Successful Bid, then Second Thoughts

By John Gans | August 8, 2008

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"John, it was destiny." Those were the words spoken to me by a young staffer to the Beijing Olympic bid as we walked in Moscow’s Gorky Park the day after the membership of the International Olympic Committee had voted to give the 2008 Summer Olympics to China. We had worked together as part of the public relations team supporting the bid. A recent college graduate, I had innocently remarked how surprised I was the bid had succeeded. My walking partner then instructed me in the power of Chinese nationalism and patience. It was part of the education in international politics and the Chinese worldview I received working for the Beijing bid.

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