Power & Politics: Question of the Day

I know what you're thinking -- "Of course the Olympics are nonpartisan and nonpolitical -- especially when it's your country playing host!" But is that really true? In a political environment so driven by optics, how can any politician resist the pull of so many potential feel-good photo ops? During the most recent round of will-they-or-won't-they election speculation, for instance, the upcoming Vancouver Games were often cited as a major factor in the timing of any future vote, with the near universal consensus amongst the punditerati that a successful outing for Canada could boost the PM's popularity into the stratosphere. 

On the other hand, could last-minute organizational hiccoughs - and any ensuing international snickering - turn the Olympic dream into a public relations nightmare, at least for a government that was ultimately deemed responsible by the voters? 

Oh, and just to be clear, this hypothetical question applies to both opposition politicians as well as those in government. After all, there's nothing stopping the other parties from sending their respective leaders on a walkabout around Olympic Village -- except the (very real) possibility that it could look like shameless pandering, which could in turn inspire a backlash against such blatant vote baitery.