The right-wing media's last minute opposition to the bid was unprecedented. They could oppose the bid because getting the Olympics isn't important to the United States or American politics. They opposed the bid because Obama was from Chicago and wanted Chicago to get the games. Their moral arguments were both a smokescreen and another way to attack Obama. This was a political vendetta that was unpatriotic and immoral.
Follow the process: The United States Olympic Committee decides which US city, if any, bids for the games. For 2016, 5 cities wanted the games. USOC shortlisted Chicago and LA. In 2007, they picked Chicago. Along the way, Chicago and the USOC ensured there was overwhelming political support for the games and their cost at the local, state, regional and national level.
Support for the bid, starts local and stays local throughout the process. The main reason supporters want the games is for its prestige. Unions, developers, contractors and business support the bid because of the work and jobs it brings. Opposition starts local and stay local Some oppose the games because of the cost and worries about paying for the inevitable costs overrun. The main opposition is from the left and community groups who think the money could be better spent elsewhere. Add in a few environmentalist opposing the damage new facilities and infrastructure bring. That's been my experience and it certainly is the Chicago experience.
Regardless of the reason for opposing the bid, supporters always attack the opposition as being "unpatriotic" whether to their city before the USOC chooses a city or their city and country afterwards. It's just another weapon in the battle for public opinion. But it's not a big deal.
After the USOC chooses the US city, Congress keeps passing resolutions unanimously or overwhelmingly in favor of the bid and the president, who ever it is, keeps supporting the bid. Opposition to the bid remains at the local level.
In the time leading up to the OC''s decision, what national media attention there is, is limited to rally round the flag stories with a bit of financial concern and just a touch of local opposition.
That's the way it works. Everything the right-wing media did this time was unprecedented. Their level of coverage leading up to the OC vote. Their actual opposing the bid, regardless of the reason. Opposing Chicago's bid on 'moral' grounds is absolutely astonishing. There's only one logical explanation for this opposition: Obama wanted Chicago to get the games. We hate Obama or we Obama's policies. So let's oppose the games and along the way maybe we can tarnish his reputation.
If McCain had been president, he would have made speeches supporting the bid and gone to Copenhagen The right wing media would have supported the bid and the President's actions and called unpatriotic anyone who opposed it, regardless of the reason.
The very behavior of the national right-wing media shows that it wasn't about Chicago, it was about Obama. Except for how it could hurt Obama, the right-wing media didn't care about the Chicago bid. The bid was just a bystander to their hatefest. That's particularly ironic: They supposedly objected to the bid because Chicago had failed some moral calculus they invented and which Chicago failed. That's doubtful. On the other hand, almost everyone will agree that attacking a bystander is immoral and unethical.