LA Times has a story that makes the seasoned observer wonder if the White House isn’t throwing the Chicago Olympic Committee under the bus.
“The intelligence that we had from the U.S. Olympic Committee and Chicago bid team was that it was very close and therefore well worth our efforts,” said Valerie Jarrett, a senior White House advisor. “The message was that . . . a personal appeal from the president would make a huge difference.”
At first, Obama was to do some “quiet lobbying.”
Working from the White House, he placed calls to half a dozen influential people, including IOC President Jacques Rogge. It quickly became clear that other heads of state were doing the same thing — especially the president of Brazil, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
“It was apparent when he made those calls that Lula had been there [made calls?] earlier,” senior White House aide David Axelrod said.
Jarrett, “a strong proponent of the drive to deliver the Games,” urged that Obama make the trip. So did Daley, of course. Obama wanted to go, but had to be sure Health Care would not be on the Senate floor. Chicago kept pushing.
Daley and Patrick Ryan, chairman of Chicago 2016, were among those who told the White House that the nose count showed a presidential visit might close the sale, Jarrett said.
She excuses them:
“It’s a secret ballot. You can’t necessarily be certain that the people who tell you they’ll vote for you ultimately will,” Jarrett said. “So I’m sure they did the very best they could do to get the intelligence they had.”
So. It’s done this way, subtly, indirectly. You can’t blame them for being wrong, dead wrong about sending the President across the waters. And you certainly can blame him or his supposed wise advisors.
Blithe Spirit 
Underlying this story are hubris and stupidity of theological dimensions.
This shouldn’t even be a story. The story was, “IOC chooses Rio over Chicago,” and that should have been the end of it. But no. “Obama” and his advisers apparently believe that the simple story suggests that “Obama” is less than omniscient (the “intelligence that we had”—are we talking about a terrorist attack?) and/or less than omnipotent (in failing to bend the IOC to his will). (Sounds like a black thing to me. With rare exceptions, whites do not feel the overwhelming need to present their leaders in godly terms, and those exceptions were mass-murdering, maniacal dictators.)
Now they feel a need to explain that which requires no explanation. Can a racist conspiracy theory be far behind: ‘They banded together against the first African-American president’?
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We should all know that our leader deserdves espect, and that we should give that to him. That would be an easier task if he behaved in a more seasoned and dignified way. Occupying the Presidency is built-in guarantee of respect from the masses, most of whom understand that he is a living symbol of our nation, and its admirable history, and not simply a hustling Ward-Heeler from Chicago, on the lookout for the next opportunity for graft or power.
Those who don’t understand these basics need to work on their Patriotism and their Respect for our Civilized Institutions. Obamas come and Obamas go, but America survives even the worst of its possible leaders. Tip back, relax, and realize that America is a place Truly Blessed, and worthy of honor and respect.
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America has been truly blessed because it was a country that honored God and honored our founding ideals and Constitution in which they are enshrined. I wouldn’t say that we still honor our Creator who has blessed us so abundantly. I don’t think we can relax and let the secularists and Marxists destroy what the Founders and patriots have given us.
“America is great because she is good; when she ceases to be good she will cease to be great.”
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