I am a fan of Obama’s as a person, but I am glad the bid lost. You can respect a President and disagree with him/her at the same time. The US is in no position to take on the potential losses that are associated with many Olympic Games (see Montreal 1976 - the debt was recently paid off 25 years later). Particularly now that corporate sponsorship money is way down it makes no sense economically as the cost/benefit ratio doesn’t add up. FYI - Vancouver’s 2010 Winter hosts are already looking at losses.

Further, it is inappropriate for Obama to go to Copenhagen, but, it is more than acceptable to support the overall bid. The optics of him travelling to Copenhagen while Iran is enriching uranium is fool hardy, embarrassing and will hurt him in the long run. The Olympics promote capitalism (TV rights are in the billions) and chest thumping nationalism . In essence a US ego fest. Obama spending his political capital on this event malkes no sense. I don’t think many Americans realize that the Olympics are a unifying moment for the rest of the world to cheer against the US. The Olympics is why many see Americans as arrogant and selfish. Another Atlanta will actually hurt the US image abroad as it is just another USA #1 opportunity.

I thought Obama just finished telling the world that the US is no better than any other country. So why should the US/Chicago bid get the Olympics over another deserving country/continent that has never hosted the game before. If fairness is Obama’s goal then Chicago justly lost!