Althouse: "If the Reich-wing's glee over America losing the Olympic bid doesn't blow up in their faces then there really isn't much hope left for the future of this country."

October 3, 2009

"If the Reich-wing's glee over America losing the Olympic bid doesn't blow up in their faces then there really isn't much hope left for the future of this country."

The layers of emotion pile up unattractively.

107 comments:

Automatic_Wing said...: Looks like they need some personal lubricant over there.; 10/3/09, 8:23 PM
jeff said...: translated: The people I disagree with which make up close to 1/2 the country are Nazi's. However the real problem is their opinion of the Olympic bid, and if that doesn't destroy them, there there is no hope left for the future of this country. Because what is really important is the olympics. Nothing else. Because them being Nazi's has no real effect on them. Its their reaction to the Olympic bid.

Ok, then.; 10/3/09, 8:26 PM
Anonymous said...: My favorite comment was the guy who said that Republicans have so much hate in their hearts and then proceeded to rail on Republicans and finish by claiming that all Republicans will go to hell.

Because, clearly, that guy has no hate in his heart. And also no sense of delicious, comical irony.; 10/3/09, 8:27 PM
Irene said...: And when all else fails, turn to ridicule: "Seems like it's Laura that never has a date, though. Spinster."

Um, Laura never dated? Haven't they heard of Keith Olbermann?; 10/3/09, 8:34 PM
Anonymous said...: It's really no big deal. The lefty nutroots will be alreich.

It would be helpful if they could write and argue coherently, but it will be alreich. I have lots of hope left for this country. I'll loan them some at exorbitant interest rates. No, I'll give them hope for free. Shit for free. Hope. Change. I could be...never mind.; 10/3/09, 8:36 PM
Anonymous said...: Would that be Robert Reich?; 10/3/09, 8:37 PM
garage mahal said...: Openly rooting for the president to fail in time of war emboldens our enemies and puts our troops in harms way. Tsk tsk!; 10/3/09, 8:46 PM
traditionalguy said...: Seeing The Poor Oppressed Obamas under constant attack by American citizens who are embarrassed that he is President is cruel, but Barack has earned their ridicule for being such an unreal actor on important things. You know like Nationalized Health care, Afghanistan phoney war non-plan, and the Cap and Tax horror plan to kill all American productive ability for a non-existant CO2 problem in a sharply cooling climate. We have to laugh sardonically, or we have to cry at seeing that much banal evil mixed with incompetance in one doofuss who actually believes he is the God that everyone needs to feel any hope in their lives.; 10/3/09, 8:53 PM
1775OGG said...: An excellent post and all of the comments are very well said, well, except for one!

wv: conest, it had to be donest!
wv2: veretlen,really!; 10/3/09, 8:54 PM
victoria said...: Right on! Truer words were never spoken.; 10/3/09, 8:57 PM
Anonymous said...: garage,

Openly kissing the President's posterior in time of war is unhygienic, especially in this time of grave threat from pig flu.

I sincerely hope that you sanatized before you puckered--and after. And cough into your elbow, dammit.

if you scrupulously follow the President's dictates, making sure that your children and their schoolmates do as well, we'll all be alreich.; 10/3/09, 8:59 PM
Pastafarian said...: Garage, as a member of the right wing conspiracy, I felt no glee whatsoever when President Obama failed in his bid for the Chicago Olympics.

I live just a few hours from Chicago, and I love to visit there, and I could have actually taken my family to the Olympics.

Still, it did seem as though he gave this project just a little too high a priority; and it did seem perversely overconfident of him to set himself up for this very public humiliation. Either he really owes the Chicago powerbrokers a lot (and they know where a lot of bodies are buried), or BHO thinks that he can talk anyone into anything.

So his failure might well have emboldened our enemies. Still, I wouldn't compare this to the aid and comfort given to our enemies by the left between 2001 and 2009, as they openly rooted for the deaths of American soldiers. And I certainly wouldn't equate the right's delight with Obama's falterings with the left's despicable behavior during Bush's term.; 10/3/09, 9:00 PM
daubiere said...: they're losing and its making them crazy and desperate... heh. theyre scared! they were given an unprecedented chance in history to take over from the republican incompetents and they blew it on this total loser in prada suits.; 10/3/09, 9:01 PM
Crimso said...: Old Grouchy:
If you're referring to garage, I happen to agree wiht him. Of course, it's one thing to hope the President fails at something other than the war in a time of war (which is what the Reichwing apparently does), and openly hoping that the President fails AT prosecuting the war (which is what the actual fascists in this country did through nearly the entire Bush years). Nuance, you see.; 10/3/09, 9:01 PM
Robert W. said...: So first we were Nazis. Then we were Racists. Now we're Nazis again.

Can't Rabid Leftists ever make up their minds?; 10/3/09, 9:02 PM
daubiere said...: "Right on! Truer words were never spoken."

really? never? wow. thats... wow.; 10/3/09, 9:02 PM
daubiere said...: "Can't Rabid Leftists ever make up their minds?"

they have to find some minds first.; 10/3/09, 9:04 PM
Wince said...: Shouldn't we be more upset that Althouse is reading and linking to other commenters?

wv - "tongslit" = in Rio where the thong string resides; 10/3/09, 9:05 PM
Pastafarian said...: Pelalusa, in the defense of leftists, the two sets "Nazi" and "racist" are hardly mutually exclusive; in fact, one is contained entirely within the other.; 10/3/09, 9:06 PM
Unknown said...: garage mahal said...

Openly rooting for the president to fail in time of war emboldens our enemies and puts our troops in harms way. Tsk tsk!

Hate to tell you, but this is one area where conservatives would like to see Obambi Ranger Up and go after the bastards. We all know, however, it ain't gonna happen.

It's not so much rooting as it is, "I told you so". The right has been onto Barry for over a year and tried to warn people (including Althouse). Watching him screw up is like being an airplane pilot as he sees
two trains about to collide - you've seen it coming and there's nothing you can do about it, except call for the medics.; 10/3/09, 9:07 PM
daubiere said...: "
Openly rooting for the president to fail in time of war emboldens our enemies and puts our troops in harms way. Tsk tsk!"

i didn't know we declared war on the IOC!; 10/3/09, 9:13 PM
Anonymous said...: Crimso,

Just so. Nuance it is.; 10/3/09, 9:14 PM
Cedarford said...: By making it about a City, rather than country...backers of Chicago really can't complain that dissing Chicago was akin to dissing America.

Or rally other Americans to failure and feeling pity in a way Chicagoans never bothered to rally other Americans to supporting the bid when the fools thought "it was all in the bag for us Chicago guys and gals".

They can of course try for 2020, but at the rate Chicago is deteriorating - odds are it will be another black-run toilet like Detroit by then. And better bids might happen in better American places like Denver, Miami metro, Dallas-Ft Worth....even NYC, where the WTC Pit might still be a top tourist attraction..; 10/3/09, 9:16 PM
tjl said...: After all the hyperbolic vitriol they directed at Bush you'd think the lefties wouldn't feign surprise when the righties pay them back.; 10/3/09, 9:23 PM
garage mahal said...: Old Dad
Can I ask what country you live in? I was going to respond, then I thought I better check first, because your post might make more sense if you weren't American.; 10/3/09, 9:23 PM
careen said...: They simply have no idea what we've had to suffer..and I'm not even all that right wing. I was a Hillary supporter - then McPalin. I watched them both trashed and villified by the same people in the name of their stiffy for The One. And that's not even getting into hearing Bush called "Fozzy Bear meets Hitler" (which is quite good actually) and suffering Palin being called a cunt by "good" liberals.

They deserve this and I'm happy they are getting it. It's embarrassing for the country, but somehow cathartic to have the WORLD give them a reality check on those Styrofoam Columns. Hah.

And this "well at least they tried". WTF? That's for a little leaguer. That's an after school special. That's not for POTUS. A switch in mentality is needed.; 10/3/09, 9:27 PM
Alex said...: Garage:

Can I ask what country you live in? I was going to respond, then I thought I better check first, because your post might make more sense if you weren't American.

Say garage, back in the 2001-2008 timframe when we asked you lefties about why you were always trashing GW, esp when he went abroad you said it was for the "greater good". Well trashing O-Bummer for the same reason!; 10/3/09, 9:35 PM
Alex said...: I hope Barack Obama fails. You can quote me on that. Garage, I hope your side is drawing up "enemies list", you're gonna need them.; 10/3/09, 9:36 PM
Anonymous said...: garage,

Ask away. I'm an American-American.

Racist!; 10/3/09, 9:36 PM
garage mahal said...: South American?; 10/3/09, 9:37 PM
Joe said...: I didn't think Chicago would win. Read an article about a year ago that stated that Chicago was always a very long shot for several reasons, not least of which was that the Atlanta Olympics was a disaster. The other point lost on people is that the Olympics is merely an excuse of IOC members to live of the largess of various countries and cities. Who the hell wants to go to Chicago? If you're going to pick a shit hole, at least pick one that's picturesque; Rio.; 10/3/09, 9:40 PM
Anonymous said...: garage:

Southist!; 10/3/09, 9:41 PM
Joe said...: One more thing: The Olympics loses money. Lots of it. Those hoping for the fiscal demise of Chicago would have wished they'd won. Unfortunately, the federal government would have found reasons to dump even more cash into that place.; 10/3/09, 9:41 PM
Fred4Pres said...: This screw up by President Obama is a minor faux pas, but unfortunately if Obama does not learn from this the next faux pas will be a dirty bomb in Chicago.

Wake up Steve T. And oh btw, where the hell were you when the left was criticizing Bush? Let me guess, with a paper mache effigy on your head and a sign saying "Bushitler"?; 10/3/09, 9:44 PM
garage mahal said...: Not sure what the racist and southist is all about. And I'm assuming you are from South America and haven't heard the U.S. is heavily involved in two wars. Criticizing, and mocking the Commander in Chief while on the world stage is usually reserved for anti-American factions -- like anarchists and the like. Sorry I had mistaken you for an American. Dang internet!; 10/3/09, 9:48 PM
Automatic_Wing said...: Joe - The money-losing thing is kind of related to your earlier point about the Atlanta games.

The Atlanta Olympics did make money, but only because they went all-out selling corporate sponsorships. This displeased the IOC grandees, who thought that the Atlanta games were crass and over-commercialized. The IOC much prefers pristine government money to filthy corporate lucre, so American bids that rely heavily on corporate sponsorship are automatically at a disadvantage.; 10/3/09, 9:50 PM
Anonymous said...: garage,

Why so coy? Americans always criticize, and rightly so, the CIC in times of war. That's the point of civilian command of the military. I certainly hope you're not a closet fascist.; 10/3/09, 9:58 PM
Alex said...: garage - for 8 years all I heard from you guys was "dissent is the highest form of patriotism"? Or has that gone down the memory hole too?; 10/3/09, 10:00 PM
Alex said...: In fact I should be able to scream "Down with Obama" from the highest rooftop and garage should praise me for my patriotism.; 10/3/09, 10:01 PM
Ralph L said...: odds are it will be another black-run toilet like Detroit by then
Not while a Daley lives.; 10/3/09, 10:01 PM
Patm said...: Wow, you people on the left have thin skins. We listened to idiots actively hope that IRaq would go badly so they could win the WH back - and you can't take our justified amusement that a man and woman full of conceit and entitlement got dissed in Copenhagen.

Grow up, dudes. We're in for serious times with this guy at the helm...but the difference is, if he ever pulls up his pants and starts defending this country, we folks on the right will be supporting Obama. What will you do, then?; 10/3/09, 10:11 PM
garage mahal said...: Old Dad
You're entitled to your opinion of course, but here In America there is a long tradition of wanting to win. At everything. But perhaps in that little South American country you're from losing is celebrated!; 10/3/09, 10:12 PM
Anonymous said...: Sorry, garage. There is such a thing as precedent. George Washington was worried about every little thing he did as President, because he knew it would set the parameters under which Presidents would operate for a long time, if not the life of the Republic.

Well, the mega-trashing George Bush got has established a precedent, big time.

If it's OK for one party to actively, tirelessly work for the failure of a President in wartime, turnabout has become fair play.

Another sad example of the decline of our politics, not to mention American society in general.

But at my age, I'm beginning to care less, and would only bid you all to go to hell.; 10/3/09, 10:12 PM
Anonymous said...: Garage's reich has exceeded his grasp.; 10/3/09, 10:15 PM
Joseph Marshall said...: Well, hey, anybody that wants to cheer over Chicago losing the Olympics has my blessing. Anybody who wants to write endless reams of blather about Roman Polanski has my blessing, too. As does any contributor on any blog who helps with the Barack Obama Pimple Watch.

I would much rather see my political adversaries afloat in a sea of decadent triviality like this than I would ever wish to have them focusing on a serious political goal.

It's a lot less dangerous to all the rest of us.

So yuk it up, guys!; 10/3/09, 10:18 PM
Anonymous said...: garage,

You're alreich. Thick as a brick, but alreich. And Chimpy McHitler Bush approves of this message.; 10/3/09, 10:27 PM
garage mahal said...: If it's OK for one party to actively, tirelessly work for the failure of a President in wartime, turnabout has become fair play.

Bi-partisan troop hating, in other words. Sheesh.; 10/3/09, 10:31 PM
Anonymous said...: Joseph, You really should be careful of the fumes from the mimeograph machine when you're preparing copies of the latest 97-page diktat from the Politburo for members of your cell.

I hear such vapors are addictive, and prevent poor addicts from thinking or talking about anything but the glories of the Party, and the inevitable victory of the proletariat over remaining reactionary elements. Such a victory is inevitable, because such elements increasingly waste their time on non-political trivia, allowing the Party to more effectively organize the masses.; 10/3/09, 10:32 PM
Big Mike said...: Somebody needs to ask the question, and I guess it's up to me.

Is there a point where the left decides it's time to grow up?

Seriously, folks, do you ever listen to yourselves? You're sounding like a pack of kindergarteners shouting "nanny, nanny, booboo" at everybody. Over what? Over whether Chicago gets to bankrupt itself to host the Olympics?

Knock it the heck off, and that goes for you, too, garage.

Some of us have been worried about Obama's approach to foreign policy. Now he's received an entirely predictable, embarrassing, come-down on the global stage, but thankfully over something that in the grand scheme of things doesn't amount to very much. I sincerely wish that he, and his wife, and his staff, and you left-wing looney types out there would treat this as a learning opportunity and grasp the reality that other players on the world stage are not motivated by what's best for the United States.

What a shock.

A couple of us worked that out a while ago, but you're not ready to listen to grown-ups, are you?

Kind of reminds me of my sons.

When they were 17.

They weren't funny then and you're not funny now.

So grow up.; 10/3/09, 10:34 PM
Anonymous said...: Joe Marshall,

You take yourself way too seriously. You should think about a nice hot shower after wading through this sea of decadent triviality. Just wait. Triviality will be ascendent before you know it.; 10/3/09, 10:37 PM
Anonymous said...: garage: You (in the collective sense of the brain-dead in this country) made it. You got it.

Sheesh all you want. People should have thought about that during the past eight years.

As for the troops, Mr. Bush's war has become Mr. Obama's war, and the sooner he ends it, the better off this country will be, if for no other reason than we no longer have the will, no to mention the money, to tie our shoelaces, much fight a war in a place like Afghanistan.

The reaction of too many Americans, especially the media and intellectual elites, amply demonstrated that during the Bush Administration. And now that we're bankrupt, there isn't much point to pretending to be a superpower any more, is there?; 10/3/09, 10:42 PM
Anonymous said...: Vietnam was Nixon's war because he could withdraw any time, without consulting Congress. This was a 100 percent legitimate criticism of Nixon (if you were against Vietnam).

Iraq and Afghanistan are Obama's wars.

And, after a trillion in the hole. this is definitely Obama's economy.

I lived in New York City in 1994, and going to work on that first Wednesday in November was one of the more satisfying experiences in my life, just watching all the leftists mope gloomily. (And Clinton wised up quickly after that.) I look forward to next November eagerly.; 10/3/09, 10:47 PM
Joseph Marshall said...: Well, Old Dad, I watched triviality in the ascendant for six years after the election of 2002. All it seemed to be able to accomplish was to start wars that it couldn't finish.

I don't expect it to do too much more than that if it ever gains the upper hand again.; 10/3/09, 10:51 PM
Sprezzatura said...: Is Althouse suggesting that partisans worrying about the lack of hope regarding the future of our country if something bad doesn't happen to their political opposition is a form of mental illness?

Oh dear...right wing radio hosts (and many Althouse commenters) are going to need a lot of medication.; 10/3/09, 10:51 PM
Steven said...: Getting the Olympics would have been actively bad for Chicago, Illinois, and the United States. Not being stuck with the Olympics is an unequivocal victory for America; we didn't lose anything.

Obama lost, yes. The Chicago machine, eager to pocket kickbacks on construction work, lost. America won. All three parts of that are worth celebrating.; 10/3/09, 10:59 PM
Anonymous said...: jpb -- When did the war against Germany end, given that we set up a democracy there and maintain a substantial military presence there?; 10/3/09, 11:01 PM
Joe said...: The Atlanta Olympics did make money

I've understood that's disputed. The Atlanta Games used a lot of tax payer dollars. I recall reading an article that when all was said and done Atlanta lost $150-$200 million. That may have changed with post game marketing.; 10/3/09, 11:02 PM
garage mahal said...: Seriously, folks, do you ever listen to yourselves? You're sounding like a pack of kindergarteners shouting "nanny, nanny, booboo" at everybody

Do you mean the commentors saying "they did it too! how come I can't?"; 10/3/09, 11:03 PM
Anonymous said...: Also, Cedarford seems to be stuck in 1971 in Detroit. Or is it 1923 in Munich?; 10/3/09, 11:05 PM
lucid said...: The whole thing, and especially his "stunned bewilderment," just makes Obama look so clueless. And if Obama is perceived to be clueless, then it's over.; 10/3/09, 11:14 PM
Sprezzatura said...: Seven,

I have no idea where you're coming from. My comment was meant to be a generalized irritant. Just your basic trolling.

But, since your asking, I'd say the war (assuming we're talking about the cold one) when Germany was reunited. That seemed easy enough, or am I missing something?

BTW, I have hung out (visiting family) on a US base in Germany well before reunification. I must tell you that being on the sort-of front lines of the German cold war was not very scary. I think it's safe to say that for most participants real war is much worse than cold war, not that anyone is asking about that.; 10/3/09, 11:24 PM
Sprezzatura said...: your or you're whatever.; 10/3/09, 11:26 PM
Anonymous said...: jbp -- Well, I was talking about the hot one, but I like your answer better. WWII dissolved into the Cold War, after all. There was a war at least from 1941-1989. You could argue that it was from 1914-1989. You could even argue that it was from 1914 to now.

I disagreed with your comments today, but I did like many of them. You certainly held your own, which is far more than I can so for some of your political brethren. So troll less. Engage more.; 10/3/09, 11:35 PM
Clyde said...: @ lucid

Exactly right. Obama and his political operation beat out Hillary Clinton in the primaries because they were more savvy in how to game the system, rolling up big caucus wins because they were better organized than Clinton's forces and using that to win the nomination. It gave the impression that they were organized and knew what they were doing.

Flash forward 18 months and that impression has crumbled to dust. The impression now is that the people running the country do NOT know what they are doing. They tell us that unless we give them that economic stimulus package, unemployment will go over 8%. Well, we gave it to them and now it's at 9.8%, according to their own numbers, and probably higher in reality.

And now there's the Olympic contretemps, where the Obama people get back on Air Force Won to fly home, bewildered about why they lost. They have no clue about something as comparatively simple as the IOC bureacracy (It's the BRIBES, stupid!), so how are they going to deal with the Iranians, the Russians and the Chinese, who are playing for keeps?

"Badly," is the answer, unfortunately.

I take no great pleasure in writing this, but it is the truth.; 10/3/09, 11:44 PM
Anonymous said...: I just want the lefties to explain whether the 47% of Chicagoans who didn't want the Olympics were (1) all Republicans, (2) hate Barack and (3) hate their country.

Leftnoids need to understand this: you put your faith into an empty vessel and his equally vacuous-but-vicious wife.

It's a testament to their ineptitude that Chicago lost to Rio, also a crime-ridden city but with several times the murder-rate.; 10/3/09, 11:50 PM
Dark Eden said...: >>>
Pelalusa said...

So first we were Nazis. Then we were Racists. Now we're Nazis again.

Can't Rabid Leftists ever make up their minds?
<<<

We also apparently hate the country and are traitors for daring to be amused by Obama's absurdly botched Olympics bid. Wasn't dissent patriotic or something just a few months ago?; 10/4/09, 12:09 AM
rhhardin said...: The "WTF was that?" reaction to Obama speeches doesn't happen on the left.; 10/4/09, 12:11 AM
jr565 said...: Since when is getting the Olympics some momentous event which noone can root against without being criticized for being anti american. There isn't much hope for the future of the country?
It's a sporting event! It happens every two years! And if we don't get it this time around we can petition the next time around. What is wrong with these lefties.

Are they so completely oblivious to the degree the wished failure on Bush's war while soldiers were fighthing and dying in a war of consequence? Liberals are utterly incapable of self reflection.; 10/4/09, 12:38 AM
blake said...: Bi-partisan troop hating, in other words. Sheesh.

Oh, yuck, garage.

You're saying the right hates the troops based on a one-day failed Olympic bid and comparing it to actual America-hatred ("kill your COs"!) on actual wars for nearly 7 years and calling it "bi-partisan troop hating"?

Really?

I mean, even if we accepted your premise that Olympic schadenfreude was equivalent, are you really gonna say that's on the same level as what we saw during the Bush years? Or even since Barack has been elected?

Really?

You don't see a difference there? It's all same-same, bi-partisan?; 10/4/09, 1:35 AM
Bruce Hayden said...: So first we were Nazis. Then we were Racists. Now we're Nazis again.

Can't Rabid Leftists ever make up their minds?

Their problem is that they project like crazy.

The Democratic party was founded by slave owners, backed slavery, in both the North and South, until it was outlawed (by Republicans), then practiced Jim Crow, keeping the Black in their places by lynchings, resegregated federal facilities (Wilson), voted in great numbers against the Civil Rights laws of the 1960s, and have a former (?) Klan official as their President Pro Tem of the Senate today.

And, the word Nazi comes from the English of Nationalsozialist, which is short for Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, or German national socialist party of labor (or worker's party, depending on the translation). Despite the attempts revise history to move the Nazis to the (far) right, Hayek, in his "Road to Serfdom", written contemporaneously to Hitler, Mussolini, and Stalin, points out that all three economic philosophies are versions of socialism, and, that the reason for their totalitarianism is to enforce their socialistic goals. Everyone was supposed to be equal. The difference, as Hayek pointed out, was who was more equal. In the case of Russian Communism, it was the proletariat or industrial workers. In the case of Fascism and Naziism, it was the burghers, or middle class, and in the case of Mao's brand of Communism, it was the farmers.

The other thing though where Fascism and Naziism differed from those two brands of communism was that business had its place. Nazism opposed two basic economic tenets: capitalism and Russian style Communism. Rather, they allowed large companies to survive, but as junior members in a highly regulated partnership with the Third Reich.

And, indeed, while President Obama may have had some communist influences in his life, his economic socialism looks strikingly similar to that of the Fascists and Nazis, esp. in the relationship between government and big business.

So, like I said above, there is a lot of projection going on in the left today in regards to their depiction of the right.; 10/4/09, 1:40 AM
Jim Treacher said...: Steven Benen certainly would never indulge in schadenfreude over the failure of someone he didn't like. He's better than that.; 10/4/09, 4:55 AM
Jim Treacher said...: garage mahal: Openly rooting for the president to fail in time of war emboldens our enemies and puts our troops in harms way.

The Olympics are a war now? You're silly.

Joseph Marshall: I would much rather see my political adversaries afloat in a sea of decadent triviality like this than I would ever wish to have them focusing on a serious political goal.

Bush. Pretzel.

1jpb: Is Althouse suggesting that partisans worrying about the lack of hope regarding the future of our country if something bad doesn't happen to their political opposition is a form of mental illness?

Are you suggesting that you ever got higher than a C- in English Composition?; 10/4/09, 5:24 AM
Anonymous said...: All this reich-winger has expended on the Chicago Olympic bid has been a few thousand keystrokes and a bit of time I could have used to clean up the basement. If that's wallowing in decadent triviality, I hate to think what the Serious People would call it if I'd spent 14 hours flying to Copenhagen and back with a big retinue aboard my own 747 for the same purpose.; 10/4/09, 6:59 AM
Shanna said...: Bi-partisan troop hating, in other words. Sheesh.

I wasn't aware we sent troops to Denmark.; 10/4/09, 7:17 AM
tjl said...: "I would much rather see my political adversaries afloat in a sea of decadent triviality like this than I would ever wish to have them focusing on a serious political goal"

If you want a vivid demonstration of "floating in triviality," try loading a presidential entourage onto Air Force One and flying to Denmark to lobby for a sports event while your entire domestic agenda hangs in the balance!

O is proving over and over again that he's too self-involved to focus on anything but his vanity.
What a blessing for the country.; 10/4/09, 7:23 AM
garage mahal said...: You're saying the right hates the troops based on a one-day failed Olympic bid and comparing it to actual America-hatred ("kill your COs"!) on actual wars for nearly 7 years and calling it "bi-partisan troop hating"?

Really?

Well the Olympic bid must beat least as important as Iraq if you compare the amount of ink compared between the two. When was the last post on Althouse that had to do something with Iraq? And I thought it if you disagreed with the president in time of war that means you hate our troops?; 10/4/09, 8:03 AM
W.C. Varones said...: Guilty as charged.

I'll admit, I cheered loudly in my workplace when Chicago lost.

But what's the big deal? The Olympics is a silly sporting event, and the last thing we need is more debt to build more excess capacity.

And we didn't politicize the Olympics. The President did when he decided to inject his partisan self into a process that Presidents traditionally are above. And the fact that Jarrett and other cronies stood to make millions off the Olympics made it even worse.

On the merits, Chicago doesn't need the Olympics (locals were evenly split on whether they even wanted to win). Obama making it a partisan issue was just icing on the cake.; 10/4/09, 8:03 AM
Anonymous said...: Stupid President. Stupid liberals. Can't wait for the 2010 mid-terms to kick the Dems to the curb.; 10/4/09, 8:26 AM
Ben said...: I'm a life long Atlantan. The people of Chicago should be grateful they didn't win.; 10/4/09, 8:33 AM
Anonymous said...: Well the Olympic bid must beat least as important as Iraq if you compare the amount of ink compared between the two.

So the Drumbeat Of War disappears down the liberal memory hole. One day we were talking about American Idol as usual; the next day, hey presto! there we were in Iraq! Who can say how it happened?; 10/4/09, 8:34 AM
Paddy O said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 10/4/09, 8:50 AM
Paddy O said...: To sum up the thread, and the conversations being had on this topic, is this in-depth analysis of contemporary partisan rhetoric in blog comments sections.; 10/4/09, 8:53 AM
LilyBart said...: Attacking the Reich-wing (my aren't we cleaver) for their reaction to the situation keeps the Obama-crazed supporters from having to actual reflect on what happened and admit he handled this situation rather badly.; 10/4/09, 8:54 AM
tim in vermont said...: Gee, feel bad for the guy who is in charge of deleting contrarian posts that score points over at PoliticalAnimal.; 10/4/09, 8:57 AM
lonetown said...: I think the joy is due to the lack of gravity of the situation. If Chicago were a crater, the joy would be less.; 10/4/09, 8:59 AM
Unknown said...: I took a look at the comment thread over there and, basically, felt like I was back on the 4th grade playground. Public educators should be SO proud.; 10/4/09, 9:14 AM
AllenS said...: Who could have possibly forecast, garage turning into a chickenhawk?; 10/4/09, 9:53 AM
W.C. Varones said...: I just had a comment deleted over there at Political Animal.

Dissent must be silenced!; 10/4/09, 9:56 AM
Gilbert Ratchet said...: Is anyone else tired of this arguing about "right" and "left"? Do these categories even exist?!? The article quotes Laura Ingraham, and with a second from Mike Pence. From this, the author and his myrmidon commenters talk about how psychologically perverted "the right" is (and how they contradict themselves, given that they cherish the 1980 US Olympic hockey team).

Here's a novel idea: that Ingraham speaks for herself. If you can prove that SHE contradicts herself on matters of principle for partisan reasons, then you've got her. But there are all kinds of people out there with all kinds of opinions and to put them on "teams," with each player representing the entire team, is itself an example of the middle-aged adolescence that the article condemns.; 10/4/09, 10:51 AM
Nagarajan Sivakumar said...: Well the Olympic bid must beat least as important as Iraq if you compare the amount of ink compared between the two.

I have seen people making dumb statements on the Internet...but i dont know where to even begin with the above statement.

I am just not surprised that it comes from a leftist like garage mahal.

Back to the original comment about the "Reich-wing's" "glee over America losing"... is'nt it richly ironical that these very same people who were rooting for America's defeat in Iraq... oh wait a minute... the leftists were saying that it would nt have been America's defeat... only Bush's defeat !

BUT when Chicago loses its Olympic bid, the USA has LOST ! Ohh the brutality !

The moral equivalence of the egg headed leftists never ceases to amaze me.

And as far as "much hope" left for the "future of the country", there are far bigger problems like the 52 TRILLION DOLLAR entitlement defecit with Medicare and SS... not to mention a move to completely and gradually bring in nationalized healthcare..

And these bumbling losers on the left are crying about the Olympics?

At this rate, there may not be much of a country to hope for.; 10/4/09, 11:54 AM
Nagarajan Sivakumar said...: As some one who lived in Chicago for 3 years I can tell from personal experience, who would have had a great sense of relief over Olympics lost bid - the riders of the "L" - i cannot imagine the stress on the Red And Blue Lines when the Olympics would have been staged..

or the inordinate construction projects that would have taken place in order to prep for the Olympics.. I mean it was only 5 months back that the Blue Line was worked on to make the trip from downtown to O'Hare ONLY 45 minutes ! Earlier it used to be an hour !

Once Mayor Shortshanks takes care of the gaping holes on the streets of Chicago, he may resume his "bid" for the Olympics.. and oh yeah, the IOC did save the taxpayers of Chicago from being SCREWED by the Crook County Democrat party machine.

Thank God for the small mercies.; 10/4/09, 12:01 PM
Phil 314 said...: well this has been a fun Rorschach moment.

Ann, is there some way to engineer the site that makes its easier to keep track of the back and forth. Maybe a scorecard or lineup or something. I lose track of who's responding to whom and who's ahead. Just a thought...

And Paddy-O, nice clip. So we have Godwin's rule. Surely we can create that M. Python rule that puts a fine and humorous point to the end of an absurd discussion. Is there some higher authority we can apply to to see if we can make that official?

wv: dewel They both shot at the same time and, unfortunately being armed with Uzi's, neither won.; 10/4/09, 12:44 PM
Unknown said...: I was in ATL for the years preceeding and during the 1996 Olympics. Overall, I think ATL eventually came close to breaking even -- but in so doing earned scorn from the press and the IOC (The Grand High MuckyMuck of the IOC famously declined to call our games the "Best Olympics yet" as all previous presiding GHMMs had every four years).

Mostly because we Southerners, while hospitable, friendly, and polite, did not bow and scape to the IOC nobility (for instance, the sports arenas had no separate entrance for IOC members -- they had to actually mingle with the hoi polloi; the horror!) Never mind that doing so would either restrict people-flow and slow access for the paying customers, or require immense additional costs...lese majeste must be observed!

I attended one of the rifle competitions. My tickets were a few rows behind the reserved seats for IOC members and I paid almost $100 for the privilege -- their seats were better, and free. Yet I heard one, loudly complaining in accented English -- obviously intending to be overheard -- that the seats were too close to "the rabble".

No...Chicago is WAY better off without the Olympics. That this international slap-down may also serve as a reality-check for His Holiness, The Messiah, is just a bonus.; 10/4/09, 1:17 PM
blake said...: Well the Olympic bid must beat least as important as Iraq if you compare the amount of ink compared between the two.

And who could forget the spate of anti-Olympic movies and books that washed up in the wake of this failed bid!

When was the last post on Althouse that had to do something with Iraq?

Oh, I see. you're measuring significance based on Althouse posts. That's always a good measure of the significance of right-wing interest.

But I'm guessing over the course of the Iraq war, she posted a bit more than she has on the Olympics.

I sure hope you're not suggesting that she does (or has to) post on a quota basis, according to perceived importance. Because that would indicate you haven't been paying attention all these years.

And I thought it if you disagreed with the president in time of war that means you hate our troops?

No, rooting for them to fail in a combat situation means you hate our troops. Also, indicating our troops are murderers and rapists who best serve the country by killing their COs.

Other things, too, like revealing military secrets that could endanger them suggests a murderous indifference if not outright hatred.

Of course, this probably is "disagreeing with President", or was with former Presidents anyway. (Who knows? Perhaps the new President would agree with these tactics.) But try to keep this in mind:

Hating the troops = disagreeing with The President

does not mean

Disagreeing with The President = hating the troops

It's a common rhetorical tactic, but it's also a logical fallacy. You should try to avoid those.; 10/4/09, 2:34 PM
JohnAnnArbor said...: If you believe in the world-coming-together stuff of the Olympic ideal (and ignore the petty corruption at the heart of the IOC) I don't know how anyone could NOT cheer for South America to get its first Olympics ever.

The U.S. has had four Summer Olympics, the most recent only 20 years before when the one just decided will be held. (Did that make sense?) Why should we get it yet again, so soon? I would think that's a very good question to ask. Trying to get more than our fair share would seem to be, well, crass and arrogant. Kinda like the Euros and American lefties keep accusing most of America of being on other topics.; 10/4/09, 3:36 PM
Derek Kite said...: Garage: The president failed. It has nothing to do with Republicans.

Your hapless spinning does nothing.

President Obama has power to the extent that he can convince others to follow him. His speeched during the campaign were effective for that reason.

Now if Obama stands up to give a speech, we recognize it as a last ditch effort to attempt to salvage the impossible. His health reform speech was for that purpose, with little effect. This one was the same.

It is becoming clear that when the most 'powerful' man stands up to give a speech, one can safely have a nap and ignore it. Lose nothing. And probably be in the majority.

I think your guy has a serious problem. I don't think he sees it, or has anyone in his inner circle who sees it. What other situations is he going into unprepared (his speech was boring and repeated lines that are tiresomely familiar), with the groundwork undone?

Derek; 10/4/09, 3:47 PM
tim in vermont said...: "I just had a comment deleted over there at Political Animal."

That is because their ripostes were so trenchant and cutting that your posts just disappeared in shame!... Err, back in the real world. Poor widdle wefties precious and delicate ears can't take opinions that differ from their own, or fact that disagree with their opinions. It is why they are lousy debaters.; 10/4/09, 5:24 PM
tim in vermont said...: "Criticizing, and mocking the Commander in Chief while on the world stage is usually reserved for anti-American factions" - Garage

ROTFLMAO!

Here is a funny little blast from the past from the ironically named "ThinkProgress"

Yes, I Want the United States to Lose
Send me to Guantanamo right now. I’m packed and ready to go. ... It would require a miracle for us to achieve any sort of “success,” and for us to “win.” Miracles of that kind and on that scale do not occur in this world, nor have they ever occurred in history. Our leaders simply refuse to acknowledge that we’ve lost. So many more people will die and be horribly maimed.

But in the moral sense — in the sense of destroying human life with no justification whatsoever — we certainly deserve to lose. It would only be just, and it would be minimal justice at that. We have committed a monstrous, unforgivable war crime, indeed a countless number of war crimes. If you care at all about the sanctity of an individual human life, and if you still give a damn, that should matter to you. Nothing in the world is more important.

So, yes, in the sense I have described, I want us to lose.

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/03/06/25-hours/#comment-2032376; 10/4/09, 5:38 PM
MikeB said...: Why link to a comment on another blog? There are lots of examples of outrageous comments on any blog that allows comments, as all readers here are aware. The comments are not necessarily representative of the opinion of the blog, or its author(s).

My amusement was at the line in the blog entry itself, quoting Paul Krugman: "Middle-aged adolescents — dumb middle-aged adolescents — rule one of our nation’s two great political parties." Our two predominant political parties (Democrats and Republicans) are "great"? Perhaps in the meaning of the word as "sizable", or large and imposing. Certainly not in the sense of ability or quality above normal.; 10/4/09, 7:42 PM
Alex said...: MichaelTroll - my glee is uncontained about Chicago losing the Olympics!; 10/4/09, 7:46 PM
M. Simon said...: they blew it on this total loser in Pravda suits.

FIFY; 10/4/09, 8:21 PM
M. Simon said...: Theo Boehm,

I believe that was the attitude of Americans in the 20s and 30s.

You know what that got us.; 10/4/09, 8:35 PM
M. Simon said...: What I want to know is did Obama buy enough carbon credits for his Olympian efforts?; 10/4/09, 8:43 PM
MJ said...: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2009/10/03/2009-10-03_president_obama_is_no_loser_just_because_chicago_didnt_get_2016_summer_olympics.html

Here's Mike Lupica, a conventional liberal if ever there was one. I wonder why garage thinks he's not patriotic?; 10/4/09, 9:05 PM
Anonymous said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 10/4/09, 9:23 PM
Anonymous said...: M. Simon: Yes, and I agree with the basic thrust of public opinion in the '20's and '30's. They weren't stupid. They saw what our idiotic involvement in a general European war got us. The American public of that time desired to return to the traditional American policy of non-involvement in European military affairs and our time-honored avoidance of entangling military alliances.

But the U.S. HAD to get involved in the Great War. Why, if we hadn't, there might have been a power vacuum in Central Europe following the collapse of the Russian Empire and Austria-Hungary. Communists might have rushed in to fill the void, and populist dictators taken over the rest. There would have been a general economic collapse and perhaps anotherl war, with the death of untold millions and the destruction of famous European cities by the dreadful new weapons whose beginnings we saw in the Great War.

Who knows what might have happened. Communism might have spread throughout the world. There might have even been the destruction of European Jewry by dictators playing on traditional anti-Semitism as a ploy to blame the Jews for the dreadful outcome of the Great War.

But I'm so glad American intervention avoided such an outcome. Why, if it wasn't for the brilliance of Mr. Wilson and his 14 Points, all that might have happened.

Hats off to you, Mr. Wilson!

wv = inward
I am not making this up.; 10/4/09, 9:24 PM
blake said...: Wow, I think my sardonicism-meter blew.; 10/4/09, 10:26 PM