Handicapping the Event

They are rolling out the big guns. Copenhagen will be tied up tighter than a drum and Tivoli won't have a ride seat on the carousel even with an E-ticket unless you are an insider. Yes, the co-queens of American royalty, Michelle and Oprah are both in Denmark. Of course there is that global warming and carbon footprint thing when they each take a personal big jet, Michelle in the 757 and Big "O" in her G-III, but they probably bought a bushel of carbon offsets to make their greenies happy.

We're Connected in Chicago

Now, if they were really concerned with the environment, the Messiah could have easily shoe-horned them into AF 1 for the trip I would think. He's traveling separately tomorrow and he's desperately trying to figure out how Chicago's gang-bangers can be downplayed and overshadowed by the Yakuza of Japan, the Basque separatists of Madrid and the Girls from Ipanema in Rio. It looks like a tough sell to me, but then I grew up in Chicago and know a bit about the underbelly of the city.

The real question is why is he going. I was out this morning and listening to talk radio. Now I'm confused.

There apparently are three options here.

The first was what I simply assumed. Bamster is the President. Bamster is from Chicago. Bamster believes that he is the most persuasive fellow that ever picked up a Harvard law degree. He could sell ice cubes to Eskimos. He's the ultimate pitchman and when he stands before the Olympic decision-makers and looks at them right between the two teleprompter screens and says, "let me be perfectly clear" they will simply melt. He's going to sell Chicago.

But, then one of the talk show guys gave me the second option. The One is sagging in the polls. He's taking heat on a collapsing healthcare initiative. He needs a boost. The back channels have told him that the decision is already made and Chicago has got it in the bag. He's going to get the boost of claiming it was his persuasive rhetoric that brought it home. He's going to claim victory.

Minutes later, another talk show gave me option three. It looks bad for Chi-town. The power behind the throne, Mayor-for-life Dick Daley, called in his markers. He has told the Bamster to get his butt over there and sell this thing big time or he's going to be history. Rescue this effort or you'll never work in this town again. So, we've suddenly got the President firing up the entire Air Force airlift fleet to move his entourage to Denmark for the sales pitch. He'd better meet quota or else.

So, what have we got here? Simple sales job, jump for the limelight or try to rescue a disaster?

I've got to go with the third. I didn't like it at first, but when you consider the attitude of so many of the nations of the world about the US, it seems unlikely that they are going to hand a showcase opportunity to the US. I'm thinking S. America looks like a winner to me. Rio might be pretty nice in the off-season.