows what kind of economy situation we’ll be in in the future..but either ways having jobs is never a bad thing)
Maybe I’ll be able to go see the Olympics in 2016 for real and not on T.V. That would be pretty cool.
Being a Chicago citizen, I can tell you that I’m not happy about having to pay off the half a billion dollars the Olympics are predicted to cost us, while we could be buying desperately-needed textbooks for inner-city high schools.
Does he not have better things to do?
Never mind that President George W. Bush went to the Beijing Olympics as a spectator for 3 days last year when the economy was tanking. The Conservative Right is all in a twitter because President Obama is going to Copenhagen for just one day!
Former U.S. Labor Secretary Robert Reich makes the point that the Olympics creates lots of jobs—in construction, sales, marketing—white collar, blue collar jobs. Although Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele accused President Obama of neglecting the need to create new jobs now in favor of creating new jobs in seven years, this jobs machine starts right away—after all, they don’t put up the Olympics facilities overnight like a circus tent!
And, the Olympics in Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Salt Lake City all made money; in fact, every time an American city had the Olympics in the last 30 years, they’ve made money.
At first I didn’t understand what the big deal was. Then I remembered — I hate it when people get involved in things that do not concern them or things that they cannot change. Obama has stuck his nose is a lot of things the President should not be concerned with. And, instead of planning to spend all this money we don’t have on the Olympics, how about doing something about the economy?
Had President Bush even thought of trying to bring the Olympics to Texas, people would be up in arms.
Yes!
It would be awesome if we got the Olympics for 2016. Something to look forward too.
Not to mention how much money that would bring in for the USA…
Go Obama.
No. My opinion is that they are MEANINGLESS.
It’s been a long time since the Olympics made money for anyone except the property owners and construction workers. And in Chicago, Obama not only has close ties to the bulk of them, but owes them politically. This is, in fact, Chicago politics at its worst. The spectacle of Obama flying to Denmark on Air Force One to press his case in person (and his wife traveling there also on ANOTHER taxpayer funded jet) only raises another issue of cronyism and incompetance on his administration.
I reserved my comment.
i think bringing the olympics to the us wil bring alot of money to the country. do you know how many people would come spend their money here. it’s a good idea. but he shouldnt focus completely on that. as long as i dont have more tourists that dont know how to drive here in kissimmee …. im good.
I’ve now learned that BHO failed in his attempt and I’m thrilled by that news!!!
NO! Haha. Where will the money come from? He should spend it solving the problems in his country, and worry about the Olympics when that is sorted. The Olympics will always (hopefully) be around – there is no rush.
Honestly, if you think about it from a financial standpoint, that’s a HUGE money-maker for the United States and particularly the midwest. Even though Chicago isn’t the worst of the affected cities from our present *only kinda sorta slowly recovering regardless of what the media feeds the American public* economy, this would still mean a crap-ton of new jobs from now until 2016 in the Chicago area for building stadiums and all of that fun stuff and a HUGE boost to American-based Airlines and the entire area….
Perhaps Obama is more of a capitalist than he claims
heh heh heh.
either that or since he represents that area he wants to get the olympics in his backyard…either way. haha
Personally, Rio has it’s work cut out for them with the amount of crime the city has that needs to be addressed before the Olympics…
@weirdbean - DALLAS/FT. WORTH 2020 OLYMPICS YEAHH!!!!!!! :P
To me, from a diplomatic perspective, I would say that for the leader of a nation to take personal involvment in an issue would be to make a statement to the international community that it was of utmost importance to that nation. The problem of taking personal involvment in something as frivolous as the Olympics runs the danger of being seen by some as attempting to ‘bully’ those responsible for making the decision into choosing that nation. Having said this, were I to critique the current administration, this issue would not even make my list of talking points. There are much bigger issues to critique than a mere attempt at flexing a diplomatic muscle… even if he does tuck tail in regards to more important issues like Russia. Since the issue was raised, though, I do find it interesting that he would choose such a small issue to take such a strong stance on. Diplomatically speaking, it is an indication of a weak leader. Then again, it has been a LONG time since this nation has had what I would consider a strong leader. We tend to elect weak to mediocre at best. As for the ramifications of that, draw your own. I am just calling it as I see it. And that’s the way it is.
@juslook - The same is true of any president though. Just look at the past few administrations. Bush… Clinton… “for some reason” is simple. His poitical actions are contrary to what many firmly believe is the best direction for this nation.
@Legendairy - The bottom line is simply this – no matter how people try to sugar coat it, ANYTHING he says or does wil be ridiculed by society. Some were upset because he supported the mayor of Chicago in his plight to bring “the games” there….then when Chicago got eliminated, otheres then faulted him for not spending more time over there prior to the decision day, saying it appeared President Obama had no true interest in being there…well duh – he’s got a friggin country to run. It’s a damned if you do – damned if you don’t situaton. Period. To say that his interest in the whole olympics thingy was “personal” I believe is totally premature and most far from the truth. Just because he is from Chicago does not warrant his “personal” interest in the games being there. I personally believe he made a 2 hour appearance simply to show his support to a fellow government official. Again, my opinion