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In the fall of 1991, as his polls began sinking and America found itself in a recession, President George H.W. Bush was urged to show his compassion and concern for his fellow Americans. Thus pushed, Bush descended from Camp David to stroll into a local Thurmont, Maryland store to show his support for the economy by buying -- socks. A pair of socks.

Alas, as with Jimmy Carter's unfortunate tangle with a killer rabbit, the Bush socks episode became a metaphor for the Bush presidency. His opponents never ceased to portray this episode as an example of the "elitist" and "country club" conception of trickle-down economics. It was a small thing, but in the context of the day, like Carter's hapless episode with the rabbit, it became a metaphor for a presidency in trouble.

The Bush and Carter episodes come to mind watching this Obama jaunt to Copenhagen for the Olympics. Image making is a risky business in the White House. The Obama administration put their man out there front and center at what was a distinctly non-presidential task: getting the Olympics for Chicago. And he failed. Spectacularly.

Now casting this as a talking point about meeting General McCrystal to discuss Afghanistan won't wipe away the image created of a president rendered impotent -- this time not by a rabbit or a pair of socks, but by the International Olympic Committee.

Now that's an Olympic-sized political accomplishment.

View all comments (22) | Leave a comment

Daisy| 10.2.09 @ 3:28PM

Mmm, mmm, mmm.

You can't make this stuff up.

Tim| 10.2.09 @ 3:29PM

Dr Ray Stantz: Of course you forget, Peter. I was present at an undersea, unexplained mass sponge migration.

Dr. Peter Venkman: Ray, the sponges migrated about a foot-and-a-half.

DrTomVoter| 10.2.09 @ 4:26PM

Today it was announced that the unemployment rate moved up to 9.8%. But the big story is about the Olympics.

Lanslot| 10.2.09 @ 4:33PM

Can you believe this clown in the whitehouse? I am amazed that 51% of this country still approves of this idiot. The lemmings have to start awakening soon. WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING TO MY COUNTRY!!!!!!

Earl Bohn| 10.2.09 @ 4:38PM

Ah yes, Barack Hussein Obama (mmm, mmm, mmm) gathered up all the prestige of the office of President of the United States and descended from a cloud to persuade the IOC to select Chicago only to get bitch-slapped for the effort.

(Maybe President Obama's recent "America the Penitent" world tour didn't have the effect he was hoping for. Maybe the IOC members were peeved that the Saudi king got a nice big obsequious full-blown flat-back bow but they didn't rate even a quick peek at the prayer-hands gesture.)

A rookie speechwriter would know enough to keep the Big Guy out of the spotlight and leave the IOC sales pitch to the functionaries unless the outcome were foreordained.

Now, having demonstrated his capacity to persuade and his willingness to lead with his handsome chin, President Obama advances to the task of convincing Iran's chief curiosity, Mahmoud Amadinejad, that contrary to centuries of Shia dogma the missing Twelfth Imam might very well return without the prerequisite of a world cataclysm, relieving Iran of the burden of causing one and, therefore, the necessity of acquiring nuclear weapons.

We wish our president godspeed on the Iranian mission but just to err on the side of caution we'd better hold off investing in real estate in Tel Aviv any time soon.

Michael L. Hauschild| 10.2.09 @ 4:42PM

He would have pulled this off but he forgot the styrofoam pillars.

Anne Marie Erskine| 10.3.09 @ 11:54AM

From the beginning, it was a gamble - RIGHT ON!! - that's what zerO's voters and the rest of us now suffering under his empty "rock star" Follywood styrofoam image knew from the start - betting on those sad odds was dumb, but voting for it was loopy looney ignorant.
How ironic and absurd is Democratic pollster Mellman's comment ... "I think Americans want a president who is going to fight for their country," when, in fact, Obozo has done NOTHING but diss the United States from the start!! Obama has NO clue what America is all about and what Americans believe or want - he is nothing more than a Soros lap-dog.
Mellman and the rest of the Obama fool tools are smoking Nope and Dope - the family dog knew that nonsense was specious from the beginning - just like Obobo's fake Greek columns. Obama and Big Michelle are certainly NOT ambassadors for America - never were - they ARE ambassadors for THEMSELVES - Copenhagen was ALL about Chicago Union (which is EXACTLY what Obama Care is) political payoff and lust for personal power, absolute narcissistic self-centered laughable "The One' crazed hype for Barry Insane Obozo ummm, ummm, ummm - not an ounce was for America or Americans.
The Darth Vader mask if off Obama and his Chicago thugs such as David Axelrod, who said on CNN -where else except GE Immelt's Obama diaper-wiper MSNBC - "The president made a very strong appeal, and it didn't work out..." -- Axelrod, Sherlock in disguise - REALLY, Axelrod?? - believe me the American people KNOW IT DIDN'T WORK OUT - AND IT WON'T WORK OUT because Obama is WAY ABOVE HIS PAY GRADE in his Follywood role as POTUS - and Americans despise Obama's Fascist socialist ideology and his I HEART CHAVEZ/ACORN leftist idiocy and his Honduras Constitutional betrayal and his refusal to make trade agreements because of Union/SEIU/ACORN payoffs - all of that and MORE is undermining our Constitution, our capitalist economic system, and our individual freedoms - TOTUS and FLOTUS (was she also carrying her plastic "Fashion" award - oh, Americans are so impressed - that makes us sooo proud - our FLOTUS can dress herself!)are pathetic in their drippy progressive self-obsessed liberal misplaced sentimental grade D- "speeches," which is EXACTLY what the Olympic Committee saw and heard: The Obama trademark - styrofoam image, no substance - exactly the same sham liberal "educational" philosophy that has destroyed our educational system and put our children LAST in line in the world - No Payoff From Gamble is a perfect title for the Obama Movie - Americans are mad as hell with this rip-off and will empty D.C. of a government that thinks it is the Reichstag - McKinnon stupidly says what everyone - including the Olympic Committee - knows ... Obama is simply PLAYING the ROLE as president - BUT McKinnon is wrong when he says Americans would prefer Obama do that than play the Chicago Chamber of Congress act - AMERICANS WANT A PRESIDENT TO BE PRESIDENT - IT'S NOT A ROLE, STUPID - IT IS THE ESSENCE OF THE CHARACTER OF THE ELECTED PERSON and Obama fails that at every angle of the camera, every TOTUS nugatory whimper, every hollow dissembling whopper zerO utters. Obama lost Chicago's bid NOT BECAUSE OF POLITICS, BUT BECAUSE NOTHING IS BEHIND THE TELEPROMPTER...The Obama Show played on Broadway long enough for the people to be conned, but it no longer plays in Peoria, Axelrod... Americans know - Once a genius, Twice a fool - Styrofoam is one hell of a mess to clean up, but Americans are resourceful, powerful, determined, strong, smart people - ESPECIALLY when you mess with out freedom. Obama is a fool to mess with
Americans because there is NOTHING "typical" about us, Obama.

Oldefarte| 10.3.09 @ 11:56AM

American voters shouting """"YES WE CAN"""" must be so proud and honored NOW!!!!

nothing but limericks| 10.3.09 @ 2:14PM

Mr. Obama decided to go,

To Denmark to beg for the show,

He smiled and pled,

"Come to Chicago" he said,

But the Committee, they told him "NO!"

Debra Rybarz| 10.3.09 @ 11:08PM

It seems that IOC may really have some standards and morals. Doesn't this irk the American taxpayer that in this tough economic time when we are all asked to tighten our belts that the president cannot do the same.......Wow!

Liberal Reader| 10.4.09 @ 1:37PM

Mr Lord --

I just don't get it.

I don't get crowds of conservatives cheering that their country wasn't able to host the Olympic games.

I don't get the glee and satisfaction people in your camp are showing because this country didn't succeed.

I also don't get the manner of criticizing Obama, as if going abroad to make a pitch for American commerse, tourism, and trade -- as well as for our cultural prestige -- were somehow unprecedented for an American president.

Obama took a risk. Perhaps he deserves some good natured ribbing.

But you guys just aren't CAPABLE of that anymore.

You don't seem capable of telling the difference between BIG issues and small ones; between your own critical strengths and your own petty complaints. In short, you seem short on self-examination and self-understanding.

You should be embarrassed of this nonsense.

Interested Conservative| 10.4.09 @ 2:54PM

It's not about glee, cheering, satisfaction, risk, and least of all embarassment.

It's about responsibility.

Liberal Reader| 10.4.09 @ 3:35PM

Interested --

What responsibility to Obama neglect by making a bid for the Olympics?

What responsibility did George W. Bush neglect when he appeared with the Chicago organizers in a joint press conference to encourage their bid?

Obama spoke for 45 minutes. The rest of the time he was free to work on other matters.

I don't see this as legitimate criticism.

It's just nit-picking, pansy stuff.

And Beck's response, Limbaugh's response, was GLEE. They were clearly HAPPY Chicago lost.

Since when do you root against the home team?

It was a lame showing. You should admit it.

Interested Conservative| 10.4.09 @ 5:03PM

What is the POTUS responsible for?

That's the point, and until he determines that, this episode is just added to the list of what he's not responsible for.

Liberal Reader| 10.4.09 @ 5:25PM

Interested --

You act as though there's a list somewhere of all things the president can and should do.

The president, unlike -- say -- a prime minister, is the head of government AND the head of state.

He is the only person, other than the vice president, NATIONALLY elected by the people. In a very real sense, he represents the country.

Now, he has important Constitutional duties that are clearly spelled out. But he also is empowered to do things like -- oh, I don't know -- lobby for the Olympic Games to come to the United States.

Have you forgotten the country in which you live, Interested Conservative?

You live in the United States. One of those states is called Illinois. In Illinois, one of this country's greatest cities is built. It's called CHICAGO.

The president wanted the Olympics to be held there is 2016.

What in the HELL is so difficult about this to understand?

Are you playing dumb?

You seem like a reasonable fellow. I don't know where you are coming from here.

Summer| 10.4.09 @ 7:20PM

A commenter is 'reasonable' when he/she agrees with the arrogant little ass, Jeremiah.

What an ego.

Interested Conservative| 10.4.09 @ 7:21PM

That's a very expansive view of the Presidency. I disagree with it.

PS - I live in Chicago. Woulda been nice.

Liberal Reader| 10.4.09 @ 7:43PM

Which part is "expansive."

The notion of the president as head of state and head of government goes back to the founding.

The founders deliberately invested him with more authority than the British P.M., although obviously with less than a king.

Liberal Reader| 10.4.09 @ 7:44PM

I agree it would have been nice.

I hope you at least appreciate my defense of Chicago around here.

I can't understand the anti-Chicago prejudice among reactionaries.

Although I think we all know what's going on there.

Sheila| 10.5.09 @ 1:00AM

I just wish Obama would pay a little more attention to our troops fighting and dying overseas--that's what I think is important. He's a punk.

long| 11.10.09 @ 3:00AM

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ham| 1.12.10 @ 7:33AM

The Bush and Carter episodes come to mind watch all star shoesing this Obama jaunt to Copenhagen for the Olympics. Image making is a risky business in the Whnike shoes outletite House.

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More Blog Posts by Jeffrey Lord

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