The White House put its own distinctive seal on Chicago, Illinois's bid to become the host city for the 2016 Olympic games by dispatching First Lady Michelle Obama to make the case before the selection committee in Copenhagen, Denmark. Then President made a surprise visit to argue for the Windy City. Considering that the committee has settled on Rio de Janiero, Brazil, did the White House go too far out on a limb?
As apolitical as the international olympic games are supposed to be, they never reall are. Even in the athletic contests themselves, political implications abound. Think of the US upsetting the USSR on the ice in the midst of the cold war in 1980, or Jesse Owens winning four gold medals in under Adolph Hitler's nose during the 1936 Berlin games. The bidding process, especially, is frought with political implications, because the Olympics are a politically popular idea. They bring billions in revenue to the host city, and spur hundreds of new building and development projects. Furthermore, it gives the host nation given an opportunity to demonstrate the very best of its culture and people.
And that's why President Obama got involved, attempting to cash in on what is undeniably one of the highest international profiles of American presidents in history. But ultimately, Obama's plea fell flat.
The story of the White House's involvement is a damned-if-you-do-damned-if-you-don't story. If President Obama stayed home to remain focused on his own legislative agenda (including massive healthcare reform and the ongoing distribution of stimulus cash to jumpsart our flailing economy) and Rio de Janiero had won, it's a public relations hit for the White House. That conservative pundits nationwide would have immediately launched a salvo of attacks at the President for failing to at least act to secure such an important event for his home town is almost undeniable. Even if he'd simply been content with sending the First Lady, there would have been questions as to why Obama- in an economic downturn- didn't do more to bring such a job-creating project to the US.
But in taking unsuccessful action, Obama was no better off. What ultimately transpired was a clear indication that Obama's persona on the world stage is not without its limits- and let's face it: right now, Democrats don't need help figuring out where their limits are. Moreover, the same pundits who would have blasted him for not acting are- at this very moment- blasting him for taking a diversionary trip to Europe while so much important work is pending here on the home front.
The fact that the 2016 USOC-designated host city candidate was Chicago- the Obamas' hometown- only serves to complicate things further, likely meaning that he had to get involved one way or another.
In the end, Obama took the only route that was available to him: try to bring the games home to Chicago. Going to Denmark and failing was bad, but doing nothing was so much worse as to be a non-option. At least if he'd succeeded, the success would have been his own. But in any other scenario, the failure would have inevitably been so as well.
