September 25, 2009: Conservative Magazine Accuses Obama of Using Olympic Bid for Presidential Political Reasons

Aaron Goldstein of the conservative American Spectator writes that President Obama’s announced attempt to persuade the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to award the 2016 Olympics to Chicago is little more than a political ploy. Goldstein notes that the Olympics will be held in the summer of 2016. If Obama wins a second term as president in 2012, the Olympics would, Goldstein asserts, become “a celebration of Obama.” He adds: “His local political base plus his legion of admirers from throughout the United States and the world would descend upon Chicago for the Obama love fest to end all Obama love fests. It will make the Roman columns used for his Democratic National Convention acceptance speech last August look modest by comparison. Think of the ostentatious style of the Obama Inaugural only in much warmer weather.” However, Goldstein continues, if Obama is defeated for re-election in 2012, the Olympics might serve as a springboard for an Obama comeback: “Well, let us remember there will be a presidential election in 2016. Obama would be 55 years old and undoubtedly eager to pull a Grover Cleveland. He would still have the same legion of admirers who would treat him as their leader in exile (albeit a very comfortable exile). The Chicago Olympics would be the perfect backdrop for a political comeback.” [American Spectator, 9/25/2009] Chicago will lose its Olympic bid, and conservative critics will blame Obama for the loss (see October 2, 2009 and October 2, 2009).