Update (4:20 p.m.): Comments by Gary Bauer:
An Olympic-Size Failure - As a true blue American patriot, I really wanted Chicago to win the right to host the 2016 Olympic Games. Nonetheless, I was astonished that President Obama and his White House advisors made the decision to send the overexposed president and first lady to Copenhagen to lobby the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for the bid. He is the president of the United States – not the head of the Chicago Chamber of Commerce.
An American president has a great deal of power, much of it granted by the Constitution and by statute. But a significant portion of his power derives from the sense of the office itself and the history written by the men who have occupied the Oval Office. When an American president speaks on major issues or in a crisis, his words carry great weight. This president took office with friend and foe acknowledging that he was an effective orator able to mobilize the masses, some even to the point of swooning. Eight months into his infant presidency, that asset has been eroded due to his narcissism and hubris.
Two weeks ago, President Obama brought his rhetoric to a joint session of Congress to advocate for socialized medicine. Support for his plan went up after that speech, but the “bounce” was gone within a week. This week the media were in full adoration mode as they breathlessly reported on the first lady’s and the president’s emotional appeals to the IOC.
This was not the “cowboy from Crawford.” This was “O,” “The One.” Surely Chicago would prevail. Then, the IOC voted, and apparently the Obama charm was not enough. (No doubt Jimmy Carter will be condemning the members of International Olympic Committee as racists any moment now.)
This was a humiliating defeat for the president, who had vested the prestige of his office into a “small” issue. He lost. Chicago lost. And on the same day, we found out that 267,000 Americans lost their jobs last month. The president is shrinking before our eyes.
Tags: Barack Obama, Gary Bauer, Michelle Obama, Olympics, Oprah Winfrey To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
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