In a stunning vote by the International Olympic Committee the IOC rejected Chicago on the first ballot for the 2016 Olympics. With the high profile Obama personally changing his agenda to make a trip to Copenhagen to lobby the IOC was this just another case of the world saying "no to American arrogance"? So far Obama is yet to get any concessions from his numerous trips around the world and meetings with leaders from around the world.
Obama Meets General on Air Force One to Justify Olympic Trip?
Scrambling to create the illusion of "official" business while on a junket to lobby on behalf of his political buddies from Chicago, a potential billion dollar payback for these long time politicians and financers, Obama met with his Afghanistan advisor General Stanley McChrystal for 15 minutes in Copenhagen before heading back to the White House.
The war in Afghanistan got 15 minutes on the trip while Chicago and the Obama Rat Pack from the Windy City got about 5 hours of his time not to mention the entire day it took to get there and back. They also got Michelle Obama the last couple of days along with Oprah Winfrey and a massive effort by the Obama White House. That means two taxpayer jets of people crossing the ocean.
After holding only one phone conversation with McChrystal the last 70 days since he put him in charge of the war in Afghanistan, and delaying discussion on the urgent request for more troops from his general, the president talked to him three times in 48 hours. Was it political staging or a sincere effort to resolve the request for troops?
McChrystal had been in London, where he said in a speech Thursday that insurgents are gaining strength in Afghanistan and more troops are needed to "buy time" for the Afghan military and police forces to prepare to take control of the country in 2013.
A White House spokesman said the hastily scheduled meeting was part of the ongoing discussion about Afghanistan and no decisions were made. The pair met in the president's cabin of Air Force One. It seems "no decisions being made" is part of the new White House strategy.
"The president wanted to take the opportunity to get together with General McChrystal," spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters aboard the presidential aircraft just before takeoff.
The meeting was the third conversation between the two since McChrystal disclosed in a television interview that aired Sunday that he had spoken with Obama only once since taking over the U.S. military efforts in Afghanistan. Obama tapped McChrystal in May to replace ousted Gen. David McKiernan.
McChrystal has been a thorn in the side of the Obama gang since going public with his analysis that we are losing the war in Afghanistan without more troops. Administration people like Rahm Emanuel, Vice President Biden and virtually every other liberal there oppose the troop build up. Now the media is saying the Administration is becoming too deliberate in taking action and is hurting their own agenda with their inertia.
As for the Olympic bid led by White House staffer Valerie Jarrett, Jarrett made sure a full court press was underway by the White House. According to The New York Times, "Barack Obama is a man with many mentors, but Ms. Jarrett has been one of his most longstanding and influential tutors, navigating him through Chicago civic and political circles. Ms. Jarrett coached both Obamas at once -- they first met when Michelle Obama applied for a job with Ms. Jarrett in the Chicago mayor's office -- and she has guided them ever since."
With both presidential jets dispatched to Copenhagen along with the many security and staff needed to support the travelling White House, opponents say hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars are being spent for Chicago, a city with a long history of corruption. Chicago spent about $40 million for the bid and numerous Obama people were already direct and indirect beneficiaries of the big bucks.
Even long time Obama backer Oprah Winfrey joined the delegation to lobby for the Olympic bid. As for the people of Chicago, polls showed only half even wanted to host the Olympics. Perhaps the IOC did what the Aerican politicians would not do, listen to the people.
Wasn't it Obama himself who promised there would be no lobbyists for special interests in the White House? Does that mean he has to fire his wife and himself?
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