Here’s the confusing part. Obama knows how to fight. During last year’s campaign, Obama would say: “We don’t throw the first punch, but we’ll throw the last.” Indeed, when Obama slugged it out with political opponents, he would take a blow and hit back twice as hard…

Can you imagine an American president being afraid to use a word like victory? Does that mean that he is prepared to tolerate defeat?

Well, not in some things. If you want to see Obama get passionate in pursuit of an international cause, you’ll have to go to Copenhagen, where the president and first lady this week will lobby the International Olympic Committee to pick their home city of Chicago to host the 2016 Olympics. Michelle Obama has vowed to “take no prisoners” (against chief competitor, Rio de Janeiro). It will be the first time that an American president has personally lobbied the IOC this way.