Obama's New Campaign - 2016 Summer Olympics

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-Digger's Daily-

Madrid, Spain? Tokyo, Japan? Rio de Janeiro, Brazil? Chicago, USA? Which city will receive the International Olympic Committee's nod to host the 2016 Summer Olympics? President Obama has decided to campaign personally for his adopted home city of Chicago by making a whirlwind personal appearance in two days.

President Obama has spent the past few weeks campaigning on television regularly in our country. He's attempting to cash in on his one time star power status promoting wide ranging personal and controversial issues. He's addressed the nation. Conducted multiple interviews most major networks. Appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman. Addressed world leaders and reprentatives at the United Nations and G-20 Summit in Pittsburgh with plenty of press coverage.

There's more to come later this week as the press is certain to follow the carbon footprint trail of Obama's journey to Copenhagen, Denmark. Our President will be puting his best foot foward trying to bring the Olympics to our nation. His entourage will feature many diplomats, sports celebrities and our First Lady. He's getting ready to play some hard ball against stiff competition. Presidential appeals helped London secure the 2012 Games and Russia hosting 2014 Winter venue. Can he pull it off?

It would be an honor for our country to play host. The Summer Olympics is one of the greatest and most respected sporting traditions. Oympics also represents the one venue where countries put aside personal differences as the world's greatest athletes compete for Gold. Correspondents seem to believe US is in the lead since games were recently held Asia, Europe and Australia. A personal appearance could help seal the deal.

However, Obama's critics at home wonder about the timing of becoming the first US President make an in-person appeal at the Committee meeting. Iran rattled sabres this week conducting military drills, missile tests and war tone rhetoric after announcing to the world they have constructed another nuclear facility. It is a direct slap in the face of the much anticipated "talks" scheduled for this Thursday where nation leaders hope Iran will come clean. It's clear they won't. President Obama vowed to remain personally involved in top agenda issue health care reform which is facing intense debate this week. Our General in Afghanistan made it known he has not spoken with the President in over two months and needs more troop support. Public angst over ecomonic issues, job losses, war and health care. There's also been a backlash from Chicago residents who do not want their city hosting the games. And, from Chicago critics who claim the cities corruption will profit too.

My two cents on this issue is conflicting on varying levels. First off, I think hosting the Olympics would be great for national pride and economic factors. Second, It's too late now but I believe it would have been prudent to have selected a different host city. Chicago is already, and has been, a thriving city. Corruption is another issue. Detroit is a city in trouble and would've been the perfect choice. It could have been an economic boom for a city with unsustainable unemployment figures. For a city decimated by the auto collapse. Detroit on the map forever. State of the art sports stadiums already reside in the Motor City. There's plenty of vacant real estate to build complex facilities required to house games, athletes and visitors. Just think of the thousands of jobs it would have created for people desparately seeking employment. Local merchants and city/state revenue stabilized and revitalized. A complete facelift for a city in need. It's not to be. Chicago is a fine city so no one should take my comments as a slap against it or people living there. That said, I strongly believe Detroit warranted greater consideration.
My last point is all too obvious to anyone paying attention to recent world news during these threatening times. Obama's over exposed making speaches on wide ranging issues while appearing to be completely hands off instead of hands on for solving problems here at home and abroad. Speeches and tv appearances doesn't get the job done or save sliding poll numbers. Sports is not priority number one. The physical and ecomonic safety of our country and allies is job number one. When a General goes public stating he hasn't spoken with our Commander in Chief for over 70 days during a time of war... something is tragically awry.

Our First Lady and entourage carries plenty of star appeal and is quite capable of representing our great nation. This trip is an unnecessary distraction.

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