Olympic gold hero (Carl Lewis) accuses Bush

[rawstory]

From the liberal alternative to Drudge: http://rawstory.com

Denis Campbell and Helena Smith in Athens
The Observer

America's biggest Olympic hero yesterday accused George Bush of exploiting the Athens Games for his own political advantage in the run-up to the presidential election.
Carl Lewis, who won nine Olympic gold medals in athletics in a record-breaking career, condemned Bush for using the presence of Iraqi and Afghan teams in Athens in a television advertisement to boost his chances of re-election.

Criticising Bush for linking his foreign policy with the two countries being allowed to compete here, Lewis said: 'I felt that was disingenuous. It is funny that we boycotted the 1980 Games in support of Afghanistan, and now we're bombing Afghanistan,' he told the Athens News yesterday.

'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.

http://sport.guardian.co.uk/olympics2004/story/0,14912,1293293,00.html

[leesa]

1. Bless you Mr Lewis! You are a new hero to me, and I don't even know what

sport you do.

[Bluzmann57]

4. Carl Lewis was one of the premiere track men ever

and not only that, he is exactly right. It is obvious to any thinking person who has seen that ad that he is exploiting the Olympics for his own gain.

[jus_the_facts]

6. "....and he's Carl Lewis he can out-run a cheetah!"

;-)

[goclark]

7. The magnificent Carl Lewis!

To see him run was to see a thing of beauty.

Just awesome, awesome.

[Erika]

16. I guess Carl Wasn't Charmed.....

by Bush. He saw the truth.

[fearnobush]

2. Get this in to our media.

It means nothing if it comes from overseas.

[rawstory]

5. Well, it is on Drudge.

However sad.

[realFedUp]

3. I like your website rawstory...

nice compilation.

[daleo]

8. I am surprised to hear such straight talk from a former Olympic champion

I guess he has enough money to ignore the corporate interests who would surely take away his endorsement contracts for such heresy. As a Canadian my feelings about Lewis are a bit mixed. He had quite a rivalry with our two Olympic sprinter champs, Donovan Bailey (Atlanta)and Ben Johnson (Seoul Korea, who had his medal stripped due to the drug scandal). But full marks to Carl Lewis here.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

11. Lewis has always been a champion of underdogs

In the early 90's I participated in a bikeride across America to end hunger from Washington DC to Washington State. Lewis gave of his time and money and was an inspiration to us all...the guy is the real deal when he gets involved...not just a celebrity tag on an event to make himself look good.

[daleo]

15. That's interesting

A first hand account from a DUer always means a lot.

[efhmc]

9. Houston Texas runner telling it as it is.

[BrotherBuzz]

10. Damn! Carl....

When you're right, you're right!

[Barkley]

12. I wish he'd 'run' for office- nt.

[0007]

13. Carl Lewis was never one of my hero's - but he certainly is now

after getting after junior. How many remembered that the U.S. boycotted the 1980 games in support of Afghanistan?

I was thinking about that a few months ago and wondered why other countries weren't boycotting the Olympic games this year.

[Tansy_Gold]

14. The 1980 boycott

The U.S. boycotted the 1980 Olympics because they were held in Moscow, and the Soviet Union had invaded Afghanistan.

In 1984, many Soviet bloc countries boycotted the Olympic because they were held in Los Angeles.

The 2004 Olympics are probably not being boycotted because they are in Athens, and Greece is not currently participating in any egregious aggression against countries militarily much weaker than itself.

The boycotts are directed at the host countries, not the games in general.

[0007]

17. Thanks for the information. It would be sending a message

if boycotts were used to protest the general feelings of the world toward countries that uses its power to dictate.

[oasis]

18. It's a shame Sec. Colon Bowel was kicked out of Athens before Carl could

tear him a new orofice.

[Cha]

19. Too bad this isn't in an American paper or is it?

Bless you, Carl Lewis!

Someone should ask picklebrain what she thinks of Carl Lewis' comments?}(

[pfitz59]

20. Will the USOC try to strip him of his medals....Like Jim Thorpe?

If this hits the (real) media Carl will certainly face some kind of retaliation. I hope he's ready. Bushistas hate the truth.....

[Bundbuster]

21. Kick for Carl

[Bundbuster]

22. Another kick 4 Carl

You tell 'em!

[tilsammans]

23. Kickin' it . . .

. . . for NJ native Carl Lewis! You go, guy!

:kick:

[librechik]

24. Carl Lewis, a true American hero!

:kick:

[dArKeR]

25. Olympics hero blasts Bush

THE OBSERVER , LONDON

Carl Lewis, nine-time Olympic gold medallist for Team USA

The US' biggest Olympic hero on Saturday accused US President George W. Bush of exploiting the Athens Games for his own political advantage in the run-up to the presidential election.

Carl Lewis, who won nine Olympic gold medals in athletics in a record-breaking career, condemned Bush for using the presence of Iraqi and Afghan teams in Athens in a television advertisement to boost his chances of re-election.

Criticizing Bush for linking his foreign policy with the two countries being allowed to compete here, Lewis said: "I felt that was disingenuous. It is funny that we boycotted the 1980 Games in support of Afghanistan, and now we're bombing Afghanistan," he told the Athens News yesterday.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2004/08/30/2003200894