If you still are undecided who gets your vote for President -- and, unbelievably, there are some of you still out there -- here's something to consider.
If you love the Olympics, a vote for Barack Obama is more likely to help Chicago in its bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics.
The International Olympic Committee votes on the host city Oct. 2, 2009 in Denmark. Other candidates in an intensely competitive field are Madrid, Tokyo and Rio de Janeiro.
An Obama presidency would help the cause, and not just because Obama's from Chicago -- though that's a plus. John McCain has a history with IOC members, and not a good one if you're a U.S. city looking to make nice with the IOC and land a Games.
When the Salt Lake City bribery scandal exploded in 1999, McCain pointedly "invited" IOC then-president Juan Antonio Samaranch to be questioned in a Congressional hearing looking into the matter of IOC members taking bribes from Salt Lake officials, and the overall gift-grabbing culture of the IOC. Samaranch never showed, but the request -- and McCain's correct assertion that blame be spread beyond Salt Lake -- did not make McCain popular among IOC members, a body with a reputation for a long memory.
In addition, U.S. popularity worldwide can play a role in how the IOC, with its many European members, votes when an American bid city is involved. That likely played some role -- though probably a minor one -- in New York City's abysmal showing for the 2012 Games, won by London. New York finished fourth of five cities. It couldn't have helped that the 2005 vote came in the midst of President George W. Bush's worldwide unpopular stances on a multitude of issues from Iraq to global warming.
Obama, on the other hand, starts with a clean slate with the IOC. His popularity in other countries was visible in the crowds he drew on trips during his campaign, which can only help with IOC voters. See this Ed Hula column in Around the Rings.
Obama seems enthusiastic about a Games in his hometown -- which, he kidded during a Olympics-related appearance there, would light the flame partway through his second term as President.
If he wins the presidency on Tuesday, the Olympics will give Chicago another reason to cheer.
Comments
On the one hand, I can see how Obama as President would make it easier for Chicago to get the Olympics. On the other hand, this is the worst reason I've ever heard of to vote for anyone, and I say that despite having a friend who voted for McCain just so he could have better sex fantasies about Palin.
I think Obama would infinitely help Chicago's chances. I mean he pulled 200,000 people to a rally in Germany...the US and Chicago image globally will forever change if he's nominated.
Check out my blog, www.sloopin.com, I have a couple posts about this subject.
Wow, this is a pretty good stretch to try to justify a vote for Obama! Even if I accepted the premise of the argument, please name for me one Olympics venue that actually made money, or even broke even on hosting the Olympics.
I just also heard that if we vote for Obama that the flu has agreed to not affect ANYONE in the United States, ever again!
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