Barack and Michelle Obama Address International Olympic Committee

Here’s Part 1 and Part II of Fox News video now up on You Tube of President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama making their pitch to the Olympic committee for Chicago as the 2016 Olympics city:

Here’s the text of Obama’s comments. Here’s the text of Michelle Obama’s comments.

FOOTNOTE: My satellite radio (the device that lets me escape regular talk radio) was on the blink yesterday so while traveling I had a chance to sample talk radio. Once again I was amazed at the degree of rage and anger aimed at Obama — this time over the Olympics trip. Some hosts and callers almost seemed to want the Olympics committee to reject a U.S. host city, because Obama was pushing for it. Another theme was Obama not being in the White House and therefore being away from real Presidential work on these trips.

Two thoughts came to mind:

(1) During the Bush years I felt it was silly for Democrats to harp on his trips to Crawford and being away from the White House when they suggested it meant he might not be working. Even a can of baked beans on the shelf at Ralph’s grocery store on Adams Avenue in San Diego knows that when Presidents travel they travel with communications. Air Force One is not Jet Blue. And wasn’t there even that little tidbit about Presidents for years traveling with the “football” that could allow them to order a nuclear attack? So the fuss over leaving the White House during a time of crisis about Obama is as silly and as clearly political games playing as it was for Bush.

(2)But where were these critics of a President not being in the White House when GWB was clearing brush in Texas and accumulating close to a record number of days away from the White House? The answer: it wasn’t an issue for them then, because the President had an (R) in front of his name. It was (correctly) assumed that he was in touch with Washington officials when he was in Crawford and in the air.

Not all of Obama’s critics on the Olympics trip are Republicans. He has also come under fire from some independent commentators.

But that reflects more the nature of modern political commentary: it’s easier to indignantly rant and denounce an Olympics’ pitch trip than to fill a column, or broadcast slot with a detailed talk about the public option’s pros and cons or how Afghanistan policy should be fixed or not. The focus is increasingly on quick, emotional issue of the day; the bigger issues get “old” fast in terms of sustaining or bulding readership and viewership. And this trend will likely continue if the likely trend continues where many Americans will only read and view that which they already totally agree with — before they read and view it.

But there is also a political angle here. Here’s another take on this from MSNBC’s First Read:

This is a classic case of “All politics is local.” Chicago’s 2016 Olympic bid has seemed like a shoo-in to many observers for a few reasons, including: 1) it’s been 20 years since the U.S. last hosted an Olympics; 2) the IOC is struggling to make the 2014 Winter Olympics enticing for sponsors, and they’re desperate to link it to a big summer draw in 2016; and 3) McDonald’s is one of the most loyal Olympic sponsors in history, and if Coke could get an Olympics in Atlanta, then why couldn’t McDonald’s get one for its hometown of Chicago? But, as of late, Chicago political leaders have been paranoid that Rio’s bid has been gaining ground, and Brazil was sending ITS president (Lula) to personally make their final pitch. Rio’s best selling point is that South America has never hosted an Olympic Games (perhaps the reason: It’s winter there during our summers…) So Chicago has been pulling out all the stops, including Oprah and now Obama. Bottom line: The president and his Chicago-area advisers were getting all sorts of “If he doesn’t go and Chicago doesn’t get it” veiled threats, and so he was boxed in. Better to go and not get it, right? Without a doubt, however, getting Obama to Copenhagen is a big win for mayor Daley.

Here is now NBC earlier framed the Olympics story: