Rio Won – Obama Lost

US President and former Illinois senator Barack Obama and US first lady Michelle Obama leave after presenting Chicago’s bid for the 2016 Olympics, on October 2, 2009 in Copenhagen. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) will vote on the destiny of the 2016 Summer Olympic Games after a final round battle. (Photo credit  OLIVIER MORIN/AFP/Getty Images)

COPENHAGEN, DENMARK – OCTOBER 1: US First Lady Michelle Obama attends the Opening Ceremony of the 121st IOC Session at the Copenhagen Opera House on October 1, 2009 in Copenhagen, Denmark. The 121st session of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) will vote on October 2 on whether Chicago, Tokyo, Rio de Janeiro or Madrid will host the 2016 Olympic Games. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)

‘Rio won – Obama Lost’ — so read the headlines in the papers in Copenhagen…

And, for all intents and purposes, it is true.

Rio most definitely won the host city of the 2016 games.  If you watch their presentation, there will be little question why.  If you haven’t seen it – go watch it here -  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yx8srBhgwcs . The Chicago presentation was not nearly as informative or inspiring, though there was a great deal of ‘Yes we can” in it.

Michelle Obama and Barry Obama descended upon Copenhagen expecting to be the most important people there.  They delivered their trademark “ME” speeches.  It is always all about them – never about anyone else.  They offered nothing to the committee about what Chicago would give to the Olympics, but what the Olympics will bring to them.  Both uttered, “We can walk from our house to the Olympics with our girls” (that’s a paraphrase, Michelle said ‘me n my girls’ and Barry said ‘walk ta the Olympics’ – lacking grammar as well as interest)  Michelle wore her contrived gold dresses and stood out, as intended.

But, one of the most fascinating and unreported issues was the Q&A between the Chicago planners and the Olympic committee.  The IOC expressed great reservations about having the cycling venue in Wisconsin.  Not just out of the city, but out of the state as well.  They also could see no plan in the assurances that they would find a quiet place for the shooting venue.  The Q&A did NOT go well and it was evident to me that they had lost after listening to it.

Barry drug the American Presidency into the Olympics bid.  I cannot believe that it was worthy of presidential time and the expense to the taxpayer.  He diminished the presidency by reducing it to begging for something as unimportant as the Olympic games.  He presented it as  -  ‘if you like me, you will like my town – let me have what I want.’  I think the lesson should be that like-ability does not translate into business deals, but Barry has never been in business.

The truly offensive rehashing of the loss has come from the left.  Some have suggested that it is President Bush’s fault, which is beyond ludicrous.  The blaming needs to stop – if not, just bury Obama’s presidency now, because he can not survive the shadow of Bush.  It has also been suggested that if you were not for the Chicago Olympics, you are not patriotic.  This one is beyond offensive.  What about the Olympics is patriotic?  We waste an enormous amount of taxpayer money to fund something that NEVER breaks even, but leaves tremendous debt, in order to provide yet another professional sports venue to a bunch of millionaires.  Personally, I think there should be ONE Olympic venue – say in Greece – so these elaborate and totally unusable structures are not built over and over and over.  Perhaps some average Americans might be able to attend, then.

So, the Obamas went to Denmark, and despite the Golden clothes, they came back with a huge carbon footprint and waste of taxpayer dollars and the veil of mourning.