Obama's Olympics Timing is Impeccable

The White House made their move to control the news cycle

By Steve Bryant
|  Monday, Sep 28, 2009  |  Updated 11:00 AM CST
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Obama's Olympics Timing is Impeccable

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Obama timed his Copenhagen announcement perfectly.

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There are several ways to look at Obama's announcement that he will, finally, irrefutably, slam-bam-thank-ya-ma'm-ally be going to Copenhagen.

One: It was always so. The 2016 Olympic gang and the White House orchestrated a PR campaign that climaxes with the arrival, in Copenhagen, of the leader of the free world. Boo ya. Compelling, if only for the sheer conspiratorial excitement.

Two: Luck. Obama found time in his schedule. Meh. If Obama was hedging in public, it was a political hedge. If he had committed to going weeks or months ago, his detractors would have made hay. Bails and bails of hay.

Three: Seeing Rio take the #1 spot in contender rankings Sunday, and seeing that Tokyo's prime minister finally decided to go to Copenhagen, the White House made their move to control the news cycle.

Now there's a cunning play, orchestrated by a White House that's expert in news cycle manipulation.

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By announcing first thing Monday morning, Obama buries both Around the Rings' press release and the news out of Tokyo.

Obama protects himself from accusations he's not as dedicated as Yukio Hatoyama, and gives Chicago's delegation something to tout over Rio's numbers.

Now it's Obama in the headlines -- likely for the entire week.

Full Coverage: Chicago's Olympic Bid

Posted Monday, Sep 28, 2009 - 10:43 AM CST
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