Something Rotten, But Not In Denmark
Earlier this year Newsweek gave up being a straight news magazine and became partisan. It was disappointing to all of us who remember an age when Time and Newsweek were two useful sources of what was going on, but perhaps a necessary adaptation in the internet age.
Still, this Newsweek piece of bootlicking--"Losing the Olympics Bid Is Good for Obama"--is an embarrassment. I felt Obama et al going to Denmark to fight for the Olympics was a no-lose proposition. If he gets it, it increases his stature. If he doesn't, well, that's just the way it goes, Chicago was never gonna get it anyway.
But to claim it's good for him is insulting. The argument, by the way, is Olympics lose money and are a big hassle, so it would long-range be bad for him. First, this one wouldn't happen till 2016, so even if the planning was a disaster, I don't see any serious trouble till after Obama has either won or lost his reelection bid. Second...you know, why go on. Newsweek is just being silly.
PS I used to live in Chicago and I have mixed feelings about this decision. I hear the public is split in half about it too. It probably would been big trouble (though I hear it worked well here in Los Angeles in 1984). It would have been exciting to go there and attend, but I know traffic can be bad enough during normal times.
posted by LAGuy @ 12:27 PM
2 Comments:
Better to say Obama (and Chicago) is saved by losing the Olympic bid. The Olympics in this day (and I am assuming it will be same in 2016) would be an absolute disaster. Its not traffic -its the protests and the police response- the provocateurs and the willingly provoked.
Did they see what happened at the G-20? Pittsburgh thought it would be showcased and perceived as a desirable city- well sort of, my son was impressed, he thinks the City looks like the interior of the Death Star with tons of imperial stormtoopers marching around in formation. The last night the (largely imported) cops charged into the Univerity of Pitt campus and arrested and beat 200 people- 3 reporters and 50 bystanders watching the gathering according to the news reports- and made a point of smashing cell phones and cameras.
Also big events make your city unusable- Pittsburgh was shut down during the G-20 (leaving the streets free for fighting) I experienced Boston as a ghost town during the 2004 Democratic convention.
Why would Chicago want to host the Olympics which would invite similar protest and response? Chicago (under the current mayor's father) didn't do so well with protests in 1968.
(This was going to be a separate post a couple days ago but I dropped it. LAGuy's post reminded me- Thanks)
Actually, a repeat of the '68 convention might be fun, and would sure put Chicago on the map.
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