Chicago Won’t Get Olympics

chicago-2016-logoCNN is reporting that Chicago has, along with Tokyo, been eliminated from consideration for the 2016 Olympics.   Apparently, Oprah and Obama weren’t enough.

Chicago was eliminated in the first ballot of voting for the 2016 Olympics on Friday, a stunning defeat for the city that was expected to be one of the two finalists. Not even the presence of President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama — nor a long list of celebrities — was enough to help the United States’ third-largest city.

Chicago had seemed to pick up momentum in the last few days, with many International Olympic Committee members seemingly charmed by Mrs. Obama. But when IOC president Jacques Rogge announced the results of the first vote, Chicago’s name was announced.

That’s a breaking news update to this story from earlier:

Looking out at the International Olympic Committee members, President Barack Obama grinned.

“This could be a meeting in Chicago,” he said, “because we look like the world.”

Hoping to persuade the IOC to award Chicago the 2016 Olympics, Obama and his wife led a heartfelt and, at times, very personal plea Friday. Instead of stodgy technical details, discussions of finances or computer-generated graphics, Chicago took members inside the city to show why it should win the games.

Obama spoke of finally finding a home in Chicago after a nomadic childhood. Michelle Obama recounted how, growing up on the city’s South Side, her disabled father taught her how to throw a ball and a “mean right hook.”

Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley invoked the memory of Jesse Owens. “Like so many young people, I was inspired” by the Olympics, the first lady said. “I found myself dreaming that maybe, just maybe, if I worked hard enough, I, too, could achieve something great. But I never dreamed the Olympic flame might light up lives in my neighborhood.  But today I can.”

Well, not anymore.  It’ll be interesting to see the postmortem on this.  The U.S. has hosted a summer Olympics rather recently, Atlanta 1996, and it was viewed as a disaster by many overseas.  Maybe, despite Obama’s pleas, it just wasn’t our turn yet.  Or, maybe, having the president throw his weight behind it so enthusiastically backfired?

Rio Wins 2016 OlympicsUPDATE:  Blame it on Rio.

Finally, South America gets an Olympics. The 2016 Games are going to Rio de Janeiro. In a vote of high drama, the bustling Brazilian carnival city of beaches, mountains and samba beat surprise finalist Madrid, which got a big helping hand from a very influential friend.

Chicago was knocked out in the first round — in one of the most shocking defeats ever in International Olympic Committee voting. Even Tokyo, which had trailed throughout the race, did better — eliminated after Chicago in the second round.

Rio spoke to IOC members’ consciences: the city argued that it was simply unfair that South America has never hosted the games, while Europe, Asia and North America have done so repeatedly. “It is a time to address this imbalance,” Brazil’s charismatic president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, told the IOC’s members before they voted. “It is time to light the Olympic cauldron in a tropical country.”

Clearly, having presidents address the committee isn’t a disqualifier.

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James Joyner
About James Joyner
James Joyner is Professor and Department Head of Security Studies at Marine Corps University's Command and Staff College. He's a former Army officer and Desert Storm veteran. Views expressed here are his own. Follow James on Twitter @DrJJoyner.

Comments

  1. yetanotherjohn says:

    Maybe he should have tried reverse psychology. In a way this is a “don’t care”. But for Obama, this is one more example of having feet of clay. When the democrats realize that Obama’s governing as a hard left liberal after running as a moderate is hurting him, then the really long knives within the democratic party will come out and it will get “interesting”.

  2. Zelsdorf Ragshaft III says:

    Maybe if the IOC and just owned a little of the property taxpayer would have hand to pony up for, to benefit the close associates of the Obamas things would have gone differently. Maybe the IOC is not as impressed with Obama as he is. Maybe Rio would be a much better place, more fun and safer than Chicago.

  3. DC Loser says:

    I’m glad Chicago isn’t getting the games. Even though I’m a supporter of the President, I think it’s presumptuous of him to expect the IOC to roll over and give Chicago the nod simply because he went to Copenhagen to personally make the case. Face the facts, of the final four (Chicago, Tokyo, Barcelona, Rio), three of those are in countries that have already hosted previous Olympics. Brazil (and South America for that matter) has never had the honor of hosting any Olympic games. It’s really their turn and I hope Rio gets it.

  4. DC Loser says:

    I meant Madrid, not Barcelona (they had the 92 summer games).

  5. JKB says:

    A statement, even calls to the IOC, would have been appropriate but by going in person Obama made this snub his own. The POTUS does not go hat in hand to some international committee looking for a favored selection. That is what mayors and governors can do since their entities are competing on an equal basis but not the POTUS. It makes him appear weak(er)

  6. Mithras says:

    Why don’t you all just call him uppity and get it over with?

  7. markm says:

    …shot down in the first round too so it wasn’t even close.

  8. kvc says:

    Maybe the IOC reads newspapers from the towns on the list and decided like many of the rest of us, “What a train wreck.” Politics and corruption or is it corruption and politics, anyway who thinks they would every get their stories straight on where the money went and who’s uncle was in charge of what!

  9. Zelsdorf Ragshaft III says:

    Mithras, why is it you are trying to inject race into this issue? I guess if you only have a hammer every problem looks like a nail. I’ll bet you hold a Ph. D. in something.

  10. devildog666 says:

    Obviously the IOC is racist or there weren’t enough bribes brought on AF1.

  11. Candygram for Mr. Hubris.

  12. floyd says:

    Wooo Hooo!! Great news!! The people of Illinois just got a reprieve from paying the many millions of dollars in cost overruns , just to line the pockets of corrupt Democrat Machine politicians!
    Yes, that includes all of the Axelrod connected crooks now in office!

  13. markm says:

    Candygram for Mr. Hubris.

    🙂

  14. Dave Schuler says:

    Would you rather visit Chicago or Rio? Just checking.

  15. UlyssesUnbound says:

    Typical failed liberal politician. The IOC realized Obomo just wanted to recruit the world’s top athletes into his secret marxist army.

  16. UlyssesUnbound says:

    Or, maybe, having the president throw his weight behind it so enthusiastically backfired?

    Maybe the IOC is not as impressed with Obama as he is.

    A statement, even calls to the IOC, would have been appropriate but by going in person Obama made this snub his own. The POTUS does not go hat in hand to some international committee looking for a favored selection.

    It is my understanding that all 4 final countries had a head of state (either President or Prime Minister) at Copenhagen, lobbying for their country. So…how is Obama doing the same thing that all the other 3 countries are doing make him ‘heavy handed?’

  17. reid says:

    yetanotherjohn: Obama a hard left liberal? Been listening to the far-right loons? What nonsense. There’s a reason a substantial number of the more liberal Democrats in Congress are disappointed with him and the way the health care reform has been handled. Most people think of him as a moderate. (Though I understand this is probably a case of “whatever Democrat is running for President or is the President is, by definition, the most liberal person on earth”.)

  18. Zelsdorf Ragshaft III says:

    Reid, if you truly believe Obama is a moderate, check out the people he has as advisors (czars). Do a little background checking into what they stand for. The apollo project wrote the stimulus bill. The founder of the apollo project cofounded the weather underground. That is who is writing our laws. That is just the beginning. Moderate like Mao.

  19. Eric says:

    Or, maybe, having the president throw his weight behind it so enthusiastically backfired?

    James, I won’t lump you in with the nutties I’m about to skewer below. Check the out this post at TPM for clarification of what probably was the case with Obama stumping for Chicago.

    OK, the rest of you America-hating, want-the-President-to-fail nutjobs:

    I’m glad Chicago isn’t getting the games. Even though I’m a supporter of the President, I think it’s presumptuous of him to expect the IOC to roll over and give Chicago the nod simply because he went to Copenhagen to personally make the case.

    A statement, even calls to the IOC, would have been appropriate but by going in person Obama made this snub his own. The POTUS does not go hat in hand to some international committee looking for a favored selection. That is what mayors and governors can do since their entities are competing on an equal basis but not the POTUS. It makes him appear weak(er)

    Wooo Hooo!! Great news!! The people of Illinois just got a reprieve from paying the many millions of dollars in cost overruns , just to line the pockets of corrupt Democrat Machine politicians! Yes, that includes all of the Axelrod connected crooks now in office!

    What is wrong with you people? First of all, you all never hesitate to b**** about the economy and try to blame Obama for Bush’s–yes, that’s right, your guy Bush started the bailout–debacle. Then, when Obama tries to leverage the power of his office to BRING JOBS TO AMERICA, you all complain that either he a) was too arrogant to believe he could “push” the IOC around–even though every major head of state was their to stump for their own city–or b) are “happy” that he failed.

    I mean, didn’t we “hire” Obama to do exactly that? To use the POTUS to actually–heaven forfend!–push for American interests in the world? I mean, seriously, I never heard a-one of you piss and moan when Bush was pushing around those other countries in the rush to war. In fact, you guys cheered on his go-it-alone approach. “Scr** them” was pretty much your attitude. Nope, you had no problem with uppity Presidents then.

    But now, we got a president who merely tries to push for Chicago hosting the Olympics, and all you tenthers do is complain that Obama isn’t humble enough and are clearly happy that he failed? Please. I’ll bet that in four Joyner posts from now, you’ll all be complaining that the economy sucks and Obama isn’t doing enough to help bring about conditions that CREATE JOBS.

    JKB, here, let me answer your concern-trolling question from this previous post:

    Since Obama is going all in, what happens if Chicago doesn’t get the Olympics?

    You know what happens? You get to go down to the unemployment office. That’s what happens. But I’m sure you’ll be all smiles knowing that Obama didn’t succeed. Why do you hate America, JKB? Why?

  20. Eric

    1. Any truth to the rumor that Mayor Daley and his friends had bought up all the land the Olympic sites were to be built on?

    2. Not everyone wants to see him fail at everything, though some of us aren’t surprised that he did in this case. The cultists around President Obama have begun believing their own press releases and many rude shocks remain ahead of them. And us.

    3. The vitriol poured forth towards President Obama still seems kind of mild to me compared to what was spewed daily toward President Bush, but, of course, YMMV.

  21. Mithras says:

    Here’s a nice roundup of conservative glee at the news. What petty, vindictive people.

  22. Media Matters. Snort. Whatever George Soros is spending, it’s too much.

  23. Mithras says:

    Yeah, MediaMatters, which has this (among many others):

    On his radio program, Beck said: “Do not go anywhere. Don’t — do not look at the screen. Don’t — don’t go to any other radio stations. Nothing. You don’t want to hear this news — I mean, please, please let me break this news to you. Oh, it’s so sweet.” After a commercial break, Beck’s producer stated that “the first round of voting is up for the Olympic games, and the first city” — at which point Beck interrupted, saying, “Wait! Wait for it! Wait for it. Enjoy this — savor this moment.” The producer continued, “And the first city to be eliminated is Chicago.” Beck later asked his producer if Chicago’s elimination was proof that Obama had “failed.” [Premiere Radio Networks’ The Glenn Beck Show, 10/2/09]

    Just the facts. But conservatives think reality has a liberal bias, so naturally you’d dismiss it.

  24. Eric says:

    1. Any truth to the rumor that Mayor Daley and his friends had bought up all the land the Olympic sites were to be built on?

    I assume that the unstated assumption here is that, if this rumor is true, Obama is somehow involved in it. This to me seems to be putting the cart in front of the donkey. Shouldn’t we first try to get Chicago picked before assuming the President is involved in some shenanigans (and that only on hearsay)? And even if true, isn’t the burden of proof on those who think that to be true to actually demonstrate that Obama is involved?

    2. Not everyone wants to see him fail at everything, though some of us aren’t surprised that he did in this case. The cultists around President Obama have begun believing their own press releases and many rude shocks remain ahead of them. And us.

    I think the link in Mithras’s post above clearly shows that the Republican leadership (yes, I mean Drudge, Limbaugh, et al) are ecstatic that the President “failed.” For me, I don’t think this is as big an issue as Republicans would have everyone believe. I think “failure” is the wrong word here, as I think that sometimes not getting what you want isn’t exactly “failure” so much as “not getting what you want.” Obama only went in at the last minute; the real job of pushing for Chicago lied with the Olympic committee in charge of… pushing for Chicago. If anyone “failed,” the OC did, not Obama.

    I’m sorry, Charles, but this term “cultists” is inapt. There are no more or no less “cultists” around Obama as their are around any President. We only have to look at the conservative worship over Reagan to see that this is true. Maybe the term “sycophants” is better.

    3. The vitriol poured forth towards President Obama still seems kind of mild to me compared to what was spewed daily toward President Bush, but, of course, YMMV.

    I’ve said this elsewhere here at OTB, but I’ll say it again: there’s a difference between earning detestation and manufacturing it. With Bush, my personal dislike of him and his policies is intimately tied up with his authorization of domestic spying, torture, et cetera. Obama, on the other hand, hasn’t even been President long enough to have earned such hatred. Seriously, we’re talking about the difference between torture and… the Olympics. So I strongly disagree with your assertion here.

    Again, take a look at the link in Mithras’s post above. Why anyone of any political stripe would be happy that we lost out on bringing JOBS to our country is simply astounding. Remember, these are the same people who accuse any Democrat (or someone else they hate) of being “anti-American” if he or she doesn’t have an American flag pin on his lapel or doesn’t hold his or her hand over heart while saying the Pledge of Allegiance.

    I ask you now, Charles, what sort of loser roots against his own country over… the Olympics?

  25. Eric says:

    Headline at TPM:

    “Conservatives Revel in America’s Olympic Defeat”

    Apparently even the WSJ erupted in cheers.

    Please, Charles, please tell me that even you don’t agree with this. Will not even one conservative stand up and say to these America-hating, Republican defeatists “Enough already!”?

  26. Mithras, that your keen knowledge of what I know being greater than my own knowledge of what I know is astounding.

    Eric,

    1. Your unstated assumption is just that: YOUR UNSTATED ASSUMPTION. I didn’t say that or imply it. I just noted it as a good reason why Chicago may not have won or deserved to have won. But your desire to wait for proof is duly noted and I’ll be happy to bring it up again when it is suggested that something must be investigated because of the seriousness of the accusations.

    2. Your apparent belief that Limbaugh, et al are the leaders of the Republican Party doesn’t make it so. Anyway, I’m not a Republican, so what do I care. As for cultists, I’ll stick with that word. Barrack Hussein Obama, hmmm, hmm, hmmm. Gee, remember when it was racist to use his middle name?

    3. “With Bush, my personal dislike of him and his policies is intimately tied up with his authorization of domestic spying, torture, et cetera.” LOL. Good thing President Obama isn’t doing any of those bad things Bush did. Say, how’s the closing of Guantanamo working out?

    3a. “Why anyone of any political stripe would be happy that we lost out on bringing JOBS to our country is simply astounding.” WTF? The cost of those jobs is way out of proportion to their value, or perhaps you believe that the Chicago way will somehow result in all that construction being done on schedule and on budget, without payoffs, kickbacks, graft and rampant corruption. Say, you’re not actually from Chicago, are you?

    3b. “Remember, these are the same people who accuse any Democrat (or someone else they hate) of being “anti-American” if he or she doesn’t have an American flag pin on his lapel or doesn’t hold his or her hand over heart while saying the Pledge of Allegiance.” Dude, the only hate I see here is coming from you and your imagination. I don’t hate President Obama. I don’t believe his domestic policies are good for this country and I do believe that he is hopelessly naive and misguided in his foreign policy. I sincerely hope he realizes how wrong he is about so many things and embraces freedom, gains a respect for the individual over the privileges of the balkanized collectives, and begins recognizing the proper limitations on government as enshrined in the US Constitution soon. But I don’t hate him.

    3c. “I ask you now, Charles, what sort of loser roots against his own country over… the Olympics?” I didn’t realize I was rooting against my country. Actually, I was ambivalent and didn’t care much one way or the other. Frankly, your comment is some of the most obnoxious jingoism imaginable, but YMMV. My country’s president — right or wrong! Is that it?

    4. TPM – another objective source. You need to get out of the echo chamber sometime. I know you may find this hard to believe, but there are some very good reasons for not wanting an Olympics in this country that have nothing at all to do with President Obama, but to accept that you will first have to begin to believe that not everything is about him.

  27. Mithras says:

    You don’t even click the links, do you, charles?

  28. I’m afraid I’d have to pay a royalty to BT if I did. But seriously, the signal to noise ratio is too low to waste any time at either of those sites, though YMMV. My BS meter for Media Matters and TPM pegged a long, long time ago. I used to read TPM regularly, just like I used to read The New Republic regularly. But Josh Marshall has revealed himself to be a partiaan hack and MM never really was anything but an extension of the echo chamber. Sadly, TNR was never the same after Andrew Sullivan left. Then again, Andrew Sullivan hasn’t really been the same either.

  29. Mithras says:

    That’s perfect. You already know what they say without reading them. Way to epitomize the conservative mindset. Thanks.

  30. Tlaloc says:

    TPM – another objective source.

    Amazing how sites that link to the very things they discuss, thus allowing you to verify for yourself exactly how accurate the information is, are anathema to modern conservative.

    Pity that.

  31. UlyssesUnbound says:

    Since this blog’s commentators are usually quite good at responding to challenges, I just want to point out that this is the first time in awhile that I’ve seen sails deflate so quickly.

    First set of commentators: claimed that Obama was heavy handed, and waaay out of line for advocating for his country.

    Second set of commentators: Asked how it could be heavy handed when every finalist country had a head of state there.

    First set of commentators: Silence.

  32. UlyssesUnbound says:

    “They say that the Olympics will come to Chicago if we’re fortunate enough to be selected, but really it’s coming to America, and I can’t think of a better city to represent the United States than Chicago.”
    -President George W. Bush, January 7th, 2008.

    I’m sure all you conservatives yelled and cried way back then too.

  33. Lunacy says:

    Yes, I’m glad he failed.

    Better that he fall on his face (and get back up with a better perspective) on this than on something that really matters.

    From my seat, it seems he needs to be reminded there is a man of clay behind the fawning.

    The emperor has no clothes, but better that he learn that over the an athletic event than over some other issue.

  34. sam says:

    I feel compelled to defend American conservatives (all 20 of them) from something I think was implied upthread:

    A true conservative would not walk across the street to piss on Glenn Beck if he was on fire.

  35. Mithras – reading is fundamental. If you read what I wrote you will see that I have in fact read them more than enough to know that all I get there is the party line reverberating around the echo chamber. I don’t need to read the same talking points regurgitated over and over. Kind of like reading your posts when you think about it.

    Have a great day.

  36. Mithras says:

    Here’s video from the conservative “Americans for Prosperity” conference going on Friday and Saturday in NoVa. They hear “Chicago is out” and cheer – twice. They’re delighted.

  37. floyd says:

    Eric;
    Do you actually have any opinions of your own or do you just revel in pretending to know what everyone else thinks?
    I invite you to move to Illinois and see the corruption for yourself.
    The waste , fraud and abuse produced by this boondoggle would far outweigh any imagined benefit in permanent new jobs.
    The businesses that produce new jobs are already leaving Illinois in unprecedented numbers due to the obvious corruption of a government gone wild.
    The very thought of giving Daley, Axelrod, and those connected to them, another orgy of theft and corruption is enough to turn the stomach of even the most loyal Democrat with a speck of conscience.

  38. Eric says:

    Oh, jeezuz, charles. There’s just… so… much… of your crazy to unpack. (Sigh. I hate my job):

    1. Your unstated assumption is just that: YOUR UNSTATED ASSUMPTION. I didn’t say that or imply it. I just noted it as a good reason why Chicago may not have won or deserved to have won. But your desire to wait for proof is duly noted and I’ll be happy to bring it up again when it is suggested that something must be investigated because of the seriousness of the accusations.

    So, lemme get this straight: you “noted” an unsubstantiated rumor as a “good reason” why the IOC may not have picked Chicago? Yes, I just love how you tenthers merely “note” something with no implied effect at all. Please, Charles. Man up and own your words.

    2. Your apparent belief that Limbaugh, et al are the leaders of the Republican Party doesn’t make it so. Anyway, I’m not a Republican, so what do I care. As for cultists, I’ll stick with that word. Barrack Hussein Obama, hmmm, hmm, hmmm. Gee, remember when it was racist to use his middle name?

    I think Rush’s exalted position within conservative circles is beyond dispute. Next.

    Oh, and I see you must only be merely “noting” the use of Obama’s middle name, because, y’know, the Republicans were never trying associate him with anyone else named Hussein. Yep, nothing to be seen here, folks. Move along. Move along.

    “With Bush, my personal dislike of him and his policies is intimately tied up with his authorization of domestic spying, torture, et cetera.” LOL. Good thing President Obama isn’t doing any of those bad things Bush did. Say, how’s the closing of Guantanamo working out?

    I’m sorry, you have evidence Obama is authorizing torture? Strange, I could’ve sworn he said he put a stop to it only a few days ago. (I made sure not to link to TPM for your viewing safety.) Yeah, hey, I guess the closing of Guantanamo is delayed, but it’s going to happen at some point (Link to WSJ for your viewing safety.). I suppose you’re disappointed that this didn’t happen overnight, because, y’know, closing down a military base is so easy. Geez, one can’t help but think, had we not authorized torture in the first place, we could keep Guantanamo open! I know. Wishful thinking.

    “Why anyone of any political stripe would be happy that we lost out on bringing JOBS to our country is simply astounding.” WTF? The cost of those jobs is way out of proportion to their value, or perhaps you believe that the Chicago way will somehow result in all that construction being done on schedule and on budget, without payoffs, kickbacks, graft and rampant corruption. Say, you’re not actually from Chicago, are you?

    See my post below this one for answer to the Only-Chicago-Is-Corrupt argument/excuse.

    3b. “Remember, these are the same people who accuse any Democrat (or someone else they hate) of being “anti-American” if he or she doesn’t have an American flag pin on his lapel or doesn’t hold his or her hand over heart while saying the Pledge of Allegiance.” Dude, the only hate I see here is coming from you and your imagination. I don’t hate President Obama. I don’t believe his domestic policies are good for this country and I do believe that he is hopelessly naive and misguided in his foreign policy. I sincerely hope he realizes how wrong he is about so many things and embraces freedom, gains a respect for the individual over the privileges of the balkanized collectives, and begins recognizing the proper limitations on government as enshrined in the US Constitution soon. But I don’t hate him.

    Yes. Criticizing those who would cheer Chicago losing out to host the Olympics can only be based on… hate. Right. And, hey, did you here the one about the President who saber-rattled and threatened and didn’t negotiate with his perceived enemy and got nowhere? Yeah, I guess the new President pushed for negotiations and, over lunch, the UN got an agreement (linked to WSJ for your viewing safety). Yeah, what a hopelessly naive foreign policy.

    3c. “I ask you now, Charles, what sort of loser roots against his own country over… the Olympics?” I didn’t realize I was rooting against my country. Actually, I was ambivalent and didn’t care much one way or the other. Frankly, your comment is some of the most obnoxious jingoism imaginable, but YMMV. My country’s president — right or wrong! Is that it?

    So… you didn’t see the irony in my use of those jingoistic phrase, did you? I was being wry. I mean, you are aware that, um, only conservatives use those phrases when their guy is in charge, right? (Oh how those phrases flew in the glory days of GWB!)

    4. TPM – another objective source. You need to get out of the echo chamber sometime. I know you may find this hard to believe, but there are some very good reasons for not wanting an Olympics in this country that have nothing at all to do with President Obama, but to accept that you will first have to begin to believe that not everything is about him.

    Yes, because sites that link to the primary sources so I can examine the facts for myself are… echo chambers. (!) In any event, Charles, I’d like to know some of these mysterious “good reasons” for not wanting to host an Olympics in America.

    And here’s a personal note to demonstrate how obtuse and out of touch Republicans are: Wanting Chicago to get the Olympics is all about Obama and not about, say, me, who lives only 90 miles from Chicago and might have gotten a chance to see an Olympics for the first time. No. It can’t be that simple, can it? It must be all about politics.

  39. Eric says:

    Floyd:

    Eric;
    Do you actually have any opinions of your own or do you just revel in pretending to know what everyone else thinks…

    Why, yes, I do. Thanks for asking. Here’s one now: Apparently you know what everyone else thinks.

    I invite you to move to Illinois and see the corruption for yourself. The waste , fraud and abuse produced by this boondoggle would far outweigh any imagined benefit in permanent new jobs. The businesses that produce new jobs are already leaving Illinois in unprecedented numbers due to the obvious corruption of a government gone wild. The very thought of giving Daley, Axelrod, and those connected to them, another orgy of theft and corruption is enough to turn the stomach of even the most loyal Democrat with a speck of conscience.

    Oh, jeezuz. Do you really think Chicago has the market on corruption cornered? You act like this thing called “corruption” is totally new-fangled and–wow–this place called Chicago is filled with it! If that was the IOC’s criteria for denying Chicago, well, then, no city in America would ever get the Olympics ever again. Please.

    And by the way, Floyd, I live a mere 90 miles away from Chicago and I am there enough times per year to know the score. Thanks for the invitation! Where would you like to meet so we can discuss over a beer this new thing called “corruption” that apparently only Chicagoans know how to “do?” Maybe we could talk about you moving to a much more corruption-free city like, say, New Orleans, or Los Angeles, or, hey, New York. No corruption ever happens there.

  40. Eric, have a great day.

  41. anjin-san says:

    3. The vitriol poured forth towards President Obama still seems kind of mild to me compared to what was spewed daily toward President Bush, but, of course, YMMV.

    Pretty lame. I VOTED FOR BUSH in 2000. He got my contempt the old fashioned way, he earned it.

    So far, Obama has us poised for positive growth after inheriting an economic train wreck from Bush. While I agree that spending is a real concern, the patient is not going to die, and make no mistake about it, our economy had a heart attack last fall.

    At this point in his Presidency, what had Bush accomplished? He made it harder for consumers to get safety information about tires, for God’s sake, and, oh yea, a catastrophic attack on America took place on his watch. And Iraq and Katrina were yet to come…

  42. anjin-san says:

    Say Floyd, speaking of corruption, how do you feel about the 17 billion in cash that Bush & Cheney flew into Iraq that just kinda vanished?

  43. Herb says:

    It’s interesting, Floyd, that you mentioned Chicago’s notorious corruption.

    “The waste , fraud and abuse produced by this boondoggle would far outweigh any imagined benefit in permanent new jobs.”

    How much do you know about “waste, fraud, and abuse” in Rio De Janeiro?

    I’ll tell you one thing. Chicago has bad neighborhoods, but none as bad as the best favela in Rio…

  44. Mike says:

    Dave Schuler said it best – who wants to go to Chicago when you could go to Rio.

  45. G.A.Phillips says:

    Dave Schuler said it best – who wants to go to Chicago when you could go to Rio.

    lol, who wants to go to either one of those 3rd world Sh-t holes?
    Ones full of murdering gangs, bear and cub fans, the other is full of murdering gangs, soccer fans and scat superstars….

  46. Eric says:

    Eric, have a great day.

    Ah, finally, merciful silence from the ranting right.

    lol, who wants to go to either one of those 3rd world Sh-t holes?
    Ones full of murdering gangs, bear and cub fans, the other is full of murdering gangs, soccer fans and scat superstars….

    Oh, my. I had no idea bad things only happen in those two cities. Tell me, GA, what’s it like where you live? Sunny, magic-filled days, with walks in the park near cool-running mountain streams? Where one can leave one’s door unlocked all day when they take a pie over to their neighbor’s house? Where everyone helps little old ladies across the street, and saves kittens stuck in trees?

    Yeah, only bad guys and a**holes live in Chicago and Rio. No where else.

  47. Drew says:

    Thanks. Caharles, for keeping Eric off the streets for a considerable amount of time.

    And thank you, IOC, for saving the residents of Illinois from large tax increases to fund this boondoggle.

  48. DL says:

    Oprah must have offered to give them a Obama Motors car and they took offense, that it wasn’t a Volvo.

  49. floyd says:

    Anjin-san;
    Although I can’t be sure, and don’t really care to research it ,I think you may have made the same mistake on other occasions.
    Criticism of the Democrat Party does not necessarily mean support of the Republican Party.
    It is commonly so however, so the error is easily forgivable![lol]

  50. floyd says:

    Eric;
    I assume that your 90 miles is north or east, close enough to smell the corruption but far enough not to be mired it “Daley”! [lol]

  51. floyd says:

    Herb;
    You missed the point,Roi’s corruption isn’t going to directly cost me anything!

  52. floyd says:

    Pardon the typo, I meant Rio,but then as long as it ain’t Chicago![lol]

  53. Eric says:

    Thanks. Caharles, for keeping Eric off the streets for a considerable amount of time.

    Um, actually, Drew, they have these things these days generally called “electronic devices” that you can–believe it or not!–carry with you and access the “Internets” from wherever you are. So I can respond to your tripe while I’m “out on the streets” scamming Illinois taxpayers out of money. Thanks for asking.

    And thank you, IOC, for saving the residents of Illinois from large tax increases to fund this boondoggle.

    And I bet ol’ Drew is the first one cheering on the American teams when watching the Olympics. But heaven forbid we actually have one of those “boondoggles” here.

    You rightwing nutties just have no clue how obtuse you really are, do you?

  54. Mike says:

    lol, who wants to go to either one of those 3rd world Sh-t holes?
    Ones full of murdering gangs, bear and cub fans, the other is full of murdering gangs, soccer fans and scat superstars….

    It’s funny how whenever I go to D.C., Richmond, NYC, Barcelona, Berlin, Paris, ____ fill in the blank – I never get shot or stabbed – i guess i am just lucky.

    it would not cost me much to go to chicago to see the Olympics – but would cost a lot to go to Rio – i would rather go to Rio – and apparently so would the rest of the IOC

  55. hcantrall says:

    So much angst in this thread – what happened to the peace and love?

  56. Hey, I wished people saying rude things about me have a great day. Not sure there is much more I can do to promote peace, love and understanding.

  57. An Interested Party says:

    lol, who wants to go to either one of those 3rd world Sh-t holes?
    Ones full of murdering gangs, bear and cub fans, the other is full of murdering gangs, soccer fans and scat superstars….

    That’s very funny coming from someone who lives in Wisconsin…

  58. G.A.Phillips says:

    That’s very funny coming from someone who lives in Wisconsin…

    Ya it is…

  59. G.A.Phillips says:

    Oh, my. I had no idea bad things only happen in those two cities. Tell me, GA, what’s it like where you live? Sunny, magic-filled days, with walks in the park near cool-running mountain streams? Where one can leave one’s door unlocked all day when they take a pie over to their neighbor’s house? Where everyone helps little old ladies across the street, and saves kittens stuck in trees?

    Well when I was a kid it was like this, save for the mountains, but now the liberal evolution of gangs and those who control the city’s they fester in have even caused a blight here in little old Racine.

    The saying used to be “welcome your among friends” now it’s more like “welcome, your going to want to stay out of that neighborhood so some peace of sh-t transplanted gang banger from Chicago selling crack here doesn’t shoot you in the head”.

    And come on, I couldn’t pass up the chance to compare Bear and Cub fans to excrementaly enhanced performance artists…

    CWA my brother CWA!!!!!!!!!!!