After all the insulation from Chicago politics the entire media  did for Obama at senate seat purchase time, Obama deems enough time has passes to officially immerse himself in local politics again. Politico has this headline

Barack Obama risks prestige for Chicago Olympic bid

The decision to not just send Michelle to Copenhagen but go himself is iffy in many ways.

Politico of course worries of the political risks for Obama – should he fail to bring the goods.

But the other implication is more serious

Plus, more than a few Americans are surely scratching their heads — with his inbox crowded with a troop request for Afghanistan, a new secret nuclear site in Iran, sky-high unemployment and a health care bill in Congress, does the president really have time for this?

Harry Shearer answered the question

Obama’s Plate is Not Too Full After All

So this morning comes the news that President Obama will make a “surprise” trip to Copenhagen, along with his wife, to make a presentation on behalf of Chicago’s bid for the 2016 Olympics.  Aside from the possible malice he’s showing towards his home town — here come massive deficits, white-elephant signature buildings, and other perks — I found this story interesting as the ultimate rebuke to the months of comments from people here regarding the Obama administration’s torpor when it comes to remedying the aftermath of the failure of the federal levees in New Orleans.  “Give him time,” they said, “he’s got a lot on his plate”.

and concludes that

My headline, phrased in question form earlier this year–”Obama to New Orleans: Drop Dead?”–is ready to be repunctuated.

Of course, that’s just one of the many promises and places left behind.

Add to that about a half of the people of Chicago who absolutely oppose the Olympics coming there.

And Politico recalls how a similar ambition played for Bloomberg:

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg took heat for pushing that city’s 2012 bid so aggressively because it looked to some like one rich guy helping out another rich guy, New York Jets owner Woody Johnson, who would have benefited from the Olympics development,

And – at least, Bloomberg was the Mayor – and had more standing representing a city’s petition than Obama does. Like W before him, Obama demonstrates that he is more the president of some people than others.

And it all has that Nero touch of fiddling while the world burns

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