Why Does the Right Hate America?
By anniepa
@anniepa (27955)
United States
October 2, 2009 10:52pm CST
Alright, I'll be fair and say first and foremost that ALL of the right doesn't hate America; at least ONE former GOP Congressman and current conservative pundit, Joe Scarborough, got it right:
"Count me as one conservative who is disappointed that President Obama's hometown will not be hosting the 2012 Olympic Games.
Chicago is a beautiful city that would have made a perfect backdrop for the Olympics. The President was right to fly to Copenhagen to try to land the games, not for the sake of his city, but for the good of his country. The fact President Obama failed makes me respect him more for taking the chance, and the fact many right-wing figures opposed the President's mission shows just how narrow-minded partisanship makes us all. [...]
[W]hat we saw from some conservative corners regarding the President's failed Olympics bid was just plain stupid."
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2009_10/020242.php
What did we see from "some conservative corners" that "Morning Joe" thought was stupid?
Nothing but JOY! HAPPINESS that "Obama had failed". GLADNESS that Chicago, Ill, USA was already out of the running for the 2016 Olympics. You know, the Olympic Games that would bring lots of money and jobs to the country? The Olympics, where people from all around the world would get to see US at our best? The bid for the Olympics by Chicago that George W. Bush had supported.
You can read about the reactions of some of the most influential conservatives here:
http://tpmlivewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/10/weekly-standard-newsroom-erupts-into-cheers-at-news-of-olympics.php?ref=fpblg
I loved Rush Limbaugh's line, "The ego has landed!" Limbaugh talking about someone ELSE'S ego? Give me a break!! Anyway, he was gleeful, Glenn Beck said it was "Sweet!", Michelle Malkin boasted there'd be "No Obamalympics!" and the the Weekly Standard newsroom burst into applause.
Let's at least be honest; since the leaders of the nations of all of the cities in the finals had gone personally to Copenhagen to push for their home city so if President Obama would have been the only one NOT to show and the results had been the same, which they certainly would have been, the very same people who are sooooo happy now would have been angry about it because they'd have BLAMED Obama! President Bush attended the Salt Lake City Olympics in 2002. He traveled to China and spend 4 days in 2008 watching the games. I wasn't a Bush supporter but I had no real problem with that.
OK, I'm done with my rant! I'm sorry but since seeing all of these other so-called adults acting like children I figured I had a mini-tantrum of my own coming!
Annie
3 people like this
15 responses
@murderistic (2278)
• United States
3 Oct 09
I'm no where close to being on the "right" and I see no reason why an American would have to support Obama's plea for an olympic game in the US. That doesn't make you a good American, that makes you a greedy nationalist... South America never got to host the games and could use the infrastructure and jobs a whole lot more than Chicago can. I say Americans need to stop sticking their noses up so freaking high and start giving a damn about the rest of the world. I realize that this isn't the reason why most conservatives are celebrating this, but lets not change the situation to being about loving America. I love America because of the opportunity we all have to help other nations.
The right doesn't hate America, they hate Obama and they hate the left. Frankly I don't see the left doing any better of a job in their attitude towards the right.
2 people like this
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
3 Oct 09
My title was meant to be taken at least partly as satire. From what I've been seeing and hearing it's the right who seems to make everything about loving America or being a patriot or a "real" American. Unfortunately, their definitions are rather narrow. They "love" their country but can't stand most of the people who live here.
Annie
@murderistic (2278)
• United States
3 Oct 09
But Annie, what does that have to do with the Olympic games?
@starsailover (7829)
• Mexico
4 Oct 09
I think the Right of your country as it happends in other countries confuse politics with national interests. That's the reason why the GOP is son unpopular! Anyway i'm happy for Brazil
2 people like this
@bobmnu (8157)
• United States
3 Oct 09
From what I heard he did not make a very convincing speech on why Chicago should host the Olympics and the fact that Brazil's President convinced them with a passion plea that you had millions of Fans in a part of the world that were looking for such an event. South America has been a supporter of the Olympics and yet they have mostly held in the northern Hemisphere half the world has been ignored. This man spoke for his country and his neighbors. President Obama spoke only for Chicago.
2 people like this
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
3 Oct 09
I heard Obama's speech but not that of Brazil's President and I thought Obama's was fine. I also felt he DID speak for the whole country as well as for Chicago. I'd heard Brazil's presentation was fantastic so I'm thinking that may have been the key.
Annie
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
3 Oct 09
Contrary to the stupidity of the Left, Obama is NOT America! He was so full of himself, he actually thought that merely showing up would shock and awe the IOC into handing him the Olympics on a silver platter.
The hypocrisy of the left is plain for all to see. The left hated Bush with a white hot passion. He couldn't even play a simple game of gold without the left vomiting their feigned rage. Yet Obama can blow any amount of money doing anything he wants and the Obama worshippers fall over themselves defending him.
Niether the Republicans nor the Conservatives made Obama the posterchild of Chicago's bid for the olympics. Obama did that all by himself. Since he was completely prepared to take credit if the IOC did choose Chicago, you can't honestly deny that it is a hit on him that it didn't go his way.
Don't even start to deny that if Bush spent $10 million on a failed attempt to use his name as leverage for the Olypics, the Democrats wouldn't be far more harsh on him.
1 person likes this
@whiteheather39 (24403)
• United States
3 Oct 09
GREAT response! You said "he actually thought that merely showing up would shock and awe the IOC into handing him the Olympics on a silver platter" that is exactly what he, in his unbelievable arrogance, thought!
@N4life (851)
• United States
3 Oct 09
I believe that part of the point is that Obama was darned either way. Republicans would have torn him up. Whenever anyone on the left criticized Bush they were American haters, now the Republicans are showing their true colors (sure not red, white and blue).
3 people like this
@whiteheather39 (24403)
• United States
3 Oct 09
I do not hate America! I was(am) a registered Democrat. I do NOT vote for a party but for the person representing a party. I hate what Obama, the man, is doing to our country but that does not make me a hate filled right winger. I think that Obama is pompous and arrogant who appears to be more interested in being a celebrity than a statesman who does his best for the USA.
I have never voted for a Republican before but Obama as the Democratic choice for president was, for me, inconceivable with his very shady and racist background!
1 person likes this
@whiteheather39 (24403)
• United States
4 Oct 09
anniepa Thanks. I want say that you are my absolute favorite Obama supporter. You can debate on Obama issues without resorting to name calling or racial slurs. You research your subject and do not just give wild unfounded opinions. You have my utmost respect!
1 person likes this
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
3 Oct 09
Whiteheather, I don't think YOU hate America at all. As I said above, my title was meant to be tongue-in-cheek but even if I did mean those in the public eye "hate America" I didn't mean it to refer to you or any other "average" person. I don't agree with your opinion about Obama but I know you're not "hate filled".
Annie
@coolcoder (2018)
• United States
3 Oct 09
Okay, so your idea of a right-wing conservative who loves America is one who loves everything that Obama does. Am I correct in saying this?
FYI: Let's count Barney Frank as one of these adults who act like children. He's one of the very ones responsible for the bank failures ( by forcing banks to make loans to people who couldn't afford to pay their mortgages), yet when he's confronted about it, he starts his temper tantrums and whining and crying that he had nothing to do about it.
I have a feeling you're taking some of these comments out of context. Can you give me the link to where you got these quotes from so I can read them for myself?
Before I leave off, I, too, am glad that Chicago did not get the Olympics, but it's for far different reasons than what you're automatically going to assume about me. Look at the crime rate in that city...a teenager was just killed there for no apparent reason at all! The infrastructure more than likely would not be able to support the millions of people who would flock there to see them. It would not have been the best place to hold them, and the IOC judged correctly on this.
Oh, and some food for thought. One of the members of the IOC said that Obama's brief appearance in Copenhagen (he was only there for a few hours) really counted against him because it made him seem like he really did not care about getting the games was one of the big reasons that the committee voted against Chicago in the first round. So yeah...Obama did not help matters at all, and he has no one to blame for that but himself.
1 person likes this
@starsailover (7829)
• Mexico
4 Oct 09
I can't beleive America is so politically divided. This is not abour Obama's supporters/haters it was about the olimpics
2 people like this
@irisheyes (4370)
• United States
4 Oct 09
I just don't get this new right wing at all. I've always been fairly liberal but I never sensed the venom coming at me the way it does from this modern right wing. Even as a liberal, I adored William Buckley. He could whip anybody in a debate without once making it seem personal. Today it's all personal and I get the impression that these people don't give a damn about the country. The important thing is that Obama MUST fail even if his success would be good for America. As for this Olympic bid, I'd think the time for us to start worrying is when we get a president who is NOT willing to take the time to go in front of the IOC and make a pitch for the country. I wonder if Brazil had lost their bid, would the Brazilian people be taking so much glee in the defeat of their bid?
1 person likes this
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
5 Oct 09
Very well said, irisheyes. It's sad how much hatred there seems to be between the two sides. I can't even say "parties" since some of the most venomous conservatives won't own up to being Republicans although we know who they vote for...lol! Gee, what I wouldn't give to have a time machine so I could go back and somehow convince Obama not to go to Copenhagen just to prove what the reaction from the right would have been then! It would be, to take from what you said, "How did we get a president who is NOT willing to take the time to go in front of the IOC and make a pitch for the country!"
Annie
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
3 Oct 09
I don't know where you get "Hate America" out of not wanting the Olympics in Chicago. Chicago is a disgusting city filled with crime and corruption. The biggest news out of there lately has been the murder of an innocent high school student by gangs and before that we had the Blago and Burris mess. If we're going to have the Olympics here, there are far better places than that. Besides, I'm pretty sure we can all agree that he was doing this for Chicago and NOT for the U.S.
Aside from that many of us opposed his traveling to campaign for the Olympics because we felt there were far more important issues he should be focusing on at home and abroad.
I can't speak for Malkin, Beck, or Limbaugh. They're just loudmouths who say what they say for ratings, and all three have been very successful since Obama has supplied them with so much ammo. All I can say is that most people opposed what Obama was doing because it will NOT fix the problems in this country and is NOT important to the vast majority of us. If you asked 1000 people what the president should focus on how many do you think would say "Getting the Olympics to be held in Chicago"?
@whiteheather39 (24403)
• United States
3 Oct 09
I know I resent the inference that I hate America because I think Obama is not helping our country. Obama is more interested in being an egotistical celebrity than anything else I have seen so far. We have many more beautiful and not so violent cities in America to choose from. That Chicago was the first city to be deleted does not say much for how much help Obama gave with his appearance.
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
3 Oct 09
Well, I don't see where the right gets their constant mantra about the left hating America or being the "blame America first" crowd.
"All I can say is that most people opposed what Obama was doing because it will NOT fix the problems in this country and is NOT important to the vast majority of us. If you asked 1000 people what the president should focus on how many do you think would say "Getting the Olympics to be held in Chicago"?"
I wonder if you and those hypothetical 1000 people realize he was gone for approximately 18 hours and that he tended to other things while he was away?
Annie
@Taskr36 (13963)
• United States
4 Oct 09
"I wonder if you and those hypothetical 1000 people realize he was gone for approximately 18 hours"
What airlines have you been on Annie? It takes a minimum of 11 hours just to FLY to Copenhagen. Even if he flew by, waved, and flew back without landing he'd be gone for more than 18 hours. Saying he was gone for 18 hours is pretty weak when you have to know that wasn't true. The "other business" was only tagged on when he started getting hammered for focusing on the Olympics while ignoring the commander of our troops in Afghanistan. He realized what a PR disaster it was about to become and tried to salvage what he could.
@irishidid (8687)
• United States
3 Oct 09
I say good on Rio De Janiero for getting the bid. America's had its turn. Time to quit being babies and deal. You can't always get what you want.
Obama needs to start doing his job instead of spending money traveling from here to there all the time. Sure, there might have been a few jobs from the Olympics but not the entire US lives in Chicago. We're hurting too much as a nation to continue acting this way.
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
4 Oct 09
hi annie dare I say I am one of the mylot hated Democrats'and I think so much garbage has been thrown here against innocent people who happened to like obama and voted for him, and now we have no rights to our own opinions unless we are republicans? this is all so stupid and childish. I do not degrade republicans or make nasty flaming remarks about them. why cannot we have some peAce here at least in mylot.
1 person likes this
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
5 Oct 09
"Maybe you don't, but are you saying that accusing the right of "hating America" is not degrading or nasty?"
Taskr, the ones I was referring to (Beck, Limbaugh, etc.) are quite deserving of being treated in a "degrading and nasty" way, in my opinion. I didn't degrade any average, ordinary civilian, just the loudmouth, obnoxious pundits.
Annie
@thegreatdebater (7316)
• United States
3 Oct 09
I agree with you Annie, these same people that supported anything, and everything this country did a year ago, are now bashing it when ever possible. The hypocracy here is blinding.
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
3 Oct 09
Great response! The hilarious thing is these people are now bashing the same things they supported a year ago. Suddenly, what was once good is now terrible and what was once terrible is now awesome! Are we living in an "opposite universe"?
Annie
1 person likes this
@Koriana (302)
• United States
3 Oct 09
Most of the cities that host the Olympics end up with obscene debt! Chicago is already in debt!! And, I would venture to say that many of the problems we have today can be traced back to this "let's spend a few billion to possibly make a few million and create a couple thousand temporary jobs" mentality!!
I can only imagine what the rest of the world would be thinking, we owe them all money, they are screaming for a new global currency because they don't trust ours anymore, we are so far in debt, and well...we want to host their Olympics and drive ourselves further into debt, but oh, ya, you can trust our dollar!!
Sorry, but, I am glad we didn't get it, we have enough headaches to deal with, we don't need to be creating more!!
1 person likes this
@matersfish (6306)
• United States
3 Oct 09
Yeah, to sorta echo a few points I've read here:
I would be absolutely thrilled to have the Olympics in the US. However, not Chicago.
Just look at Chicago. The supposed America lovers (the antithesis of what you're describing in your post: Obama supporters/liberals/non-conservatives or republicans) have been in charge of Chicago for a while. Under their "American-loving," for-the-people watch, the city has become something disgusting. And I'm not even talking about the kid that got murdered and the gangs that run the streets. Although that's beyond tragic, what I'm talking about are the corrupt politicians, activists and community organizers who all let that happen, blame the other side, and line their pockets while an entire part of America, once proud, transforms into a third-world country within the US's borders.
Politicians either ignore their problems or blame the other side continuously for their lack of progress. And for rallying votes to keep them in power, it works. But we're talking about MULTIPLE generations that have been born into and bogged down by that same political corruption. It doesn't end.
No way I want the Olympics there. No way I want MORE taxpayer money going into the pockets of these "American-loving," self-proclaimed saviors. They're crooked as the day is long, and you better believe that not a red cent would make it to where it actually mattered.
That's one reason I'm glad Chicago ended up getting thrown out. Another is that Obama took it upon himself to make this about him. Why is it about Obama? It did not have to be! If he didn't force himself into it, this discussion wouldn't have happened. Of course some people want to see him fall flat on his face when he takes it upon himself to parade around like king of the world.
As was mentioned up top, could you imagine Bush doing that? Bush asking other countries to simply help us fight terror earned him some pure hatred. People couldn't stand a man being so arrogant as to state they should do something for us.
I mean, I can actually see where it's no big deal, just a Chicago guy (sorta), famous as all get out, pushing for the Olympics. But then I remember that it's Barack Obama.
Hell, it's not about American pride or love for sports. If America did win a gold medal, Obama would just apologize to the rest of the world for it anyway. 
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
6 Oct 09
I sure don't expect or even WANT everyone to agree with me because that would make for a pretty boring discussion, wouldn't it? I apologize if my reply came off the wrong way but what I was getting at is that I respectfully disagree with pretty much all you said. I don't want to bring Bush into it but to me HE was the arrogant one in so many ways and I see Obama as anything but. You have every right to disagree with me.
Annie
@matersfish (6306)
• United States
4 Oct 09
Don't worry. Next time I'll agree with you 100% and bash "those people" and only those, ignoring anything else that might play into it, and I'll earn a "Great reponse!"
Until then....
Until then....