No Medal for You!

The lead paragraph in the New York Times' story about Obama's failure with the International Olympic Committee in Copenhagen yesterday:

President Obama not only failed to bring home the gold, he could not even muster the silver or bronze.

Ouch.

And to those like me who think Obama's strings are pulled by the political machine in Chicago, look at this from the same article:

In Chicago, the disappointment was deep but not aimed at the president. A city preparing for a victory rally — even the famed Picasso in Daley Plaza was decorated with an enormous Olympic medal — reacted with silence and disappointment.

Barry Bowlus, one of those waiting in Daley Plaza, said that at least Mr. Obama had tried. Had he not gone at all, Mr. Bowlus said, “there would have been a lot more heck for him to pay around here.”

I'll bet that's true. Mayor Daley said "GO!" and he went. Unfortunately for all of them the IOC was not impressed with Barry and Michelle's argument that the Olympics should be given to Chicago because that's where they're from. The pitch was arrogant and probably cost them votes they might have otherwise gotten. In the end Chicago only got 18 of 94 votes.

Sweeping into town at the last minute and letting your star power shine might help win primary elections, but it doesn't work on everybody.