WASHINGTON, Oct 2 (Reuters) – U.S. President Barack Obama’s politically risky Olympics gamble failed to bring home the gold on Friday, with the Olympics committee’s refusal to grant the 2016 Summer Games to his hometown Chicago.
The president, whose even-tempered personality has earned him the nickname “No Drama Obama,” broke from that mold to make an overnight dash from Washington to Copenhagen to personally lobby for Chicago.Obama and his wife, Michelle, had taken their star power to the Danish capital to make Chicago’s case, ignoring the carping from Republican opponents who charged it was a bad time to go with foreign policy challenges in Iran and Afghanistan and the U.S. Congress bogged down in a domestic healthcare debate.
“I’m asking you to choose Chicago. I’m asking you to choose America,” Michelle Obama told committee members. The Republican National Committee chairman, Michael Steele, was unsparing in his criticism in a statement issued before the decision was announced and on a day when the U.S. jobless rate rose to 9.8 percent, a 26-year high.
“As President Obama travels to Copenhagen to bring the Summer Olympics to his hometown seven years from now, Americans back home are increasingly concerned they won’t have a job seven months from now as they see more and more of their neighbors and friends lose jobs today,” Steele said.
Overnight dash to Copenhagen fails.
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Since when was this Obama’s bid?
Does this mean that Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva won?
Personally, I think Chicago would have won if Oprah hadn’t brought Gale.
Obama lost? I don’t much care for him, but it seems to me that Chicago… and ultimately the US lost. We all lost.
Then again assholes like to politicize every little thing these days with petty, childish partisan hackery. Such as this ignorant blog post.
The political discourse in this country has completely gone to shit, and at a time when we really need to work together to fix all the serious problems that we face.
Really? Obama’s fault? Come on after the Atlanta ’96 debacle, I doubt they were really under serious consideration. Besides, do the Olympics really mean anything anymore, other than marketing logo to sell crap to everyone. Olympics, meh!
I hope he didn’t use taxpayer dollars to grovel before a committee to bring a sporting event to the corrupt city of Chicago when he should be worrying about a nuclear armed Iran, an economy in shambles despite the payoff to his supporters(I mean the bailout.), and finding time to speak with his general in Afghanistan more than once.
We know where his priorities are. It’s not with the problems we face as a nation.
pcsmith said, on October 2nd, 2009 at 10:37 am
Personally, I think Chicago would have won if Oprah hadn’t brought Gale.
Personally, I think Chicago would have won if it had a mass transit system that wasn’t in complete and utter decay.
America #1
Aaahhh… the joys of living in a country destroyed by greed.
I am so going to watch Olberman, Chrissy, and Rachel Maddow tonight. This will be comedy gold.
Benjamin said, on October 2nd, 2009 at 10:51 am
I hope he didn’t use taxpayer dollars to grovel before a committee to bring a sporting event to the corrupt city of Chicago when he should be worrying about a nuclear armed Iran
[snip]
We know where his priorities are. It’s not with the problems we face as a nation.
A nuclear Iran is a problem for Israel NOT the US.
I guess we know where your priorities are.
For the first time in my adult life I am proud of the IOC.
Maybe this bitter loss will stop the nasty Obama/Hitler comparisons.
Hitler actually landed the Olympics for Berlin.
“Americans back home are increasingly concerned they won’t have a job seven months from now as they see more and more of their neighbors and friends lose jobs today,” Steele said.
Yeah, thanks to 30+ years of Reaganomics, deregulation and just plain greed.
This country is finished. Not that the upper 1% give a fuck. They got what they wanted.
Chicago is a broken town and the crime rate is on the rise. Interesting how Chicago was voted out first. Maybe sending a message not to choose Chicago next time. Their are so many reasons Chicago could not handle the Olympics. Traffic, security, and logistics are just the biggies.
If Obama cannot convince the IOC to have the Olympics in Chicago, what are the odds he can convince a Holocaust denier to give up nukes?
Bush touts Chicago Olympic bid
CHICAGO, Jan. 7 (UPI) — U.S. President George Bush said he thinks Chicago has a “great plan” for hosting the 2016 Olympics.
Chicago was the U.S. Olympic Committee’s pick for the venue for the 2016 games. The city is competing with Tokyo; Madrid; Rio de Janeiro; Prague, Czech Republic; Baku, Azerbaijan, and Doha, Qatar.
Bush met with Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, Olympic gold medalist Jackie Joyner-Kersee and Olympic volleyballer and member of the USOC Bob Ctvrtlik at the city’s storied Union League Club before lunching and then delivering a speech to business leaders.
“Listen, Mr. Mayor, you and your committee have put together a great plan. It’s a plan that will make America proud,” Bush said.
He added: “This is a well thought out venue. … And our hope is that the judges will take a good look at Chicago and select Chicago for the 2016 Olympics.”
What the fck. It was a small side trip. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. I’d dare say it was more enterprising than anything GW did in all his 8 years in orifice.
Woohoo. I’m with Denver. I hope the Olympics never comes back.
You aren’t looking at the big picture. Don’t talk about the Olympics Obama lost, and focus on the Olympics Obama saved or created.
Barack Hussein Obama – umm, umm, umm.
For his entire presidency Obama has been going around the world apologizing and telling everyone how much America sucks. Why would he now expect anyone to pick Chicago?
Obama’s chickeeeens have come home to roost.
Yeah, let’s totally forget the fact that Bush, faced with two wars and a diving economy, went to the China Olympics for four days as a spectator. Not that I think that is a bad thing, it’s great, but let’s put this “controversy” in perspective.
He did Chicago a favor… They are LUCKY they didn’t get picked.
Wait till you see Rio! This should be interesting!
#13 so well numbered.
YEs Bush and Obama agree on many subjects.
War, Patriot Act, Wire Tapes, Olympics in Chicago, Police State measures (APF)
Funny article. All about Obama, hmmm.
Bill Bennett nails it.
Of course, had Chicago gotten the olympics, the obamabots would be telling us all what a great statement this is that the world is saying how much it loves Obama and what a great endorsement from the global community and yadda yadda barf barf barf.
But Chicago loses so they say, “well, this isn’t really about Obama…”
The Obamabots are entitled to always have it their way, they said so themselves.
Did anyone really think Obama would have made a difference in the voting? What arrogance!! Considering it is South America’s first Olympics I don’t blame the committee for their decision.
When do the Democrats start saying it was Racial?
It would have been nice to have the Olympics in Chicago but I think Rio deserved it more. But to those saying it’s a waste of money, look at how much better Atlanta looks today than it did before the Olympics and how much it has expanded and how many jobs were created.
It’s funny seeing all these people happy that Obama didn’t get the Olympics. WTF?! The leaders of all the other countries were there too. Obama was trying to help the city of Chicago. With the Olympics in Chicago they estimated it would have provided 1 million new jobs in the midwest. This wasn’t only for Chicago, there were jobs in almost every state. Madison, Wisconsin was going to host the cycling portion of the Olympics and they were as excited about the Olympic bid as Chicago. But then we have people who are happy that “Obama didn’t get the Olympics”, as if he was doing this for himself. The selfish side of people is really coming out lately in America. Watching others fail is becoming so enjoyable for us, but this is just dividing the country even further.
There is no benefit in aspersion.
The reports of Obama’s great persuasive powers have been greatly exaggerated. I mean how embarrassing is it that he had to use a teleprompter to give his presentation to the IOC.
Barack Hussein Obama umm, umm, umm – Rejected in the first round.
Wow, I had no idea you guys cared this much!!!
Trust me, Chicago is better off without the Olympics. They are always a huge money sink, and I suspect they usually cost a lot more than what they take in.
I don’t understand why the fuss about Obama pitching the US for the IOC. I don’t think Chicago had much to do with it. He would have done the same for any US city in the final 4.
All the leaders of the remaining 4 nations were there to make their pitch. It would have been a serious disservice to the US’s bid.
The US tried and failed. So did Spain, Japan, and South Africa. I personally am happy for Brazil, and I hope they do an amazing job. Congrats.
Chicago can try again, as will all the other major world cities.