During the Bush Administration, supporters of President Bush (the very same critics of President Obama today) called any criticism of the President’s policies to be treason and unAmerican. Obviously they were wrong. Vocal dissent over policy and politics is at the very nature of our Democracy, and right wing critics of President Obama today have every right to criticize his policies today, just as we had every right to criticize Bush for his policies then.
However, what is political about a President of the United States attempting to bring the premiere world event held on this planet to the land that we all love? What is political about a President of the United States singing the praises of our country abroad, in order to convince the world to come to America?
Nothing.
It is not political.
It is not partisan.
It is patriotic.
And if you celebrated, cheered or in any small way felt glad that we (as in we Americans) lost the opportunity to host the Olympic games in 2016, then you are unAmerican. If you rooted against Chicago getting the Olympics because President Obama was for it, or because you wanted a political setback for him, then you are not patriotic.
It was barely noticed at the time, but in January 2008, then-President George W. Bush met with the Chicago 2016 Bid Committee and U.S. Olympic Committee members about bringing the 2016 summer games to the city. “They say that the Olympics will come to Chicago if we’re fortunate enough to be selected, but really it’s coming to America, and I can’t think of a better city to represent the United States than Chicago,” Bush said. He added, “This country supports your bid, strongly.”
Far be it from me to quote President Bush in support of my position, but my God, look at how evil Obama Derangement Syndrome had made our counterparts on the right. It is one thing to criticize the President for taking his time to lobby the IOC in person today. It is a legitimate argument to say that he has more pressing issues to tend to at home (although I would argue American prestige and bringing thousands of jobs to Chicago via the Olympics are important issues for a President to attend to). Indeed, Republicans have criticized the President for exactly those reasons (and watch, they will now ironically and hypocritically criticize him for failing to win the games, for they will criticize the President for anything and everything no matter how inconsistent it makes them look). But I will not call them unpatriotic or unAmerican for that.
But their hatred of the man himself made them all root against America today.
What I find fascinating is the extent to which the far-right was rooting against the country. Eric Erickson published an item declaring: “World Rejects Barack Obama.”
Hahahahaha. I thought the world would love us more now that Bush was gone. I thought if we whored ourselves out to our enemies, great things would happen. Apparently not. So Obama’s pimped us to every two bit thug and dictator in the world, made promises to half the Olympic committee, and they did not even kiss him. So much for improving America’s standing in the world, Barry O.
Malkin’s mocking the U.S. defeat; so is the Weekly Standard. Fox News, which launched an aggressive effort against Chicago’s bid, will no doubt follow. (Update: the offices of the Weekly Standard, in its own words, “erupted” in “cheers” after the announcement.)
Benen goes on to point out that when New York lost the bid to host the 2012 games to London in 2005, you did not see liberals and Democrats, despite their hatred of the President at the time, celebrating in the streets. The same is true during the first President Bush’s term with respect to Atlanta, as you saw no liberal or Democrat rooting against that city winning the 1996 Olympics in September 1990. But you did see that today from the conservatives. Even their local counterparts at Delaware Politics are celebrating. I really want to know what the conservative mindset right now is. Does love of country mean anything to them when one of their own is not President?
I guess not.
I am never more prouder when my national anthem is sung during an Olympics, or when our athletes are introduced during the closing and opening ceremonies. I did not root against my country during the 2008 games just because a Republican I despised was not only President, but also present at the games. I did not root against my country in 2002 when President Bush presided over the games and sat with the athletes during the Opening Ceremonies of the Salt Lake games. But given their reaction today, it is evident beyond any doubt that conservatives would boo American athletes in 2016 had the games been awarded to Chicago. Indeed, the last time a Democratic President presided over an Olympics held in an American city, what happened? A right wing terrorist bombed the Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta during the games. I guess we are saved from whatever right wing terrorists were planning for the Chicago games by the events of today.
I am left with the conclusion from today’s events that conservatives do not love this country.
They love themselves and their opinions.
They hate everything and everyone else, including their country if they are not in charge of it.