Obama Meets With McChrystal
President Obama met today with Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the head of American and NATO troops in Afghanistan. McChrystal flew to Copenhagen from London, and the two met for 25 minutes on Air Force One.
Obama's Day: Campaigning For The Olympics
President Obama arrived in Copenhagen at 2:10 a.m. ET (8:10 a.m. local time). He delivered remarks at the Chicago 2016 presentation at 2:50 a.m. ET, and he and other Chicago 2016 panel members participated in a 3:40 a.m. ET question and answer session with IOC members. Obama and the First Lad attended an informal IOC reception at 4 a.m. ET, and they were greeted at 4:45 a.m. ET by Queen Margrethe II and Prince Consort Henrik. Obama met at 5:20 a.m. ET with Danish Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen. They departed from Copenhagen at 6:55 a.m. ET, and are scheduled to arrive back at the White House at 3:30 p.m. ET. Obama will deliver brief remarks at 4 p.m. ET.
Biden's Day Ahead
Vice President Biden is starting the day in Washington. At 10 a.m. ET, he will hold a Middle Class Task Force work session. In the afternoon, he will hold an inter-agency meeting on nuclear non-proliferation policy. In the evening, he will travel to Bristol, Pennsylvania, to attend a fundraiser for Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA).
Obama: Chicago Knows How To Put On Big Events
President Obama spoke this morning to the International Olympic Committee in Copenhagen, pitching his home city of Chicago in its bid to host the 2016 Olympics. "It's a city that works," said Obama, "from its first World's Fair more than a century ago to the World Cup we hosted in the nineties. We know how to put on big events."
McCain Still Seeking To Make His Mark On The GOP
The Politico reports that Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) has been taking an active role in the Republican Party, endorsing candidates in competitive primaries and helping out with fundraising and candidate recruitment -- a different path from most defeated presidential nominees, who usually disappear from the political stage. "I think it's important, at this stage in my career, to try to support candidates that I think represent the next generation of leadership in the Republican Party," said McCain.
Pawlenty To Hold Washington Fundraiser
Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R-MN), widely seen as a potential presidential candidate, will hold his first fundraiser in Washington. The dinner will be held on October 22, with invited guests contributing $5,000 to Pawlenty's Freedom First PAC.
GOP Tried To Recruit Hero Pilot "Sully" For Congressional Bid
The Hill reports that national Republicans attempted to recruit Chesley Sullenberger, a registered Republican best known as the U.S. Airways pilot who successfully landed his damaged passenger plane in the Hudson River, to run against Rep. Jerry McNerney (D-CA) in 2010. They were unsuccessful in their effort, however, finding out that Sullenberger is not interested in a political career.

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mycomment
October 2, 2009 9:24 AM
interesting photo of obama and mcchrystal -- obama's eyes downcast and avoiding direct contact; mccrystal's direct gaze..
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VivaAmerica!
October 2, 2009 9:38 AM in reply to mycomment
Reading too much into a photo that took 1-2 seconds to snap.
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Stroszek
October 2, 2009 9:49 AM in reply to mycomment
You're mistaken. He was checking out McChrystal's booty.
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AmericanDad
October 2, 2009 9:40 AM
Yeah, that's right. Take an instant snapshot of a person in the course of conversation (not a portrait) and draw some meaningful conclusion from the direction of the eyes. I sure hope you didn't hurt anything with a reach like that.
During the course of normal conversation, eye contact is broken and re-established numerous times. To keep your gaze fixed either on or away from the other person would be both rude and creepy. The particular configuration at any given instant is meaningless.
Finding something meaningful in that photo says more about you than it does about either of the men in the picture.
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VivaAmerica!
October 2, 2009 9:50 AM
Look at that. Obama made his bid all while most of us in America (specifically DC), were sleeping. Just think about all the work he could have gotten done if he were home, sleeping.
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bmags
October 2, 2009 9:54 AM in reply to VivaAmerica!
Thank You. Good lord is all the criticism over his leaving stupid.
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Hector
October 2, 2009 9:56 AM
"McChrystal flew to Copenhagen from Denmark" -- Isn't Copenhagen in Denmark?
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REFG
October 2, 2009 11:00 AM
Who's the First Lad who was with the President at the IOC reception?
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FreeRider
October 2, 2009 12:04 PM
Sully is a Republican? LOL! Man, wait until Bluebell hears about that! She bragged she'd vote for him (apparently having no idea of his politics) because he landed a plane safely!
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PVB
October 2, 2009 1:23 PM
Note that this was a hastily arranged 25-minute meeting on Air Force One with the President, clearly at the President's urgent request. I haven't seen anything in then press about this yet, but does anyone think they talked about the pros and cons of specific dimensions of Afghanistan policy? I don't think so. I think the President may have asked the General, "Is the name McChrystal, or is it MacArthur? or McClellan?"
"What do you think you were doing making a public speech in yesterday in London, basically trying to build public pressure to support the arguments you made within our foreign policy team just two days ago? And when you knew those private discussions would continue over the next few weeks? Is that how a team player acts? Do you believe that I trust you more today than I did yesterday? Or might I be rightly concerned that you have your own agenda that you will push with any means at your disposal? Are you positioning yourself publicly so that if I go against your advice, you will be able to blame me, to your personal benefit? Should I trust you to execute the strategy I eventually decide upon, with the level of enthusiasm and commitment that the country deserves? What are your snswers to those questions, General?"
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PeninsulaMatt
October 2, 2009 2:39 PM
The Second City came in Fourth.
Why? Mainly for a few legitimate reasons. 1) The USA hosted the summer games in '84 and '96 and the Winter games in '80 and '02. 2) The public support in Chicago was relatively low compared to the other cities. Given the importance of cooperation and welcoming, this is pretty important. 3) Historically the games have never been hosted in South America so they became the sentimental favorites.
But there are other reasons too:
- Even though the US's image has improved under Obama it has not yet fully recovered. The question to Obama about US Customs was a rhetorical point about the openness of the US in the current situation.
- The brutal murder of a high school student in Chicago last week was a scary image that was not fully addressed. If the IOC is willing to go to a less than safe city, why not take the Brazil option?
- The teabaggers. The extremist right wing of the US political spectrum is scary. The IOC is not interested in getting anti-Obama protesters in the host country.
- The threat of terrorism. The US is still a target and the IOC above all wants to avoid catastrophe. Also, threats against Obama are up significantly so domestic terrorists are a would-be problem too.
- The city of Chicago. It does not have the international stature of New York, DC, Los Angeles or San Francisco. It has the reputation of being a difficult place to make changes.
Lots of reasons. Good ones even if you are an IOC member. Even so, it is disappointing. It would have been a wonderful end to Obama's second term.
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rbe1
October 2, 2009 4:30 PM
I have a slightly different view. I believe the president should have asked for the general's resignation on his desk next morning. As a former military officer, I cannot stomach this general's readiness to publicly offer his views on what is strictly a civilian policy issue. The quality of the US military officer corps has descended a long way in the past 30 years.
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CityGuy
October 2, 2009 9:56 PM in reply to rbe1
I concur. The general said what he did to gain public opinion. That is totally out of bounds as well as an attempt to embarrass the Commander-in-Chief.
W's minions always made much out of that Commander-in-Chief business, even towards civiian critics of Shrub. The president is not your "Commander-in-Chief if you are a civilian. But as for a general, he most certainly is!
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