No, There's Been No Olympic Armageddon

Bob Schieffer Says Obama's Failure to Help Win the Olympics for Chicago Was Not the End of the World

(CBS)  This is going to come as a surprise to some but the world did not end Friday!

From what I heard all week, a lot of people thought it might if the President flew to Copenhagen and failed to bring home the Olympics.

Well, he went. He asked. He failed.

It was not even close.

So he came home. Washington spent most of the week, gnashing its teeth about whether he should have gone. Republicans accused him of dereliction of duty. Some in his own party shuddered at the possible humiliation of it all.

Frankly, it didn't seem all that big a deal to me. I said at one point that if a trip to Copenhagen took his presidency over the side, then it wasn't much of a presidency.

If he wanted to give his hometown a boost, why not? Chicago is part of America, last time I looked.

Anyway, he's back. Nothing happened.

When I drove in this morning, the Washington Monument was still standing. The problems that were here when he left are still here - no better, no worse but so bad, my guess is the great Copenhagen gambit will soon be forgotten.

Still, let us mark a moment of sympathy for the unfortunate White House staffer who told the President, "If you'll just fly all night to Copenhagen and then fly back, we're sure to get the Olympics for Chicago."

No, I wouldn't want to be that person.

[jnyren-2009]

Shieffer on Nobel Prize is either ignorant of its history and Obama's record thus far, OR a Propagandist for (see Princeton President's comments along the same line. Is CBS an AIPAC Organ ?

[rocketjl]

Mr. Schieffer, nice fallback position (kinda Plan'B'??).

Think you missed the whole point.

[jjreding-2009]

Ya know, I'm not surprised that Chicago didn't make the final cut - especially with Rio in the running. Personally, I'm GLAD it's in South America - the Olympics have NEVER been there before, ever. Rio is one of the party spots of the world, and it will be awesome to see the party they'll put on FOR the world!!

What IS upsetting is that Chicago finished FOURTH.

[Hosheen]

Chicago is the armpit of America. They stood no chance at all against the brilliant presentation of Rio. Rio had history and a beautiful city going for it. Not even an American president could overcome those advantages.

I suspect that, before it is over, though. Rio and Brazil will regret having gone to the trouble. I cover that subject on http://brazilbrat.blogspot.com/

[r_mcdonald1]

What is the primary issue with Mr. Obama, and his travels - not just to Copenhagen, but to all of the photo op's, the speeches, etc..

I do believe that Ms. Obama and Ms. Winfrey, as acting on behalf of the president and the people of the City of Chicago and the United States would have been sufficient to the cause.

What is inappropriate, and what this president fails to grasp, is the cost of these trips to the taxpayers. These costs are extraordinary if you look at what it takes logistically, with man power and support equipment, to move this president point to point.

When he travels overseas, it is not one aircraft. There is a support aircraft that follows carrying the equipment necessary to move this, and his security teams, safely within the country he is visiting. You have, over open water (as well as land) fighter support aircraft. You have AWACS on station monitoring all traffic within hundreds of miles around AF-1. With that comes surface vessels, an air craft carrier, all on high alert and on station to defend AF-1 against surface to air missle attack.

When he's on the ground, you have Secret Service, often a squad of Marines as perimiter security and aircraft security at the air port.

All of this, necessary as it is, comes at extreme cost. In these times of EXTREME economic difficulty is it unreasonable to ask the POTUS to be more conscious of his spending and how it impacts the people?

Can you, as a private citizen, imagine having to close streets, shops, pulling police officers to crowd control - just to have your wife go to a fresh foods market in Washington DC. How could you afford to pay the bill? But each and every time this president, or his wife, leaves the Whitehouse, this is what happens.

I am not saying that they need to be house bound, what I am saying is be more responsible in their choices and selection of where they go, how often, and at what cost to the people paying the bill.....

As for the Olympics bid loss, it is what it is. The IOC is one of the most corrupt organizatoins on the globe, and what Rio paid them, versus what will be gained by Rio will not be known until 2017. Quite frankly, with the world in its present state, a lot of us will not be alive to care by then.

[Confidential416]

If he didn't go they would have said...if only he went... he did go... and they say he shouldn't have gone... it's a no win. I'm glad he went.... now it's over and let's move on to healthcare and get the plan done.

[Oregon_State_OSU]

Oh Well

Chicago is not going to get the Olympics. Time to Move On and get Over IT !

[noloyalisti]

South America deserves this much more than America. They have been repeatedly victimized by the United States killing their elected officials, manipulating their elections and having our big corporations economically raping and pillaging their people.

We have become the terrorists of the world, bombing 4 countries and breeding religious wackos in the Midwest.

[MICdunson]

Have anybody thought of the fact that Brazil was the better chose and the last time I checked Obama wasn't the only world leader there.

[olyboy]

Bob, you are pimping for Obama.

[threehorses1]

p.s. I'm a Republican, I didn't vote for Obama, and I don't really believe in him. So please don't lump all Republicans together. We're really not all cut from one cookie cutter.

[threehorses1]

Well hurrah! Someone finally called it like it is - no big deal.

The other countries using this as a marker for his success, saying it shows he's a failure, they'd likely say that anyway. Honestly - can you take them seriously? It's about like the South African atheletic program director who said the third world war would ensue if Semena wasn't allowed this or that. Oh, please. Time for people to get a proverbial grip.

[cameraphone]

After giving it some thought, of course RIO should get the Olympics. If it a big deal that Obama made the request before the Olympic Committee? Maybe for some people...

[rwsmith29456]

This is what Obama should NOT be concerning himself with. Hosting the Olympics would be lucrative for any city, but there are a lot of cities in the world. Perhaps if Chicago remains in the running they will host sooner or later.

[cptdeuce]

It is all GWB's fault. That seems to be the answer why this presidency and congress have failed at every turn. Why not here right?

[noloyalisti]

Don't these frightened, ridiculous, conservative morons had ANYTHING wise or smart to say? I guess not. I just ordered a bunch of bumper stickers that say OMG GOP ***? I can't wait to put those on my car and maybe some of my idiot neighbors who support the party of death and spending.

[W_A_H]

You say Mr. Schieffer that at "one point that if a trip to Copenhagen took his presidency over the side, then it wasn't much of a presidency". MMMMmmmm, I believe you're onto something here. While I enjoy your easy manner Mr. Schieffer, do you get out much?

[missdtr]

All this has done ....has opened the eyes of many...

On just how sneaky you must be... to earn the nomination.
Many should know what I mean...
For this time....Chicago was just too .... honest.

I guess honesty doesn't always... pay.

[ramos1129]

The "fix" was in way before Denmark. The majority of the voters were going to vote for Rio because of the simple fact that Asia, Europe and North America had all had Olympics but South America never has. The simple truth is that this prevailed - the time had come to hold an Olympics in SA.

[ramos1129]

Shieffer is 1000% right. What really offends me is that people like Glen Beck are giddy with happiness that the USA lost its bid for the Olympics.