Obama couldn't have been photographed crying like DA SILVA and I have problem with that

[wndycty]

Could Obama have reacted like this had the US been awarded the Olympics? (granted Obama was already on AIR FORCE ONE but still)
I am so sick and frustrated with the false machismo that has come to define the American male and I AM AN AMERICAN MALE! Had the Olympics been awarded to the US would it have been acceptable for Obama to be overcome with emotion? Hell had Obama been photographed justifiably breaking down after learning he won the presidency (like I did) he would have been ridiculed. We need to change.



President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil wipes his eyes during a news conference following the signing of the host city contract after Rio de Janeiro was announced as the winning city bid for the 2016 Olympic Games at the 121st IOC session in Copenhagen October 2, 2009.

As a Chicagoan I was heart broken we didn't get the 2016 Olympic Games, but in retrospect its hard to argue with the IOC's decision to award the Olympics to Rio, the Brazilian people were extremely passionate in their desire to bring the games there. While there was a core group of Americans/Chicagoans who worked their tails off, this city/country was luke warm about the games.

[NYC Liberal]

1. But how do you know Obama's reaction would have been "false machismo"?

How do you know that his reaction, whatever it was, would not have been JUST as genuine? We all know that Obama has never been the kind of person to get emotional like that. That's fine, who cares? I don't break down crying when I'm really happy and it has nothing to do with me "faking" anything.

There is something to be said, of course, about our society frowning upon that kind of emotion (from men). From everything we know about him ("No Drama Obama"), Obama isn't like that no matter what society likes or doesn't like.

That SAID ... that doesn't mean Lula's reaction wasn't genuine and heartfelt either! I was hoping they got it if Chicago didn't. Either was fine with me either.

[wndycty]

2. I am not taking issue with Obama, but let's just say he broke down. . .

. . .that would be acceptable to me but how would the media react?

[NYC Liberal]

7. Oh well yeah, I definitely agree with you there.

Look at their reaction to Hillary last year.

[Exilednight]

8. This would have been unacceptedable to me ......

First and foremost, I am not against men showing their emotions - but I am against leaders showing emotions.

The President of the United States, no matter what their gender, can not, while holding office, be seen or perceived as breaking down in public. This was a big problem I had with Hillary Clinton.

Upon deciding running for the office of the President, you need to check your emotions at the door. The President's job is to do the work of the people and make sound and rational decisions which are not influenced by their emotions.

Worst of all, it's the stupid olympics which is a total sham to begin with. Let's be honest, the olympics are suppose to be a platform to promote world harmony - which it never really does. Although I find the whole thing a noble cause, it is none-the-less a complete failure when it comes to its mission statement.

The goal of the Olympic Movement is to contribute to building a peaceful and better world by educating youth through sport practised without discrimination or any kind, in a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play.

Countries become more obsessed with winning a gold medal than actual job of educating youth and building a more peaceful world. If there is any reason to cry, this is it.

I am happy for Rio, they deserve it much more than any of the post-industrialized countries do. Perhaps that should be included in the mission statement, "all hosting countries must be classified as emerging nations".

[babylonsister]

3. Why do you have a problem with the fact that Obama's emotional

make-up is not the same as da Silva's?

They're different people who react differently. I don't know what was at stake for Rio, but the man really, really wanted a win there.

Yes, had Chicago gotten the nod, you would not have seen Obama react the same way. I suspect you'll never see him react the same way. So what?

[wndycty]

4. No please understand I am not taking issue with Obama. . .

. . .my belief is that if he were to show that type of emotion he would be roundly ridiculed. Obama can react however he wants to news, etc. However I do feel that if he showed more emotion many would deem that as a sign of weakness.

My OP was not meant at all to be criticism of Obama.

[WyLoochka]

5. So - why do

ignorant "tough guy" rednecks seem to love Glenn "Dry Drunk" Beck's crying?

I know you weren't picking on Obama.

[wndycty]

6. Baffling isn't it? What do you think the response from the Beck crowd has been. . .

. . .if America got the Olympics and Obama broke down like the Brazilian President?

[Phx_Dem]

9. Considering we've hosted 8 Olympic games, if we'd won and

Obama had cried, it would have been embarrassing. He would have reminded me of George H.W. Bush who cries for any reason or no reason at all.

I don't have a problem with men crying per se, but I do have a problem overly-emotional men or women who cry in public at the drop of a hat.

I don't count de Silva as a crybaby, since S. America has never hosted a game. He deserved a good emotional cry!

[wndycty]

10. I can understand where you are coming from as it relates to we'ved had 8 games

:kick:

[jenmito]

11. Obama is not an emotional guy. If he were, we would've seen it through these past

years while he was running. So if he suddenly cried NOW, it would seem out of character. But I disagree with you that it would be unacceptable for him to be seen crying if that's the person he was. We elected Obama who is a cool, even-tempered person-as compared to McCain, who had a temper and seemed to freak out about the economic crisis, AND unlike da Silva.

[RichGirl]

12. No drama Obama!

Geez....if we had been awarded the olympics and Obama reacted like that....I would really start to worry. Not even Clinton would have reacted like that and he's been known to shed a tear or two. Latin men are macho bigtime and for the sake of balance they are also very emotional.

No one, man or woman, needs to shed crocodile tears in order to prove their sensativity. Walter Cronkite when he reported JFK's assasination...that was dignity and sensativity.