This guy is an ASS!!! and Obama needs to let him go

[bigdarryl]

This Copenhagen trip was his idea and now that the Olympics isn't coming here it's viewed as an failure.Obama let this idiot go

[WeDidIt]

1. From everything I've read, Rahm was opposed to the Copenhagen trip.

And had Obama not gone, he would be blamed for the failure of Chicago to win the Olympics by virtue of his absence from the proceedings.

[bigdarryl]

3. thats not what Tweety and the gang said yesterday

[ruggerson]

9. and god knows Tweety has never been wrong

[Jennicut]

47. Tweety? Your believe everything that man says?

Really?

You also tend to post hysterical posts constantly.
Frankly, its giving me a headache.

[Canuckistanian]

61. Yes, Tweety should be running things

His judgement over the years has been beyond reproach.

[masuki bance]

24. Got one of those linky things?

ABC News' Jake Tapper reports on a talk with Emanuel about the administration's strategy for securing the games at today's meeting of the IOC in Copenhagen.

What's the pitch?

"There's no better city in the United States or the world to host the international community than Chicago -- because of the diversity,'' Emanuel said. "You're going to bring literally the whole world together for Olympic games, sports games, and competition. Chicago's a great competitive city -- has always been that. It has a great amount of diversity and it would be great for Chicago also for not only its diversity but for the economic opportunity that it provides in the sense of jobs and economic growth.

Different from Rio or Madrid?

"Nothing against them, but Chicago is what none of the other cities have and this is again what I think the president's remarks will be, not saying anything negative against them, but you're bringing all the world together... The world will feel comfortable given the diversity of Chicago all the different ethnic communities are there...''

"It will be an affirmative argument for the United States and the city of Chicago. Nothing against anybody else. Obviously we'll accentuate where we think the strengths of voting for Chicago is an advantage.''

How about assuaging any concerns the IOC may have about Chicago?

"His main point is about the international community. It's about why America is reaching out to the world.''

What tipped the scales in convincing Obama to go

"Other leaders around the world are going to make their pitch for the four remaining cities. We didn't want to have Chicago or in this case not have that edge, not have that kind of level playing field with other countries.''

And for those critics of the president's trip?

"First of all, one is they work on a number of issues in their day,'' the chief of staff and former congressman said. "The president will work on a number of issues.

"Today he met with his economic team, on the economy, on a jobs agenda. Two: he has been on the phone working health care with individual senators. Third, he made a statement on Iran with what was going on there...

"I don't remember them, I don't remember them criticizing President Bush when he went to China to watch the games and cheer America on.,'' Emanuel said. "Here we're going to go to Denmark to help secure the games for here in the U.S.... They shouldn't try to make politics of this. I think they should take some pride in the US's win, and you know we'll make sure they get some good seats once Chicago does host the games.''

What if Obama fails?

"First of all that's not how he views it... It would be good for the US, for America to host the world here in the US with a great city, given Chicago's diversity and economic capacity to host those games and make it a world class event.''

http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2009/10/rahm_emanuel_olympic_critics_g.html

[PatSeg]

36. Yep

No matter what Obama did or didn't do, the right would have attacked him. This story will be old news in a couple days and the republicans will find some other trivial crap to attack.

[Raven]

2. Nope. The Olympic call doesn't do it for me. It was a good call in a no win situation.

[Botany]

4. Oh please

Just

[frazzled]

7. I blame it on ...

The Bossa Nova

[Chipper Chat]

5. Rahm? Oh no no.

Everyone knows The Clenis is to blame.

[Vinnie From Indy]

8. LOL!

The CLENIS will assimilate all of you eventually! Just like the Borg.

[Botany]

10. It was the fault of:

[Dinger]

6. That Pic Creeps Me Out (nt)

[and-justice-for-all]

11. It was with good intentions and I am glad they tried for it...

and least they made the effort.

[budkin]

12. He's a corporatist.

[Phx_Dem]

13. Fool (you, not Rahm)

[Still Sensible]

14. It is not that big of a deal

in fact, I suspect the reason the President went to Denmark was exactly the opposite of any thought that it would be a political victory. I think that his Illinois friends asked President Obama to go because they sensed they were a longshot and becoming a longer one. Heck, look how quickly they were eliminated once the voting started.

Look, the POTUS and FLOTUS gave it their best and it turned out not to be enough. While some will paint this a political setback to the President, those same assholes would have had another press release ready to go attacking him for ignoring other things to pander for his hometown. The bullshit was ready to spin no matter what happened. In the end, congrats to Rio.

[ClusterFreak]

15. You know...as hard as it may be to believe...

Maybe Rio got the games because it was their turn and no matter what Obama did or didn't do, Rio was going to win anyway.

Maybe America doesn't just deserve to win an Olympic games merely because one of it's cities has put in a bid.

Talk to the folks in Toronto about that. Canada's largest city has bid twice for the summer games and lost both times.

They lost 2012 to London. England has never hosted the games before.

Have a familiar ring to it, after today?

Oh...and Toronto also lost in 1996.

To...you fill in the rest.

-----------------
edited to drop extra 'deserve':silly:

[LovinLife]

16. I don't know who to blame, but not the best idea

I thought he had a promise that if he went then Chicago would win. If there was no guarantee, Obama shouldn't have risked it. Its hard to explain, but he definitely lost a lil bit of his mojo today. For the first time he kinds of looks like a loser on this. I can't remember the last time Obama lost. Maybe a primary or something. He looks mortal today. Hopefully he comes back and wins big on Health Care which is most important.

[dalaigh lllama]

18. The leaders of the other three countries all went to plead their case

And who said it would be in the bag if Obama went? Probably some bloviating pundit. Too many checks in the negative column for USA to get it -- some of us DO realize he's not the messiah.

[LovinLife]

20. That doesn't mean Obama should've went. Who care about other nation's leaders

Other nations don't have the GOP to contend with. Those losers were just praying for Obama to fail. That being said if he didn't go and CHI didn't get it, The Repukes might've been even harder on him.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

51. "Should've went"?

[monmouth]

23. Let us not forget that General MacChrystal (sp?) was only 650 miles

from Copenhagen (he was in London). Pres. had an important meeting with him. Two birds, one stone, etc.

[harkadog]

59. When you are traveling on an air force jet

The distance between DC and London is not that great. The General could have traveled to DC for the meeting and probably had access to a lot of other detail people that might be needed.

[TheBigotBasher]

26. If he had not gone - Rethiiugs would have accused him of not supporting America.

His best call was to go out and fight for America, win or lose. Isn't that the job of President?

[hileeopnyn8d]

17. Good grief!

Have liberals/Democrats/progressives always been this intellectually dishonest....and well...downright stupid...or is this the byproduct of actually winning elections?

I liked it when we were intellectually superior to right-wingers, now I'm afraid that if it weren't for the republican party embracing their fringe kooks we would look like the nutty ones.

Oh, and I'm not talking about Rahm or Obama.

[ClusterFreak]

30. I agree with you.

:thumbsup:

[jefferson_dem]

19. Good Lord.

You're obsessed. Let it go. You'll be much happier.

[uponit7771]

21. wow

[truebrit71]

22. Obama was screwed either way...don't go and get blamed if you don't win...Go and get blamed if you..

...lose anyway...

[freddie mertz]

25. To me, this is total non-issue.

Who cares?

I'm happy for Rio.

[Vinca]

27. Obama was damned either way.

If he hadn't gone they would be blaming him for Chicago not getting it.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

28. If Obama had not gone...

you'd be blaming Rahm and Obama for not having gone and secured the Olympics.

[Cha]

40. That's right..there would be MAJOR WHINING from

the Fearwing and those who are "perpetually disgruntled".

[lamp_shade]

29. Leave my Rahm alone.

[liberalmuse]

31. Oh come the fuck on.

Rahm will not be let go. Rio de Janiero or Chicago. It's a no-brainer, really. It really speaks loudly re: the American psyche (seriously FUCKED UP) that anyone would see this as a Presidential failure. How arrogant and petty have we in the US become? Sometimes I wish we would get nuked off the face of the earth. Then again, the world would have to deal without voracious consumerism and that would kind of suck for those who have bought into American materialism as a goal.

[nemo137]

32. This is it? This is your issue?

I mean, there are legit issues with the guy, but this? Crapchrist. Either you have a serious mad-on for Rahm or no sense of perspective.

[dgibby]

33. Get a grip!

This didn't have anything to do with him or Obama. The International Olympic Committee is still pissed off about the Salt Lake games and all the problems that resulted from them.

[PopSixSquish]

34. I Think a Lot of DU Posters Use Rahm as an Excuse

instead of realizing that President Obama isn't the "pretty, perfect princess" they thought he was.

BTW - Valerie Jarret is the one who pressed for President Obama to make the trip but he made the decision...

[Generator]

53. Exactly, Rahm is the new Rove!

And I do declare it's almost exactly the same team they are working for.

[Sebastian Doyle]

35. Rahm is very much an anti-Democratic fucking asshole

But I really doubt he had a lot to do with this Olympics thing.

[Cha]

37. Boo.. stupid reasoning..

more clueless poutrage from the "perpetually disgruntled".

[quantass]

38. Olympics?!? That's it?!? I can think of more IMPORTANT reasons to dump this Trash of a lacky...nt

[WinkyDink]

39. Somebody needs to remind the Republicans of Reagan and the SS at Bitburg.

[Stinky The Clown]

41. Current thinking is that it was Valerie Jarret who was in favor of it.

The fact is, it doesn't matter. And the bigger fact is, this should be little more than a footnote in the nooz. But that will not be the case. It is in the mediamotherfucker's best interests to keep the story going.

[Honeycombe8]

42. True, Emmanuel is an ass and should be fired. But O HAD to go to Copenhagen; if he hadn't...

the news today would be "America loses Olympics, as President decides not to attend Olympic hearing with other contender country leaders."

EVERY OTHER COUNTRY LEADER FOR EVERY OTHER CONTENDER CITY ATTENDED THE OLYMPIC CONFERENCE and made a plea for their country. Obama HAD to go, or he would've been skewered for NOT attending, and he would now be blamed totally for the loss.

[emilyg]

46. No other Pres. ever went.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

49. Doesn't matter.

Obama has to work twice as hard as any previous president.

[emilyg]

56. Then let him work on the economy

twice as hard.

[4lbs]

57. No other President has had the Olympic bid from his home city or state, while being President.

Bushie Jr. is from Crawford. No Olympic bids from Crawford, or Dallas, or Houston during the 2000s.

Bill Clinton is from Arkansas. No Olympic bids even from the state, much less any city inside.

Bush Sr. was born in Massachusetts and settled in Texas after college. I don't recall any Olympic bid from, say, Boston, or Texas in his four years as POTUS.

Ronald Reagan didn't have any Olympic bids from California or Illinois (where he was born) during his eight years. The 1984 Olympics were awarded in the 1970s.

Jimmy Carter didn't have any Olympic bids from Georgia during his 4 years.

Gerald Ford didn't have any Olympic bids from Nebraska (his birth state) or Michigan while he was President.

And so on.

This is the first time that a sitting US President has even had the opportunity to lobby for a US Olympic bid from his home state.

[Alcibiades]

58. Stop it with the facts already!

Some Democrats want to be poutraged about Obama. And Rahm. The primaries were a long time ago, but some folks just won't let go and get behind a Democratic President.

[impik]

43. Nonsense

I'm proud that Obama went. He did the best he could, gave a terrific speech, and it didn't help. It can happen. If he didn't go, he would be criticized too. I'm proud of him, Gutsy and good man.

[asdjrocky]

44. It was Valerie Jarrett's idea.

Where did your info come from?

[boppers]

45. Failure? Way to carry water. eom

[FiveGoodMen]

48. Yup.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

50. SOMEBODY is an ass.

But it's not Rahm Emanuel (at least on this issue).

It was a very good thing that Obama went to Copenhagen and tried to get the games (and the jobs that would go with it) for an American city. It shows he cares about getting more jobs for Americans and trying to improve the image of the US in the eyes of the rest of the world. That's the kind of thing Presidents should do. He had to have known Chicago was a long shot, given that the US has had the games several times; South America has never had them, and Rio is such a great city. And even so, he stuck his neck out and took the risk of being blamed for Chicago not getting chosen.

And of course, if he hadn't gone he'd have been blamed for losing the Games for the US because he didn't go and lobby for them. It doesn't matter what he does; he's always damned if he does something and equally damned if he doesn't.

Fuck the GOP for celebrating this loss. And I kinda feel that way about posts like this, too.

[southernyankeebelle]

52. Folks, Obama was in a no win situation. If he didn't go than he would

be blamed. He went and now look at the screamers, cheering that Obama lost.

[saltpoint]

54. Were it my call I would vote that Rahm stays right where he is.

He's tough, smart, and loyal to Obama.

[polichick]

55. It would be worse if we lost the bid and the prez didn't go - then he'd be blamed for the loss...

Not that THAT GUY isn't an ass. :)

[wisteria]

60. The only ones viewing it as a failure are the Repubs, which is very, very sad.

To think that they are cheering because we lost out on hosting the Olympic Games. This would have be wonderful thing for our country. Which proves just what they are interested in and it isn't what is good for our country.

[mzmolly]

62. I don't see a failed attempt at the olympics as a huge disappointment

personally.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

63. I concur

[S_E_Fudd]

64. Barack Obama is a mere PUPPET in the hands of the all powerful Rahm...

Rahm snaps his fingers and little Barack jumps!!!