Olympics to Rio: It’s Bush’s Fault!

We can all draw the obvious lessons from President Obama’s failure to sway the International Olympic Committee to hold the 2016 Olympics in Chicago. Many people thought he wouldn’t make his highly visible trip to Copenhagen unless he had reason to know his pitch was going to be successful. Evidently not, as Chicago was the first city eliminated.
The IOC’s announcement was greeted with “shock and disbelief,” according to the AFP. Jesse Jackson, for one, was dismayed:

Civil rights leader Reverend Jesse Jackson, who has long been based in Chicago, said he was surprised by the city’s loss.
“I’m shocked and saddened. We were emotionally prepared for it,” he said, noting that the United States had sent its “A team” of President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle to push for the Chicago bid.

Come to think of it, there is a silver lining to Chicago not getting the Olympics after all: we won’t have to put up with Jackson trying to jump in front of the cameras.
The funniest thing about the AP’s account, however, is swimmer Rowdy Gaines’ struggle to understand how Obama’s mission could have failed:

“I’m still in a state of shock. I can’t believe we couldn’t get past the first round. I still thought the (Chicago) bid overall was the best,” said three-time Olympic gold medalist swimmer Ambrose “Rowdy” Gaines.
“Maybe there is some hangover from politics, from the last eight years,” Gaines said.

I suppose that will be the explanation when Obama can’t persuade the mullahs to abandon their nukes, either.

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