From progressreport.org
Bush Ads Could Cost N.Y. in 2012
The Bush campaign's use of the Olympics
(http://www.dailykos.com/story/2004/8/27/13464/1274) in advertisements
for the president may have cost New York City, now hosting the
Republican convention, a shot at hosting the Summer Olympics in 2012. The Bush
ad (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2004/08/20/politics1843EDT0683.DTL)
, touting the inclusion of "two more free nations," Afghanistan and
Iraq, in this year's Olympics, has reportedly outraged Olympic officials
and prejudiced them against the Big Apple. An International Olympic
Committee (IOC) official quoted in the German Newspaper Der Spiegel
(http://www.spiegel.de/) said, "The chances of New York City to host
the games were already not very good. Now they have dropped to near
zero." Last week after Iraq's soccer team advanced to the quarterfinals,
Iraqi midfielder Salih Sadir voiced his own feelings on the ads: "Iraq as
a team does not want Mr. Bush to use us for the presidential campaign,"
Sadir told Sports Illustrated. " He can find another way to advertise
himself (http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0819-05.htm) ." Olympic
gold medalist Carl Lewis has also spoken out
(http://observer.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,6903,1293251,00.html)
against the ads, saying, "Of course, we've invaded Iraq and are in
there and are using it for political gain. It bewilders me, and I
understand why the Iraqi players are offended."