Olympics: Just a Reminder, Obama Wasn’t the Only One Who Lost Today
by Doug O'BrienIt is easy to feel a little melancholy on a rainy fall day in Chicago. Summer is indisputably over and, while our autumn is lovely, we know too well what is right around the corner. But today is truly a sad day in my city. Despite the potential political fallout of losing the Olympics let’s all remember that America and one of its greatest cities was repudiated. And that should not make any of us happy.
Chicagoans admit that we are ethically challenged when it comes to our politics. It is important to point out that in our business and other dealings we try to espouse Midwestern values and deal fairly with others. We are not proud of the reputation that the Cook County Democratic machine has won for us. And many are still trying to do something about it. But by and large, our distaste for local political habits in no way diminishes our love for our city, our state and our communities.
To my fellow conservatives who are deconstructing the implications of Chicago’s embarrassment at the hands of the International Olympic Committee and the indisputable damage it has done to the president’s reputation and image, I simply ask that you remember that there are millions of people in the Chicago area who are ordinary working people who take great pride in their community. All of us, conservative, liberal and independent, bid supporters and even bid detractors, are hurting a little today. We got embarrassed on the world stage as well.
Most people will never see their community host something as huge as the Olympic Games. For all the warts growing on the IOC and the games as they become more politicized and commercial, it is a spectacle I would have liked my children to have experienced in their home town. I would have loved for millions of visitors from around the world to have the chance to see first-hand what makes us love this city.
It is very valid and, indeed, important, to analyze what the IOC decision says about our nation and the president’s role in Chicago’s pitch. It appears to epitomize the simple-mindedness of Obama’s entire foreign policy. The administration seems to think that a combination of personal charm and endless talk can break down any barriers to cooperation and win everyone over to our side.
Never mind all the work that thousands of very smart and devoted people did to promote Chicago’s bid, Barack Obama will come riding in at the eleventh hour and crystallize everything in a way that no recalcitrant IOC member could fail to appreciate. His sheer magnetism will win the day.
Did no one in the West Wing raise his or her hand and point out that this is what they tried with health care? While Pelosi and Reid were fumbling about, with muddled messages and tired liberal tropes the prospects for far-reaching left wing changes diminished. The president had to take the reins and explain to these members of Congress and American people who just weren’t getting it, that they needed this reform whether they understood it or not. And the public reacted the same way anyone does when they are scolded by a patronizing know-it-all.
But I digress. The point I just want to make is that there are still a whole lot of good and decent fellow Americans here in Chicago who are bummed out this afternoon and will be for a while. Just as we must regularly remind Barack Obama that it is not about him, we on the other side of the spectrum must remember that as well. In this instance, in the rush to critique the president’s actions and their results, many people give short shrift to the millions who are disappointed by today’s IOC decision.
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264 Comments
Are you kidding me? I consider this a day of celebration. We not only avoided years of the most corrupt of the corrupt lining their pockets and funding their schemes, we saved everyone who has to travel into the city from the worst traffic in the history of mankind. If you've spent more than 15 minutes in this town, you are aware that we have some of the worst roads in the country (that happen to be under construction year round for my entire lifetime). Just imagine adding thousands of tourists and altered traffic patterns and you have the makings of a horror show.
Did I forget to mention the billions that would be misspent and eventually fall to the taxpayers to make up for? I haven't stopped smiling since I heard the news.
Too many tax payer dollars were going to go to line the pockets of crooked and dirty politicians if Chicago had gotten the bid. I'm sorry for you but happy for us, including you.
Oh please this whole thing was a setup for the Daley Machine to make money. You are NOT going to get any sympathy from the rest of the country…well maybe the coasts. Chicago is a MOB enterprise and you people keep voting in the thieves and then you want US to sypathize with your plight? spare us the drama WE get enough of that from The Won!
I am elated. Rio deserves it, and maybe this will be incentive to Chicago to change from its current status: rectum of the USA.
(Apologies to any Chicagoans who don't contribute to the rectum-ness of your city.)
Well I for one am extatic Rio got the games. Sorry for your loss Chicago but it was the Nation's first real win since the annoyted one took his throne. In my humble opinion the millions of us poor hardworking tax payers' money that was used(abused) by BO and his troop of cronies that was used for this trip should be repaid out of his pocket or the DNC..In fact we need to demand it get refunded immediately.
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I think it's appropriate to say that it looked to me that the only ones who would have made anything $$$$ off of the Olympics in Chicago would have been the principle thugs that went to Copenhagen, as well as every dirty developer in that city. The corrupt Daly machine lost (for a change) and on a light note :
Jesus won ……………..again !
(The giant statue in Rio)
I live int e Chicago area, and I am very happy that the IOC passed on Chicago's bid. If Chicago had won, it would have guaranteed that Richard Daley would remain mayor for life…Believe it or not, Mr. Daley's approval rating is below 50%. Chicagoans see the rise in crime, the continued deterioration of the schools, the joke that is Cook County governmenet, the highest sales tax rate in the nation and are finally "seeing the light". There has been intrenched corruption in Chicago and Illinois since well before the Daley family came on the scene. Dare I dream that "business as usual" in our local policitcs will finally change? Wait for Blago's trial….Maybe, just maybe, the dam will burst…..
Sorry Doug Amercia certainly wasn't "repudiated" by the IOC, Barak Obama was. And although Chicago may "try to espouse Midwestern values and deal fairly with others." it's long history of being "ethically challenged when it comes to our politics" would have continued to rear it's ugly head when it came to providing the infrastructure, goods and services, and other necessities of hosting the world at the Olympics. I totally understand "our love for our city, our state and our communities" but how would it feel to have it's dirty laundry aired on a world stage? One more point the IOC didn't embarass Chicago nor Obama his blatant, self serving, narcissistic attitude did that.
As somebody who has lived through the headache of living in a city while it's preparing to host the Winter Olympics, let me just say that while you're sad now, you'll be pretty relieved a few years down the road. Trust me.
No ACORN. No Olympics….What are Obama's Chicago friends going to do now? Guess when they invested millions to get this they believed they were making the "small investment for the big gain" BILLIONS. Taxpayers better start keeping a closer eye on the stimulus money that hasn't been spent yet.
I have great affection for Chicago despite its flaws, and I believe that the City won when it lost the Olympics: every city that has ever sponsored the Olympics has ended up with mountains of debt and huge, empty sports facilities to maintain. Just what Chicago (and our country) does not need right now.
The fact that Mr. O and Her Bitterness got slapped in the face is just icing on the cake!
Yeah, I'm crying a river of tears because of all the Obama cronies who invested in real estate hoping to cash in on the Olympics when the values skyrocketed. Those poor souls. They won't be able to multiply their investment by several factors. I may lose sleep over it. OTOH, I may just celebrate with a few beers and thank God I'm a Texan.
Amen, couldn't have said it better.
Obama’s only interest in bringing the Olympics to Chicago was payback to his Chicago pigs-at-the-trough cronies.
Hey, it didn’t work out for the nation’s Chief Narcissist and Chicago political community organizer aka ex-local Chicago Soprano.
The Olympics is a huge money loser. And, never mind that the organization itself is corrupt. The Olympic Committee and US coverage from China with its Useful Idiot and smary accomodation with the totalitarian Chinese gov’t was stomach churning.
Hello, media, we aren’t watching anymore.
Understood Doug. This reminds me of the piece on BH about not all of Hollywood being morally depraved. We understand, or at least I do, but it illustrates a large part of the problem. The few bad apples may not spoil the basket, but they certainly do spoil the perception of the basket. As long as the region is tainted by the Daley machine, the rest of the country will look upon it in this way. Not sure what the answer is.
And I'm not sure that Chicago was repudiated. Rio did have a good case. Never been to South America. A growing economy. And a time zone very close to the US. TV revenues still quite hefty. Tough to beat what they had to offer.
I don't know Doug. I haven't this proud of my country in a long long time. The Breitbart's and the Okeefe's and the Courrielche's of the world are making me proud again. Very proud.
Yes it should concern us that the world still wants to stick it to us. And why not? When Icelanders woke up one morning to find their pensions looted by the likes of the Goldman Sach's, Jamie Gorelick's, Franklin Raines' (Fannie & Freddie el al) of the world all fingers pointed in one direction…our fine US Congress. It doesn't take a genius to see how and where it all started. Bubba and Rubin should have halted the ponzi scheme back in 1999.
It's our fault. But we let them kill the messenger who tried to halt the madness.
But I regress Doug. The Chicago 2016 debacle did strike one positive chord. Thanks to FLOTUS I took a long look in the mirror and asked myself about what sacrifices I should be making for the kids of Chicago and the United States. And not unlike the First Lady sacrifices this week I too have made the tough choice to forgo Kobe beef and stick with filet mignon. It's brutal. But as throw another kiawe log on the smoker tonight I will be telling myself that it is "for the kids!"
Chicago WON–America–WON and Rio WON. The WH adminstration nor the llinionis Officials are interested in improving the lives of those in Chicago, the city could not afford it, this effort was about Obama. Unfornately, the citizens of Chicago are stuck in a meyhem or corruption which also now lives in the WH. I know all the wonderful people of Chicago feel thier prays were answered. Apparently, God, not Obama knows best
Posted this (late) on a previous thread but thought it would fit here as well.
http://i979.photobucket.com/albums/ae277/RAPH6969...
Keep all eyes and ears open–they will want their money back-somehow SOMEWAY
Allow me to express a sentiment that I have been holding in all day. Har de har har! But, of course, nothing personal, please don't send one of those roving Chicago crews with boards and pipes to bring me around to an Obama state of mind.
The reality is that hosting the Olympics has–for any host city–become a decadent orgy of Big Government urban "planning" and "renewal," Big Government-project taxing and spending, dislocating poor and politically unconnected neighborhoods, inconveniencing tens of thousands of commuters, and rife with the very corruption that I thought this site was dedicated to exposing and opposing.
Chicago will be better off for not hosting it, and I'm seeing many Chicagoans saying so on various places on the Internet.
I hope you're right about the Blago trial. I'd like to see the dirty laundry get aired out.
As a down-stater, I feel like we're the caboose on the Chicago freight train, and we have no say in what happens in this state. We just cover our eyes and wait for the crash.
(But I do like visiting the city – best skyline in the country.)
Nope, don't care. And by the way neither, did 45% of your city. The rest of America new exactly what this was, a political payback to the most corrupt city in the nation. Cry me a river about how Chicago's never ending murder rate, which is only surpassed by the seemingly never-ending train of indictments and perp walks of government officials, was suppose to wane once the city's pride was lifted by the IOC. That city, if it has any pride left, shouldn't. Right out of the box, the states junior Senator blamed President Bush, 'scuse me, maybe the IOC new, being a corrupt organization itself, and perhaps learning that very skill FROM Chicago realized, "you know if we give this to Chi-town, no one would leave with gold teeth, let alone gold-medals."
Right on! We are supposed to think about the "decent" people of Chicago and how they love their city? I bet those decent Chicago people are the same ones saying "Take it elsewhere!" They are the same ones that love their city so much to say "We don't want the leftovers and the DEBT!" Those are the reasons they are decent people living in Chicago.
Can you imagine what the buildings would turn into after the events?
Giant ACORN Brothels with SEIU organized pimps and hoes.
In another day and age, Americans would have been outraged at this slap in the face. Apparently, America is waking up, ethics has just become more important than some silly games. Americans saw through this, as a corrupt Chicago boongoggle.
Excellent column.
After my initial giddiness at the news that the Dear Leader took another pratfall, I reminded myself that this was more than just a failure of the Cult of Personality–it was a slap at the US.
Yeah, the IOC is reflexively anti-US, and yeah, the Dear Leader has egg all over His face, but it marks another example of the world defying a nation displaying weakness and indecision through its current POTUS. The world may not have liked us with W in the White House, but they sure as hell respected us.
Chicago is an American city. It is Americana. However, the political machine in Chicago resembles something closer to Cuba or Mexico in it's unbridled corruption. This corruption has spread to Washington DC, and has exaserbated the growing elitism in our capital city.
The Olympics are a money grab. You are far better off as a city without it.
Why does the world think that Obama is the best we can do? Surely, we have better people on the Conservative side!
We don't have any empty sports facilities to maintain. Then again, St. Louis's Olympics were 105 years ago.
Mr. O'Brien… WHO is hurting..? You mean Valerie Jarrett and her cadre of crooks ! You mean Bill Ayers who would gladly blow up and murder the police and certain politicians ! You mean Barack Obama who crossed the finish line holding an ACORN baton ? Chicago USED to be a great city…past tense, sir. I have spent a lot of time in Chitown, the art museum, the shoreline and at some of the best eateries…. as in the ribs at Carson's.
Americans are NOT embarrassed…. It is Daley, Obama, Moran, Obama et. al who BROUGHT embarrassment to this once great city. It is only you as a dweller who cannot recognize the failures and corruption of this city. The world knows and in the words of Rush Limbaugh…. YA GOT BIATCH SLAPPED ! Finally… It's over, my friend…
I think it would have been good for the US to have hosted the games. Could have marked a turning point in US-world relations. As for Obama, I'm as conservative as the rest of you, but like Doug I'm not delighted when our president takes a hit like this. He is still the president.
The Olympics would have absolutely destroyed an already bankrupt Chicago. Anyone bummed that the Olympics aren't coming to Chicago really doesn't have a great love for the city that they claim to. As Obama learned today, hype and fame don't make a person – or city – great. How about we get rid of all the corrupt leftist scumbags ruining the city and enslaving us all through taxes and soft socialism. Then we'll have something to be actually proud of.
My hometown of Milwaukee also dodged a taxpayer disaster. Chicago was already muscling us to help pay for their corrupt boondoggle. since we're already 5 years past the time our baseball stadium was to be paid in full, I was calculating a century to pay off these games.
"We are not proud of the reputation that the Cook County Democratic machine has won for us."
Perhaps not, sir. But if just a plurality of Chicagoans were truly opposed to the Machine, it couldn't exist. 34% opposed + 34% indifferent would be enough to get rid of the 32% corruptocrats.
I know the feeling, Dave….. I, too, downgraded to a prime porterhouse with a Smith & Wolensky au jus just to show support. Sure would have enjoyed that Kobe 8 filet this evening… Oh well…
fantastic and about time too isnt cowboy
I wonder, was this Olympic deal in Chicago part of Obongos Economic Stimulus Scam? Did he already have those numbers factored in? How many jobs has Borat the Magic Negro created now?
problem is the people keep voting these typs in just because their on the same ticket
Ummm…. ONE new job… I am selling pencils at the corner of Michigan Avenue and Monroe in downtown Chicago.
I simply don't know where the money would have come from unless Oprah was going to pay for it..
Here is a little humor to brighten your evening…..
The Pope and Nancy Pelosi are on stage in front of a huge crowd.
The Pope leans towards Mrs. Pelosi and said,
"Do you know that with one little wave of my hand I can make every person in this crowd go wild with joy?
This joy will not be a momentary display, like that of your followers, but go deep into their hearts and for the rest of their lives whenever they speak of this day they will rejoice!"
Pelosi replied, "I seriously doubt that; with one little wave of your hand? Show me.
So the Pope slapped her.
It just keeps getting funnier and funnier!
First Borat gets bitch slapped in Copenhagen, now Robert Gibbs gets trounced by sweet old Helen Thomas.
Vallerie Jarret is probably still crying, Daley is probably cancelling the new beach house, what a sad day for all of the corrupt, rotten, immoral and politicians and their puppet masters.
I know she is old but sweet?
Two weeks ago, we ALL heard Jimmah Carter call US racists, now the senile silly sumbitch is trying to weasle out of it. He a pathetic lyng Jew hating rednecked peckerwood who has made a living out of his plantation racism.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OV5ZN6Ishw8
Boo hoo
I have to be honest. I am ashamed that Chicago is even part of the United States.
Listening to this fiasco on the radio this morning was an absolute treat. Rush was playing clips from the propagandists spinning this slap in the face of obama and they unintentionally eluded to what many have believed from the start regarding this political neophyte. The liberal airheads were braying about how it was the Chicago mob bosses aka democrat politicians made obama go and grovel in Copenhagen because Valerie Jarrett (sp?) wanted to profit from the games through real estate that she could unload on the city at inflated prices.
What the leftwing media made clear is that when obama’s puppet masters tell him to dance he dances. He is the Manchurian candidate. And again obama shows that he doesn’t care about the nation at large, he cares about paying back those that put him in power. A real American President would have lobbied to have the games in a third world city, such as Detroit, which would have brought an economic windfall and employment opportunities for a city that’s regressing faster than modern day liberalism.
The triumphant Obama returns home, appears on Letterman.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvQScRuZj9s&NR...
I agree completely. The 2010 Vancouver Olympics is HUGELY in dept and as a result programs of all sorts and merit are be cut back or nixed altogether. All to pay for a party for the IOC, one of the most corrupt organizations on the planet. Chicago lucked out.
What was Obama thinking? Evidence of his incompetence piles higher every day.
Better be careful, Ben. You'll learn that sentiments like this are not welcome around here.
I remember during the Cold War sitting in the second car of a line blocked so Mikhail Gorbachev's procession could exit Andrews AFB for it's ride from Suitland to the Whitehouse. What struck me was intense disgust/shame that the leader of our enemy (at the time) was going to be driven down the Suitland Parkway through some of the worst housing projects in DC.
That was the exact thought I had again when it looked like Chicago would be "the" city representing all of America if we won the Olympics. I've normally got nothing personal against Chicago or any of the other cities in our nation ruined by extreme liberalism as long as I don't have to be there. Or especially if they're not being seen worldwide as representative of America. In this case it was a win/win. TOTUS was shown for the political lightweight he is and Rio gets the world's cameras.
Chicago, clean up your act and I'll support you next time. Otherwise, your loss is our collective gain.
I've got one more possible reason for the failure to win the Olympics for Chicago; maybe the "amazingly consistent smile" used in so many recent photos just didn't do the trick…
http://tinyurl.com/ydgfa54
As a Chicagoan who currently resides in Los Angeles I feel relieved for Chicago for all the reasons you just mentioned. We dodged a bullet.
ok, now I am torn. Once upon a time, this would not have happened. Now those days are gone. Yes, I celebrate. Yes, it is sad that the U.S.A. was b$%$h slapped. Thank God I am free enough to feel this conflicted!
I'm guessing you've never been there.
It is because I care about the good people of Chicago that I opposed the Olympics there. They do not need to be eaten alive or be crushed under back-breaking taxes. I hope this loss is the beginning of the end of the Chicago political machine and Chicagoans can regain their city.
I have lived in two major cities (Chicago and Los Angeles) and have visited many others. There isn't a major city in our country that is NOT "ethnically challenged."
Look at the headlines here on Big Government:
Another Stimulus needed
Jobs report staggering
Dems fighting Repubs over healthcare
Obama Admin Indescisive
With all taht going on, Mr. Zipperhead is gallavanting about the globe like a Harlem Globetrotter embarrasing himself and US.
Good lord, Meadowlark Lemmon could have been a better Presidente' than this khaffir.
Look at the headlines here on Big Government:
Another Stimulus needed
Jobs report staggering
Dems fighting Repubs over healthcare
Obama Admin Indescisive
With all that going on, Mr. Zipperhead is gallavanting about the globe like a Harlem Globetrotter embarrasing himself and US.
Good lord, Meadowlark Lemmon could have been a better Presidente' than this khaffir.
That's a great point, Sanmon! The IOC is every bit as corrupt as the political machine in Chicago. There would have been a feeding frenzy if Chicago got the bid.
Doug,
As much as I can appreciate your concerns for your city, I can also tell you about some the ugliness of your city that you have most likely never experienced. If your love for your city is so great, then I ask that you choose to make it great by cleaning up the corruption and the troubling crime rates. I've been in the areas of your city that can develop your pride. I have also been in and dealt with the parts of Chicago that are a black eye on America.
I could tell you story after story about all parts of "The Big Windy". As the conservative morals would say, "Build respect by earning it." That part is up to people like you to take part, take hold, and take back your city to make it something worthy of anything but the corruption it has become so well known for.
Khaffir , huh? Why don't you just use the N word and get it over with.
You're a charming bunch on this site.
Congrats, Rio!
I am jumping for joy. Valerie Jarrett had already had talks with H.U.D. about funding the Olympic Village. Every American for generations would have been enriching Oblabla's Chicago thug Daley bunch friends, in multi-million dollar real estate scams for the Olympics.
I would like to see a link or a source to Valerie Jarrett's talks with HUD. If true, this would be a nice complement to the odor of corruption wafting heavily over the Administration. Please, do provide the source.
Go RiO!!!!!!! What a bunch of malarky! The only ones who would of profited from this were the crooks in Chitown: Daley machine, Valerie Jarrett, crooked union bosses, Opra and the guy who is trying hard to unseat Jimmy Carter as the worst president of all ime!!!
I just cannot wipe the smile off my silly face. I went to bed last nite with a prayer on my lips and this morning my prayer came true..now one question I wonder if the sad left is going to call the IOC "racist?" whatever..who cares this is such a swell day for the USA..We know what a looser we have in the whitehouse now the whole world is real clear about it. Demanding a refund of the tax dollars used for this worthless trip. Going to the whitehouse site to see what dribble they have on it today LOL
Pretty racist, sn't it? "They" can call "themselves" whatever they so desire. Yet "we" are limited in our vocabulary because of what "they" might think.
Let's ALL be honest for once. It is about race. Jimmah Carter said so, and "they" started it this time, for the last time. Your race card doesn't work anymore. You have ZERO credability, just like "your" President.
Kiss my ass.
I've always thought he had such a fake smile. I grew up around con artists and so I've been able to smell them a mile away my entire life – Barack reeks of it.
The funny thing is that I've heard people, confronted with his practiced smile, who still say it is genuine and warm.
It amazes me how delusional people can be.
Here is what the World thinks of Obama now:
http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/1536...
Mmm, mmm, mmm. Humpty Dumpty takes a great fall.
The image of President Barack Obama as King of the World folded like the proverbial house of cards today.
And when it folded, it folded on the well-lighted world stage.Obama took a big fall and not even Michelle, Valerie or Oprah can put Humpty Dumpty back together again.
Why is this such a big shock to the Main Stream…..I mean, the Fringe Media? This president has done nothing but go around the world and tell them that the U.S. sucks…so the Olympic Committee is going to reward us with the Olympics? My my my, it is just so sweet how this man's words always come back to haunt him. It's just too bad that CNN, MSNBC, ABC, CBS, and the New York Times can't bring themselves to face reality and actually report the facts.
Does this mean that the IOC is racists?
This is just too delicious, apparently Hillary flashed the "L" for loser when asked about her thoughts of obama not getting the Olympics.
Someone at Hotair commented that [para] this is what you get when you mock the Special Olympics. Karma, whata bitch.
The picture of Chicago politics is showing up in Washington politics. Chicago will have to take it's lumps for the mess that is the corruption that is Chicago. NY cleaned their act up, so when Chicago cleans theirs up, we will be right their with you. The spotlight is on Chicago and will stay there for the next 3 years. Ethically challenged? Not even close. Until the people of Chicago take out the garbage, it will stink up the city. Chicago could be a great city. Nothing against the folks living there, but the mess is there – it's not going away at the hands of those not in Chicago. And we don't want that stinking mess in Washington either. So we are going to clean the house. You should do the same.
Yep. Thats what senile old Jimmah Carter said…….
Boo Hoo, Booo Hoooo, Ha Ha Bitch slapped!!! Yippee
That shoe print on Obama's forehead will take a while to go away. Not that he just lost the bid, but in the first round. I guess they didn't sacrifice enough.
Ethically challenged? Is that anything like corrupt and dishonest? Chicago, Cook County and Illinois…in that order, needs some SERIOUS cleaning up. By any means necessary, the end justifies the means. It's for the children.
Hillary still wants his job.
Let's hope that this is the first of many and often events deflating King Obama and Her Highness's arrogant, self- absorbed attitudes.
God bless the USA
Miss "O" didn't even pay for the cars she gave away a few years ago and never gave credit to the car company that donated them.
!GAAAAAAAAAAAG! Please shoot me now.
I agree that this is the BEST thing to happen to Chicago! I've lived here all my life, I'm not just pontificating about this, I know it! Praise God that the Int'l community could see what a corrupt process this would be! I did a post about the rally and the aftermath of this shilling, go have a look! Chicago did NOT WANT it here, and we got our wish.
Oh that was great man I am dyin that was terrific
Thanks for posting the Canada Free Press article. Great piece!!!
I'm sad for the people of Chicago that they won't be hosting the Olympics. It was an awesome experience when it was in Atlanta. I find this story funny because Obama did think that he could just ride in with his compelling personal story and win victory. I hope that he's beginning to figure out that real people don't care about your compelling personal story; they just want substance and results.
Oh wow you mean he was called a bad word! OMG what is becoming of America? Where is the civil discourse? Save ua Obama! I cant afford my mortgage, save us Obama! I lost my job. Save us Obama! I dont have health insuance! Save us Obama! MMM…MMM…MMM!
Des,
Excellent observations and Rio deserves its win. I shudder to think how much Chicagoans and the rest of us would have been hit in extra taxes, huge traffic hassles and an ongoing saga of corruption scandals for next eight years. I note that in spite of the lies of Daley et al, Montreal has only just paid off its debts for 1976 Olympics, 33 years of grief and tax hell. Enjoy the visit to Rio, Des or watch it on the Internet. Well said, mate.
.
LMAO. Hey, he's PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, not Mayor of Chicago. There are REAL problems here at home. Unemployment anyone? Not to mention the brave men that are dying in Afghanistan while he wrings his hands about what to do. WTF was he doing over there in the first place!? Hey, we all thought Carter was bad….
It would have been great for the city IF there was not so much corruption behind the scenes. People that supported Obama stood to make millions while the normal middle class and upper middle class would have been stuck paying for it for years to come with higher taxes.
It is better for these folks in the long run
NOw I understand what Michelle meant about her and Oprah and Barak sacrificing for this effort. She sacrifriced her dignity, her intgrity and whatever plitical capital was left with the McCain, McBush and all other Mcmoderates they conned into electing this fraud.
I'm from Chicago and I'm absolutely relieved that we didn't get the bid. Daley and his government are running the city into the ground financially. It's so bankrupt that they are selling off the infrastructure (parking meters, etc) just to keep paying yesterday's bills.
If Daley had gotten the bid, it would have set off an orgy of spending and corruption such as this city has never seen. The government would have run roughshod through neighborhoods displacing residents and tearing down perfectly good housing to build useless oversized Olympic facilities that the city could never afford to maintain after the games and that would have no tenants. The cost overruns would have swamped any potential profits and we would emerge from the games in a state of financial ruin.
Chicago needs to focus now on becoming a financially stable city. The Olympics would have put aside any attempts to bring the city budget under control in favor of a wild spending spree that would take decades to recover from.
Newsman Andy Shaw made an interesting comment on the radio following the announcement. Apparently the rumor is that all of the construction contracts for building the olympic facilities had already been secretly divided up among Daley supporters. They couldn't even wait for the announcement to finalize dividing up the loot. They weren't even interested in pretending to have a bidding process. The fix was in for months.
The Daley administration richly deserved a slap in the face.
One thing i have to say that the IOC folks know how to use their votes, but we were not!! We were fool once for the whole world to see on our votes, they didn't want to follow the mistake that we'd made. So, don't get fool again!!
i happened to be up til the wee hours of the morning and caught the live presentation by the "Chicago" team. i knew when it was over that Chicago did not have a chance. the presentation was elementary. the speeches were dull and overly rehearsed. Stiff is a good description. Mayor Daley was introduced as "honorable" – at which point i spit beer all over my coffee table.
and……then came the FLOTUS. telling the IOC how much Chicago meant to her and her family. she talked about her father's battle with MS and got all choked up. not making light of her father's illness, but i don't see the relevance between her father's illness and the olympics. the came the POTUS. more of the usual – "I", "my" etc. talked about his daughters and how chicago was his adopted home. blah, blah, blah. i wonder if it ever crossed their minds that the IOC was not all that interested in what Chicago meant to the Obama's. The IOC wanted to know what the city of chicago was going to do to for their games. nobody in that room gave a damn what chicago meant to obama. they wanted to know, "what is chicago going to do for me?" the arrogance got in the way of answering that fundamental question.
POTUS, in all his arrogance, managed to get a little dig in aimed at Bush and America's diminished image around the world. Un-frickin' believable.
Chicago tolerates the political corruption and squalor. No one in their right mind would put the Olympics or anything of significance there.
Yet another peurile, failed attempt at organizing the world community.
Mr Obama, world politics is not a street rally.
I *personally* repudiate Chicago. Any who think Chicago is representative of America should go check out Memphis. Then they will be REALLY impressed with our country and culture. Oh, and make sure you leave the tourist path to take that look while in those cities.
Chicago is a beautiful city! It would be more beautiful if the dead did not vote and….
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