Why It's Good for Obama the Olympic Committee Didn't Pick Chicago

I believe in Barack Obama. I believe he's an exceptionally talented leader. I believe that he has everything he needs in order to be a profoundly important American President. Which means, my biggest hope right now is that he really, truly, and passionately wanted Chicago to host the 2016 Olympics. I hope he wanted it from the top of his head down to his toes. Because I think it's not a bad thing for anyone who wins the American Presidency by a large margin to experience a profound, personal, political loss on the world stage early on in their tenure.

It benefits a President to realize he can lose. It benefits a President to realize the stakes are real and failure - real, abject failure - is an option decidedly in play. And it's not a bad idea for a President to taste defeat in the form of a sporting event, than in leading a war against a foreign nation, governing his country, or (I say selfishly) leading his party.

I watched Obama's speech to the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Again, I'm a long-time supporter of his, and plan to be for a long-time to come. But I question how he talked more about himself than the city he was intending to support. I question how little he discussed the actual, nuts and bolts value of a Chicago bid, in favor of relaying his own, personal feelings about his hometown, in broad terms so symbolic and flowery as to be rather empty. I think that's part of why Chicago came in fourth out of the top four contenders. And I think that's a good thing.

This weekend Fox News and others will pummel him relentlessly about his missteps. Let them. (Within reasonable bounds, of course.) Let this be a watershed public affairs moment in his presidency: his first conclusive, embarrassing defeat in office.

Then let the leader of the free world get up off the mat and get back to work on Iraq, Afghanistan, Health Care, and the economy, knowing from experience that failure is an option. And subsequently employing a renewed determination to deliver on the talents and opportunities most of the world knows he has.

Comments

[GoDems2012]

Obama doesn't like to lose. I think he feels saddened by the defeat. But I'm with you. I'd rather him fail at getting the bid than at healthcare, war, etc. This would be his first major flop since he became a U.S. Senator. It's sobering. I don't think he's as narcissistic as some would like to believe. I do believe he learns from his defeats and emerges better.

[landr]

I hope I am wrong, but it strikes me that the Obama's thought all they had to do was show up and sprinkle "obama pixie dust " on the topic and win the Olympics. I read both speeches and was struck by how much importance they put on their personal stories, I guess they thought that everyone else in the audience was born rich and powerful..I think they are both good people with great personal accomplishments but charm and charisma is not going to make or break a world event. You are right, better to learn to fall on a soft surface, than one filled with rocks. A man with the ability to become a great president needs to lose his innocence sooner rather than later. The world stage is a cynical place indeed..

[mercymercyme]

Just how did the President fail? Another city won the Olympics. Them's the breaks. But to lay this out as a personal failing of the President is a fallacious argument.

[wanttruth]

I keep asking myself that! President Obama was asked to make a final pitch for the games. He did. the IOC chose another city. How did President Obama fail?! The argument surrounding failure is laughable!

[DahliaZ]

As someone who actually watches Fox News, I can tell you it's not that big a topic. And when it was raised, their commentator (Tucker Carlson) made exactly the same point this author did - this President needed an indisputable and high profile loss. Hopefully this is the splash of cold water in Obama's face that his glorious presence and a speech are not actually enough to achieve anything. Hopefully, this will help Obama re-assess the value his persona can have on advancing the US' national interests. Just because people abroad like the guy doesn't mean nations change their national interests. Sarkozy's assessment of Obama as a childish amateur is spot on, and I'd wager many other foreign politicians agree, but haven't Sarkozy's trademark outspokeness to actually say so out loud.

[wanttruth]

You're wrong!

[SaddieMcCall]

It always bothers me when the media protrays that Obama or anyone from his administration would not get involved unless it was a sure thing due to the embarassment if he wasn't successful (like having Clinton, Bill, show up for the release of the hostages).

What kind of message is that for anyone? Even with the Olympics, its like constant bragging about which countries take home the most gold. There are many countries who show up every four years, and do their best - no matter what the outcome is. I think it is good to make an honest effort to reach for your goals, even when you don't always hit the mark.

What kind of challenge is it if you only participate in activities that you know the final outcome before you start?

[CanisLatrans]

"It benefits a President to realize he can lose."

Yes, but in order to risk losing, one must step up to the plate and at least try to win every so often. So far he seems content to sit back and watch health care reform erode away and do nothing. The one time he goes to bat it's for... getting the Olympics in his adopted hometown. Whoop-de-doo.

There's talk about a great many things --Iran, Afghanistan, Middle East Peace negotiations, Brazilian ethanol tariffs, health care, etc... but little pro-active action. Except for the Olympics. For that, the stops are pulled out! Blah.

[dadw5boys]

Losing and making mistakes is how you learn.

Tell the unemployed next year how is was good for Obama to lose when they still have no jobs because those who could start businesses are tied down with bills resulting from changes in the Bankruptize Laws.

Republican policys, Barrier to Entry Laws, and Tax Breaks have people who could start busuiness tied down and wraped up in debt. So Obama needs to be out there making Bids and fielding advice to help America rebuild. I hope he gets our of the country more the FIXED News does not help anyone but keeps people from thinking.

[mi]

Totally agree, I think it was great he tried to
get the games for the USA, but
also felt it might be good for him to take a loss.
Maybe it will energize him for a win for
healh care reform.

[cgoodie]

"If Obama loses, America wins"??? Sounds like something out of Rush Limbaugh's playbook.

[Tulka2]

Funny, but i just said this about my one-year-old grandson today. I want him to have little bumps and accidents. If my grandson is protected from every little injury, he will go over the edge and really get hurt.

[savvydad]

Of course Obama wanted the Olympiad in Chicago. Nothing wrong with that. But the moment he and Michelle thrust their weight in the mix.......forget about it. The fundamental basics of the olympics is outside of politics. And just maybe this was the rest of the world saying.." america, get your head on straight."

[Ugonna]

other world leaders have thrown their weight in to the mix and won though. I don't think they lost because of whatever they did wrong. It was just Rio's time I guess. The only reason I was unhappy Chicago lost was cause I KNEW it would be portrayed as Obama's loss-which it is being portrayed as. Sucks. I think he should have cheered Chicago on from afar.

[Jerkyman]

This is just another snub of our president by the racists infecting the IOC.

[savvydad]

Every snub isn't racist. Chicago started this almost four years ago. (I'm suprised Bush wasn,t blamed). Of course the IOC stuck it to Obama. Rio was the worst choice as far as security, infrastructure, and logistics for athletes. When you haven't talked to your General commanding our soldiers in over 2 months while you decide to get Olympiad over Economy, Iran, Healthcare, and Economy again you are out of touch. Thank you IOC!

[MossyOak]

Obama was asked to throw one pitch at the bottom of the ninth inning. Posting it as a loss to him is spurious logic.

[globalcitizenlinda]

Do people trully believe that given what we know of President Obama's personal background he does not really know what it means to fail?????

Come on people, BO was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth, instead he has had to work for everything he has earned. Besides, one thing that minorities know is that you have to work harder than the majority before anyone can give you credit for your achievements - ask any of your friends who really have lived BO's life

[Roger Wolfson - Huffpost Blogger]

Of course Obama knows failure. Personal failure. He has yet, in my view, to have a real categorical failure as President. I'm just saying I think it's a good thing for all Presidents to have one of those, fairly early on.

[ellenst]

I'm sure Bush and Clinton told Obama all about what to expect in the role as president, including real categorical failure, and he listened actively. I concur with globalcitizenlinda, minorities know they must always work harder to achieve success, and also know, like most people, that you must have some failures in order to succeed. I don't care how many award winning TV series you've written, in the future don't let your emotions get in the way of common sense.

[naijaman]

Excuse me...but this author is being rather presumptuous to have assumed that the USA was going to win the bid in the first place. This Olympic bid kicked off in 2005 for crying out loud and George W. Bush went to Chicago to kick off the bid along with officials from Chicago. How on earth is this suddenly President Obama's "loss" or "failure"? He only weighed in at the END of the bid...he was not involved before last week.

To point to the IOC picking Rio (hello...it's about time!!") instead of the USA (hello...USA hosted in 1984 and 1996 already) seems fair, and for the author to wail about the President "failing" shows exactly how out-of-touch he is.

[Roger Wolfson - Huffpost Blogger]

I think choosing to go to Copenhagen was a choice, not a fait accompli. I think Obama's speech, what to say, etc., was his choice. I personally think that they were both risks that did not pay off. Hence - a failure. And, I'm arguing - not a bad thing to have a failure like that at this stage in his Presidency.

[ellenst]

The President did not fail. Rio won. The City of Chicago and the United States of America lost. There is too much political and racial divisiveness in this country to host an international athletic event anyway, and everyone in the world knows it.

[Jeff Cunningham]

Yeah, I think we're making way too big a deal of this. While I think the Olympics being in Chicago would've been a huge boon for America, I have no problem with Rio getting the bid. The only problem I have with the whole thing is how joyous the mouth-breathing right-wingers are -- that's what really ticks me off.

I hope RIo puts on a great Olympics; South America deserves its shot at the world's stage.

[Schoolgirl666]

Blah, blah, blah.....maybe it's just that the United States has hosted the Olympic Games 8 times and the entire continent of South America has NEVER hosted a single game.

[RIP2]

I agree with you . I liked the speech that Obama gave when he got back here about loosing. Our President does know about loosing and he knows that you have to dust yourself off and get back up again. This is an American value. The IOC acted as we in America acted when we voted for Barack Obama. They chose to go to a Continent that had been shuned in the past. Rio fullfilled the racial, language, cultural void that needed to be filled. I hope Chicago tries again. It's a great American city...Thanks to all Chicagoans , you carried our banner proudly.

[wanttruth]

Good post. I agree.

[wendynyc]

Glad it was on this small thing - Olympics - about time they went to some of the tropical countries like Brazil and India