Sunday Roundup

This week, in the battle for the 2016 Olympics, the Brazilians waxed the star power of Oprah and the Obamas. Chicago was rejected on the first ballot, and conservatives couldn't contain their glee. I thought it was only the coasts that Republicans think are not part of the real America. Now it's the Midwest, too? I wonder how far their bizarre wish for America to fail would go: if the Windy City had gotten the Olympics, would Republicans have rooted against American athletes? Would chants of "USA! USA!" have been replaced by shouts of "Government-run sports is socialism!" and "Keep your hands off my high jump!"? One sure sign that a political party has completely lost its way is when it finds itself cheering that an American city will not be hosting the Olympics.

 

 

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Comments

[capitaldysfunction]

03:15 AM on 10/06/2009

If it will help Obama the Whigs are against it regardless of whether it is good for America.

[BlackBuddha]

02:07 AM on 10/05/2009

I'm more concerned about the logic of Obama.

Brazil is a major upcoming nation. I am pleased.

The seven rings represent the "7" continents, but the games have yet to be held in 3... but have a long modern history in the "continent" of Europe. As the summer games will never be in Antarctica, it is time that South America and Africa are represented. Granted though, our summer is their winter...

Arrive early for Carnivale!

[mairs]

10:44 PM on 10/04/2009

The 80 percenters won't forget that you laughed and snickered that Chicago lost out. The 20 percenters will be gleeful but the rest of us won't forget how you reacted. You just lost 2010.

[Joan E. Dowlin]

10:42 PM on 10/04/2009

Arianna, you are so insightful! What extreme will the GOP opposition go to to regain power? There's nothing Obama can do that is right in their eyes. If he hadn't gone to Copenhagen and Chicago lost the bid he would have been blamed. I just hope they continue acting like school children so the American public can see where their priorities really lie (not with them) and will vote them out next election.

I saw Michael Moore's movie tonight and you were so right about it. Thank you for your HuffPost eyes and ears reporting to keep us informed and continue Michael's mission to tell the truth about what is happening to our country.

[moseyon]

10:38 PM on 10/04/2009

The world is shaking its head not about America losing the games,but the reaction of the Republicans. Believe me this was seen around the world not just in America.

[republic4all]

10:28 PM on 10/04/2009

Maybe, just maybe, some federal income tax payers don't want to pay for one CITY's debt that occurs due to the games. If Chicago could prove their self sufficiency this wouldn't even be a story. Unfortunately Chicago has no financial credibility.
Awww, was that too mean? I totally ignored the citizens of Chicago and put the American tax payer's interests first.

[mairs]

10:47 PM on 10/04/2009

"Despite the stigma that the Olympics required going into significant debt, Los Angeles successfully hosted the Olympics in 1984 without any debt. In fact, its Olympic committee ended up with a profit that was in part used to establish and endow the Amateur Athletic Foundation to promote youth sports in Southern California and maintain a Sports Library. The 1984 Summer Olympics are often considered the most financially successful modern Olympics."

[republic4all]

11:04 PM on 10/04/2009

What have recent games showed?
Oh, and LA and Calilfornia in general are doing very well financially. Wait, no they're not.

[lizt]

10:57 PM on 10/04/2009

No, you're not too mean just irrelevant. I now consider Republicans to be so buried in negativity that they have placed themselves outside the realm of legitimate political input.

[republic4all]

11:34 PM on 10/04/2009

No, you're not too mean just irrelevant. I now consider Republicans to be so buried in negativity that they have placed themselves outside the realm of legitimate political input.

To disagree with Democrats does not make one a Republican. So you agree with every single Democrat proposal? If so how do you like the kool-aid? If not, does that make you a Republican? BTW: I’m not a Republican.
To disagree also does not make one negative. Dems disagreed with Bush about Afganistan to mention one thing. Were they negative? What about Obama keeping troops in Afganistan? I disagree with it but that’s not negative.
Back to Chicago. Evidence shows the American taxpayer will be stuck with the bill. Are you okay with that? Wait, taxpayer money for business’(TARP) wasn’t okay, but taxpayer money for Chicago is okay?

[Neopolitan]

10:28 PM on 10/04/2009

The President should have not gotten down in the weeds on something like the Olympics. There are more important things on his plate than wasting a million plus dollars on a jaunt to Denmark, with Oprah Winfrey in attendance for crying out loud. His presence put a political smell on what is supposed to be an international apolitical event. Carter made the egregious error of cancelling America's participation in the Olympics for political reasons and it backfired on him. One of the reasons that many were not in favor of Chicago being the 2016 site is that the monies would be handily mismanaged by the corrupt thuggery who runs the city, the Unions, the select few in the inner circle and ultimately leave a substantial debt for which we, of course, would be required to make restitution. The President should have done some research on this before gambling his good standing in the world with this impulsive stunt.

[republic4all]

10:34 PM on 10/04/2009

Are you kidding? The President weighs in on local city police activity. Why the heck would he stay out of the spotlight of the Olympics?

[mairs]

10:41 PM on 10/04/2009

Every country that was in the running had their leader present. This reminds me of Obama talking to the kids. It's Republicans that said it was political when it was nothing of the kind and other presidents had talked to schoolchildren in the past. Bush had stumped for Chicago getting the Olympics when he was president. But of course it is only wrong to Republicans when a Democrat does it. Stop politicizing absolutely everything.

[republic4all]

10:54 PM on 10/04/2009

Who exactly is politicizing absolutely everything?

[dogwatch]

09:41 PM on 10/04/2009

Games. Just games. Not enough to lose one's head over, either way. Fun to watch, but that's it.

[Lori Latimer]

09:32 PM on 10/04/2009

Finally, the loud, obnoxious and over-bearing are being ignored by those no longer afraid to support their President and Country in public.

[IllinoisTexan43]

09:19 PM on 10/04/2009

This present day spectacle took me back to my sopomore year in high school. That year a girl transferred from San Diego to our small town. She was Korean American and unbelievably beautiful, so naturally, the females instantly disliked her for no other reason than seeing the guys trip over their own feet to get her attention.

She became very popular and landed the part of Eliza Doolittle in "My Fair Lady". In one scene she went to stand up and tripped on the hem of her voluminous dress. Oh, how we laughed and howled! "Miss Perfect"(our nickname for her) had goofed up.

I realize it was only high school, but I see similiar behavior from the rightwing mouthpieces regarding President Obama. They are acting like the insecure, immature girls gleefully snickering at any perceived pratfall on the part of "Miss Perfect". It's like high school all over again.

[jgmoran]

08:58 PM on 10/04/2009

How ironic is it that the Republicans are cheering against Chicago, the most american of american cities, and for Brazil, a "Socialist" country with a public health care system?. Rio and the Brazilian people will throw a wonderful party. Felicitao! The Wing Nut Republicans is not invited for a caparinha. --Chicagoan for Rio

[republic4all]

10:38 PM on 10/04/2009

That's a really bad connection. One is not dependent on the other. You're grabbing for straws.

[republic4all]

10:40 PM on 10/04/2009

However, I do agree Chicago is the most American of American cities. We probably disagree about why. Chicago is nothing but Cronyism and highest bidder politics: exactly like Washington DC politics.

[viko]

08:41 PM on 10/04/2009

I f the economy was so bad how did Obama fix it so fast. This might be victory on the ship again. The point is he had no time being dealt the ace's and eights. Obama rather than fire everyone and begin again, he used the TARP and the same crowd. Jealousy set in because he was supposed to fail before he started. Before this thing in Copenhagen passes we might see the corruption in the Olympic Committie as we did before. Real politics is you looking good makes me look bad. The more things change the more they stay the same. I am proud of Ghicargo and the US and we would have housted a great show. Obama lost with elegance and dignity and wished Rio well as an American in The Americas. My dream now would be The US will beat Brazil in the Soccer. HA

[republic4all]

10:42 PM on 10/04/2009

Please tell me how Obama fixed the economy. I'm listening.

[TucsonDean]

08:41 PM on 10/04/2009

"You can't fix stupid."

[republic4all]

10:46 PM on 10/04/2009

You can fix ignorant though. Too bad our education system and MSM isn't about fixing ignorance.

[Flavor]

08:38 PM on 10/04/2009

My take on this whole matter is they won't get back in, the republican party continues to talk too much about nothing. Since they think that it is wise to snicker and laugh at something so positive the president was trying to do then lets see them laugh when they will not get back in.

[Zito]

08:37 PM on 10/04/2009

This is a party that deservers to be on the garbage heap of history. The Republican party is no more.
A new party needs to be formed out of the old moderate wing with new ideas.

The Democrats if they do not accomplish anything with control of both houses should also go the way of the dodo bird and passanger pidgeon.

[lizt]

11:00 PM on 10/04/2009

I agree. I think we are watching the death of the Republican Party. I suspect that a new conservative party will emerge with a split out of the Blue Dog Dems from the Democratic Party.

[republic4all]

11:01 PM on 10/04/2009

There are a few Communist regimns that IMHO seem worse. Stalin and Communist China are responsible for millions of murders. MILLIONS.