There are many ways in which a politician can throw his weight around and display his insularity and solipsistic self-absorption. The Obama entourage’s vulgar show of self-importance—down to the feeble-minded Talker they took along for the ride in their bid for the next Olympics—must have gotten under the collective skin of the more understated Nordic, European folks. Europeans have been first to shatter Obama’s messianic invincibility.
In a previous post, “How She Sacrifices For Us,” I wondered when the Europeans would finally get “sick-and-tired of the Obama dog-and-pony show. I assume they have some pride.”
Well, the time has arrived—and sooner than I imagined it would. But I’m not complaining. “The 2016 Games are going to Rio de Janeiro,” reports MSNBC. “Chicago was knocked out in the first round, despite in-person lobbying by President Barack Obama — one of the most shocking defeats ever handed down by the International Olympic Committee.”
The slap to Chicago was such that some IOC members were left squirming. The city’s plans for Olympic competition along its stunning Lake Michigan waterfront had long made it a front-runner and earned support from the highest possible level — President Barack Obama himself. His wife, Michelle, flew in two days before the vote to butter up IOC members, an essential part of the selection process. And Obama himself flew in Friday morning.
IOC members had seemed wowed, posing for photos with Mrs. Obama and taking souvenir shots of the president with their mobile phones. But, in the vote, Chicago was shunned.
Update (Oct. 3): THE TIMES OF ENGLAND (warning; intelligent writing ahead): “Mr Obama was greeted — as usual — like a rock star by the IOC delegates in Copenhagen — then humiliated by them. Perception is reality. A narrow defeat for Chicago would have been acceptable — but the sheer scale of the defeat was a bombshell, and is a major blow for Mr Obama at a time when questions are being asked about his style of governance.
… Chicago’s dismal showing yesterday, after Mr Obama’s personal, impassioned last-minute pitch, is a stunning humiliation for this President. It cannot be emphasised enough how this will feed the perception that on the world stage he looks good — but carries no heft.”
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In their understated, quiet way, the Europeans may have done us a favor. However, will a man with a messianic complex (Bush had it but, other than the Republicans, no one bought into his delusions) intensify his efforts at tyranny? On second thought, is that even possible?