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Olympics go to Rio

I’m torn on this one. 

Brazil will become the first South American country to host the Olympics after the city of Rio de Janeiro was chosen to stage the 2016 Games.

Rio won a majority of the 95 votes at the meeting in Copenhagen, eliminating Madrid in the final round. Tokyo and Chicago had already been knocked out.

Frankly, it all depends on how the Olympics are run.  Hosting an Olympics can be a big boost to the economy.  It can also be a huge boondoggle.  Look at Athens which now has huge facilities that were built for the Olympics that now sit empty and suck up money.  The Salt Lake City Olympics were a complete disaster until Romney cleaned it up. 

If Chicago had won the Olympics, politicians in SE Wisconsin and Madison would have undoubtedly pushed for the silly KRM line and other things that we would have to fund for years after the Olympics are gone.  On the other hand, if run properly, the Olympics could have been a nice shot in the arm of the local economy. 

It’s all moot now, but I can’t sat that I’m either thrilled or really upset that Chicago didn’t get the Olympics. 

UPDATE: Per Steve Austin’s recommendation, I watched President Obama’s speech lobbying for the Olympics.  Here it is:

I agree with Steve… that was narcissistic tripe and a horrible sales pitch.  Generally when you’re trying to sell something to someone you should focus on how what you are selling will benefit them.  A sales guy that just rambles on about himself will generally fail.

Posted by Owen at 0743 hrs
Economy + Foreign Affairs + Politics + Politics - General

1. I’m glad it didn’t happen. This would have been the big sop for all the stupid ideas (like that damn train) that would have sucked money out of our wallets faster than a new Kirby.

   Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on October 03, 2009 at 0858 hrs
   
   
   

2. I agree, very glad it didn’t happen for the same reasons as Bill.  In addition it would have been a tempting terrorism target.  On top of that, it was a resounding rebuke of The One and his merry band of socialist.  Every slap down of this clown is a good thing for Liberty.

   Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on October 03, 2009 at 0911 hrs
   
   
   

3. Good point about the trains.  I hadn’t thought of that one. 

   I’d encourage you all to go to google video and search under “Obama Copenhagen speech” and watch our President’s nine minute pitch to the IOC if you haven’t already.

   Frankly if the guy were working for me in sales, I would have fired him after that presentation.  There is zero in that speech that would demonstrate for me as a “buyer” that my customer needs would be met.  No discussions of why Chicago would have the best facilities, logistics, venues, financial support, etc. or why fans and athletes would be best served with Chicago as the location. 

   Instead all we are told is that the city would be the right choice because “I” and my wife Michelle are from there.  And that since the city was good enough for “my” election night party in Grant Park, that the Olympics should want to piggyback on that legacy. 

   I’ve never heard a more narcissistic piece of crap.  The commentators really need to break down that awful speech.  It was terrible.

   Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on October 03, 2009 at 0917 hrs
   
   
   

4. Thanks for putting up that link Owen. 

   I think yesterday will go down as the day Obama “jumped the shark”

   The tone and content of that speech personify THE problem with Obama as the Chief Executive Officer of America.  He doesn’t understand how to get things done.  He’s just used giving speeches about himself and then being lauded for it. 

   The GOP narrative from last fall about his lack of experience at actually being able to run something, anything, even a profitable lemonade stand has now come home to roost. 

   Put the politics aside as this situation could apply to either a Liberal or a Conservative.  This guy just can’t get things done.  I suppose that is good from a conservative point of view, but these aren’t ordinary times.  Especially economically.  He needs to call a timeout, put his ego and ideology aside and bring in a guy like Michael Bloomberg to take over operational control of things.

   Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on October 03, 2009 at 0958 hrs
   
   
   

5. All I can say is “holy shit” - thanks for posting the video - I actually wasted 9 minutes of my life watching it - can I come over to your house and get my 9 minutes back?.  The IOC probably wants their 9 minutes back too.  In the context of a sales presentation, my thought would be, “the sooner this guy (& the company he represents) is out of my face, the better.  Note to receptionist - this guy’s calls don’t get through”.

   Maybe he should get some experience by pitching for Chicago to host the Special Olympics, before he moves on to something like this.  This one is obviously above his pay grade.

   Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on October 03, 2009 at 1012 hrs
   
   
   

6. echo chamber

   Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on October 03, 2009 at 1354 hrs
   
   
   

7. Hmmm…  Yeah, watching the speech, if I hadn’t known it was a speech to the IOC, I would have had to ask myself several times throughout the speech What is he talking towards?

   In fairness, I don’t know what the other (countries delegates) speeches centered around, but it appears Obama’s campaign strategy didn’t “play” on the world IOC stage.  The “hopey changey thingey” didn’t fly this time.  I think a bit more substance.. er… scratch that…. Any substance would have been more efficacious.  It was narcissistic at times, but when it wasn’t that, it was just the substance lacking campaign strategy that worked for him. I guess being “trendy” didn’t translate on the world stage. 

   In sales I always have my reps get our customers to visualize themselves with our product and service.  With the exception of “on the shores of lake michigan” referenced once, I couldn’t (listening to the speech) visualize the games in Chicago at all? 

   When I heard characterizations of RIO’s pitch they referenced sports in the shadow of some rio’s striking geographical assets.  Obama should have talked about people spilling out of venue’s to enjoy nightly fireworks on Navy Pier.  He should have talked about mountain biking events in some of the best mountain biking terrain in the world (kettle moraine).  He should have talked about rowing competitions in front of one of the greatest waterfront skylines in the world.  Visualizations.  Something…  I think the whole “diversity” “neighborhoods” bullshit would have fallen flat on the world stage.  That just came off patronizing.  And like I said, when he wasn’t doing the touchy-feely hopey changey thingey, he was talking about himself. 

   I am a bit disappointed (with mixed feelings)  Certainly the potential to be a huge economic boon to the midwest.  Being here in Milwaukee I think we would have (like usual) been just far enough away to avoid the oppressive congestion of crowds and traffic, but just close enough to sample the experience if we wanted to or avoid it if we didn’t.  I WONDER how our pathetic give-away government would have found ways to squander taxpayer money for the games.  (my only downside)

   Oh well.  What else would we expect from a 1-termer.  Nice Fail.

   To be honest, Obama probably was surprised he had to give a speech.  he probably thought when air-force 1 landed they’d have bestowed the games upon Chicago once his feet hit the tarmack.

   Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on October 03, 2009 at 1603 hrs
   
   
   

8. Here’s the thing.  While it was hardly a great speech, it wouldn’t have mattered.  Other foreign leaders and dignitaries basically camp out at these things and glad-hand everyone to death.  Obama’s fly-in made it look like just another item on the agenda.  These IOC people are used to being pandered to like crazy.  They’re not so far removed away from their paid vacations and ridiculous goodie baskets.  They expect to be treated like the biggest deal on earth.

   The USOC also continues to be locked in the middle of a nasty dispute with the IOC regarding revenue sharing for television and merchandising.  And one mustn’t forget the effect of regional voting, which puts North America at a disadvantage because we simply don’t have as many IOC representatives.

   Think regional voting wasn’t in play?  How else does one explain that Tokyo managed to get fewer votes in the second round than in the first?  Everyone knew Tokyo didn’t stand a chance but they still managed to corral the votes from the Asian delegation in round one.

   Rio’s win is just another in a string of victories for the wealthy minority of an impoverished nation.  Rio 2016, the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.  Brazil and South Africa rank lower in income equality than just about any nation for which there’s enough data to evaluate.  But it’s great.  All these old male delegates can show they care about the third world by letting them host their money-losing spectacles.  And hey, Rio undeniably makes for a better vacation for the privileged elite of the world than Chicago or Madrid or Tokyo.

   Can’t wait to see those picturesque shots of Rio, the ones from the water with the slum-riddled neighborhoods cascading down the hillsides.  Or maybe Lula will bulldoze those.

   Once again, a narcissistic leader from a poor country dupes his countrymen into believing that national pride is more important than, I don’t know, clean water and good schools.  So congrats to Rio.  Your rich will get richer, and the rest of you will get to watch from the hillsides.

   Posted by Recess Supervisor on October 03, 2009 at 1639 hrs
   
   
   

9. I agree with all of that.  I also think that the Byzantine politics around the committee decided this long ago.  Obama had very little to do with the loss, but the fact that he thought that a personal appeal like that would work to secure the Olympics for Chicago illustrates his false perception of his own abilities.

   Posted by Owen on October 03, 2009 at 1649 hrs
   
   
   

10. Michelle’s speech was equally narcissistic: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-091002-michelle-transcript,0,3883054.story

    Posted by hsgbdmama on October 03, 2009 at 1929 hrs
    
    
    

11. Michelle’s was also bad.  Agreed there.  I liked the part about sitting on her dad’s lap as a child watching Carl Lewis compete. (even though she would have been 20 years old when Lewis competed in 1984)  The media of course hasn’t really picked up on this mistake.  What would the mainstream media have said if Laura Bush started talking about how one of her inspirations growing up as a young girl was Johnny Depp?

    If you are going to tell a fib, at least make it historically accurate.  Saying she was watching Sugar Ray Leonard box in Montreal in 1976 (when she would have still been 12 years old) or Mark Spitz swim in 1972 (when she was 8) would have been a better story.  Valerie Jarret heard the speech before hand and proclaimed there wouldn’t be a dry eye in the house.  Didn’t any of Michelle’s advisors quickly determine how problematic the Carl Lewis example would be?

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on October 03, 2009 at 2033 hrs
    
    
    

12. Wow, Michelle’s was worse.  Didn’t think that was possible.  What a joke.  I know its too much to expect anything “real” out of political/public figures, but this isn’t even a good job of lying.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on October 04, 2009 at 1209 hrs
    
    
    

13. I clearly wanted Madrid to win as that is my city. But honestly it is about time that Latin- America, being such a great sport continent, gets it.

    Posted by brustvergrößerung kosten on October 06, 2009 at 0550 hrs
    
    
    

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