LA Times - Olympics Trip A Political Gamble For Obama

The following excerpts are from a September 29, 2009 LA Times article, by Peter Nicholas (my comments are in red): "Reporting from Washington - Putting his political prestige on the line, President Obama has decided to fly to Denmark this week to appeal to the International Olympic Committee to choose Chicago, his adopted hometown, as host of the 2016 Games. (This is why candidate cities have Olympic Committees! Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley is also sending a team of celebrities -- including talk show host Oprah Winfrey and former Olympians -- in support of the bid -- which should be enough. Chicago is also the current hometown of U.S. political corruption.)
The White House announced Monday that Obama would arrive in Copenhagen on Friday, just before Chicago makes its formal presentation to Olympics officials who are also considering Tokyo, Madrid and Rio de Janeiro. A decision is expected later that day, within hours of Obama's appearance. (This sounds like a barely justifiable political junket. Could it be driven by the fact that Obama presently owns a home within walking distance of the proposed Olympic Stadium?)

No previous U.S. president has made such a trip on behalf of a city vying to host the Olympics. (The USA has hosted 8 modern Olympic Games since 1900, all without the intervention of a Pimp-Daddy President.)

The visit is a gamble for Obama. He will be leaving Washington with thorny foreign and domestic issues unresolved, and risks looking diminished if Chicago's bid falls short." (Gee... while he's in Denmark he won't even be able to vote "present" in the USA.)
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What happened to the dignity that has always been associated with the Office of the President of the United States of America? Or perhaps this is payback for the support of all the corrupt politicians and political supporters in Illinois? Where is the benefit for the nation-at-large (as opposed to simply benefiting Obama's cronies in/around Chicago)? Anybody care for a PLUM?