First off, I will say I don't care much for John McCain. I care even less for his trophy wife. But there is one thing both presidential candidates agree on that I can approve of: tying the attendance of George Bush at the 2008 Olympic Games to human rights improvements in China.
According to a report in Around the Rings, Barack Obama said any attendance should be tied to China's improvements in their relation to the Dalai Lama. John McCain has said attendance should be tied to overall human rights improvements. It's not a popular subject with most writers and even less with those that are toeing the party line of their media employers (and there are a LOT of those around.)
Some people have said Barack Obama's comments could hurt the Chicago 2016 bid. I really don't think they will have much of an effect, since they are already in trouble, with their avoidance of the issues and refusal to answer some vital questions regarding the city's rogue cops and how they would handle policing and security, should the IOC award the Games to that city.
You don't usually get straight talk from politicians, especially in an election year. But McCain himself has said he has "bucked the party line" with his stance on some of the issues. It took a lot of guts for him to say what he did and I applaud that. But it won't be enough to garner my vote.
After the November elections, I think it will be a new day in terms of the US's relationship with the IOC, and the bidding process overall. My gut feeling is that this is going to be one ugly and bitter election in Copenhagen, the likes of which we haven't seen since Moscow 2001. And that is when corners get cut, and people start to take shortcuts. The USOC needs to keep a watchful eye on things, especially after November, otherwise you are going to see some people slide back into the old ways of doing things, which the IOC has fought a great battle to clean up.
But we're digressing here a bit. It's refreshing to see two presidential candidates tell it like it is (and how it should be) with our relationship to China and tying that relationship to improvements in human rights. I expected it from Obama and got caught by surprise by McCain.
How about us "catching some others by surprise" and holding them responsible?
And you don't have to wait for November to roll around to do it.
