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Jeffers: Carter Shouldn’t Have Boycotted Olympics

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    Political strategist Carl Jeffers on the impact that the Olympics have had in U.S. political history.

  • Duration 6:09
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Good morning Don highlighted day.

I'm pretty guess there is directly -- in two weeks.

You know I'm I'm I think we -- get into it at least in terms of the pageantry.

The the interest mean it's kind of like bell dog you know twenty years ago the people who watch the Super Bowl.

We're Super Bowl fans -- football fans.

Today.

Everybody wants -- suitable including housewives who are.

The you know divorce rates for six weeks six months because of bill -- reluctant -- football.

They never watch it but they watch it and then as a whole not a crowd -- watch it to Super Bowl just further.

-- commercials I think with the Olympics.

It draws everybody in which -- is one of the arguments.

-- -- the -- six so important because they symbolize.

What the best of the world community can be in terms about joining together and.

And so -- yeah right.

As a matter of fact bye -- your -- and I we've talked over the weekend and I.

I sort of was thinking -- several different observations that I personally patent.

About the Olympics and I thought well since you -- -- -- into discussing it.

But maybe I'd share with you could be no comment -- -- because they -- kind of come from different perspectives but just.

Just just sort of rule we will follow it sounds.

Well pick first.

You know what ever I see the Olympics at all one of the things I think about not for a long time but just for few seconds.

I always reminded of the gain of 1936.

And Jesse -- -- incredible performance of African American from the US.

In Germany and waiting for gold medals.

And the thing that I think about would picturing this site as we didn't have the visual evidence film.

-- chancellor Adolf Hitler refusing to shake just -- -- Japan.

To congratulate him as to -- all of the events and it and it became such assemble our -- Sort of our way of deep -- This so called superior race aryan race -- That -- -- propagating at the times.

And then I just always remember that how incredible moment that -- to -- and by the way when genteel and came back if you don't 1936.

World.

Was not really fully aware.

All -- what was happening it was that there were programs.

Certainly throughout East Europe and in Germany but the true.

Worst pain -- aspect of the Holocaust hadn't happened yet.

But Americans Jewish community.

Was very much celebratory.

Object deal and for this sort of weigh that in in his own way.

He symbolized state counterattack against Hitler because they knew about that so.

I I I think about -- on I think about the queen I thought it was incredibly wonderful that they entire royal family.

-- -- -- And you know what -- -- that both principal -- -- Queen Elizabeth.

Maybe at one point two in the Olympics just -- -- and what about the fact that this was the last Olympics that they would ever attend.

You know Allen and and -- would say well why would you say that -- the bill this most of our time England hosted the games are 19081948.

And so with that kind of spread you do the math funny that this will -- you can be able.

Want to amass.

Money while we never got the statement -- -- -- -- overran not thanks second in NAFTA.

And -- was no other levels of a hundred yards -- a hundred -- Warner.

It's not him personally it was yards the honor.

I think it was Jackie Robinson's brother mark promise and -- that total more Karl.

No I did not know that that's that's that's that's incredible.

-- actually a lot of great athletes who went on from that group of African Americans there was also.

Another.

Future congressman from Chicago -- many years in fact.

-- who was also part of that that team that went to the it to the Olympics and by the 1936 but it should just the notion.

-- refusing -- -- -- hands and and and his symbolism.

And how disappointed he had to be when he really came there to coordinate.

The German runners.

And that and -- this.

Not only in America and about an African Americans.

Would be no coming over and -- him and in -- questioning at the very least the essence of hysteria about -- -- thought -- I do think about that.

I also tell you something else -- -- I think it's wonderful that they now alternated.

The Olympics.

So that we actually have one every two years rather than both of them lived before year's I I just it that's great scheduling a great strategy.

And I now finally believe that it was a mistake for president Jimmy Carter.

To have boycotted the Olympics.

Wet when in fact at that time -- I was back in Russia.

I I think that if it would have been better for us to have gone over to compete.

I'll win the and again demonstrate that above all of the politics of the world that the.

We believe in trying to promote unity and using sports as a way to I had to do that.

No worse later than -- to the world through June because no worse later.

-- -- -- Well I timeframe because it is our ticket corridor without James Buchanan was our worst president ever brought down dogs -- -- -- hands.

I think it's -- again we could we could certainly argue the semantics about Jimmy Carter's presidency would very disappointing.

And he served one term a let's see how this sort what you think it.

That that it's well at this rate.

And I love it could -- Olympics demonstrate.

I think we'll brawn James is actually now the face of the NBA on the opening ceremony night.

When the US -- -- fourteen came in there was one shock of Kobe Bryant and there was no commentary.

But they were two different times where they showed -- brawn James.

And both times.

There was commentary by by the by the commentators.

About -- -- and and mentioning him and I I just think it represents transition.

Of Le -- becoming that the kind of the you know the face of via the Indiana.