Chicagoans await big announcement on Friday!

Parent Cafe
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<p>Does anyone else think that being voted out first and quickly was at least partly a slap for the Bush years? I wouldn’t be at all surprised.</p>

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<p>No; I just think it is more compelling to have South America host it.</p>

<p>Did anyone see the Scarborough article – even though he’s a conservative, he applauded Obama for trying and is disgusted with conservatives who applauded the news that Chicago was out of the running. It was classily written. I can’t link to it, though.</p>

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<p>International press says it was not based on negatives about Chicago’s bid which was technically strong and financially superior; not a slap at the U.S., and certainly not a slap at Obama who was warmly received. It was, as Pizzagirl says, just an emotional and geo-strategic vote for the first Olympics in South America, and a recognition that Brazil, an emerging power, had put in a strong bid. Cool with me, and thanks to our Prez for trying. Had he sat it out while all the other heads of state of contending bidders were there, it would have been seen as an insult to the Olympics. Instead it garnered more global good will to come and compete on even terms and to accept a loss graciously.</p>

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<p>By all accounts Chicago put together a superior bid, but like everything else with the Olympics, all is not as it appears. The IOC couldn’t ignore the fact that the Games have never been hosted by South America. There may have been some tactical voting in the first round, intended to avert humiliation for Tokyo and inadvertently pushing Chicago out. The Obamas’ visit was probably a wash, offending some, but wowing others. Resentment of the US is wide-spread, and hassling visitors at the border does not endear the US to the international community. Revenue-sharing disputes and past USOC scandals also muddied the waters. Whatever the reasons, pretty much everyone was stunned; according to IOC executive board member Gerhard Heiberg:</p>

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<p>[The</a> Associated Press: Chicago is the first to go in 2016 voting](<a href=“http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gIXsyIQ-1ah0nNNjM5tHjNbfoZCAD9B3G5I00]The”>http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gIXsyIQ-1ah0nNNjM5tHjNbfoZCAD9B3G5I00)</p>