BBC reports! "A very very loud gasp here."
Live stream at the link.
AND: Tokyo out too.
The Obama magic has truly fizzled. All that glamorous traveling.... and the backlash against it.
October 2, 2009
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THE CHILDREN!
I guess they'll just have to go back to beating each other do death in the street with boards.
Obama is a failure!
The BBC said it was a blow to Obama. I have to say I was shocked, too.
Racists!
We lose! Yay :)
Racists!
And them, the other!
Yikes. Regardless of Obama, I thought Rio should get it, but since he did go and pitch it, it's sort of embarrassing that we didn't get it.
Those RACIST CRACKERS.
There's only one possible explanation. They HATE BLACK PEOPLE and are intentionally DISSING first our family, Barack and Oprah.
(sorry Paul - it wasn't there when I commented)
good. hosting the olympics is such an enormous waste of taxpayer dollars that is never recouped by tourist dollars. i don't understand why people want it so bad.
I thought the world loved us, now.
Not so much, I guess.
Yo, Rio ... you great and all, and imma let you finish, but Los Angeles had the BEST OLYMPICS OF ALL TIME.
Peace Out.
Kayne
Well, that's a bummer. I was looking forward to renting out my house -- it's only a couple blocks from one of the biking venues.
I rather doubt I'll fly to Rio to see the games. I might have taken the bus to Chicago, though.
Does this make Rio a shoe-in?
I wish our President hadn't gone to pitch it. The vote would have come out the same, but we wouldn't lose face.
"Scrutineers"?
That word is freaking me out.
Hee...the world kicks Obama in the teeth.
Is it possible to analyze this without thinking about wanting Obama to have a success/failure?
Is there any other reason to care?
Ya but they're not -
racist-racist
so there's that.
I have a friend who lives in Rio. He'll be happy.
Freeman Hunt: I wish our President hadn't gone to pitch it. The vote would have come out the same, but we wouldn't lose face.
Yeah, this is the worst possible outcome for him. People even gasped for goodness sake.
The wont tell us who the winner is for another hour. Rip off!
It's a huge blow to Obama. He made the Olympics personal.
Lets see how much whining Obama and the Left does -
They will blame it all on Bush and the decline in popularity of America under Bush.... But Obama said he would make it all batter. So either way Obama fails.
Overall a very bad day for Obama. Obama sacrificed being here while Unemployment hit record levels to travel for the olympics and lost the bid. So he fiddled while Rome burned and brought home nothing.
Personally bidding for the Olympics is not Presidential anyway. A huge blow to Obama.
So much for all the pundits who said that Obama wouldn't have gone to Denmark if the fix for Chicago wasn't in. Turned into a Hamlet-themed vortex instead.
That's what you get for listening to bloggers in their pajamas. Surely no one in the major media could have been so wrong.
Well seriously Chicago is a highly corrupt crumbling ruin filled with homicidal gang violence... why would the Olympics be held there?
Evidently Obama didn't apologize enough.
We now see that the Copenhagen pitch was largely a pretext for Obama to meet McChrystal face to face.
I thought it was a done deal. Me wrong!
What a horrible move by the Obama camp.
No one seems to be saying this is a slap in the face for Oprah, just Obama; but I suppose he would have taken credit for a win, so he has to take the blame for a loss.
Well seriously Chicago is a highly corrupt crumbling ruin filled with homicidal gang violence... why would the Olympics be held there?
So then it's gonna be Tokyo.
I dunno-
So they could turn the marathon into a live version of -
Running Man?
The President cuckolded by the whore IOC. I hope Rio gets a raging case of gonorrhea from her.
I guess corruption's OK as long as it's latin-flavored.
Personally bidding for the Olympics is not Presidential anyway. A huge blow to Obama.
And by extension to our country. It is embarrassing for someone as powerful as the American President to insert himself into such a small matter and fail.
FLS, I think people are giving Rio a pass due to South America never having had the Games.
I mean think of the RATINGS
People!
It's a huge blow to Obama. He made the Olympics personal
Obama makes everything personal and all about himself.
You reap what you sow.
Maybe He isn't God.
Hey Whitehouse - how's that "biggest brand in the world" working for you now?
We now see that the Copenhagen pitch was largely a pretext for Obama to meet McChrystal face to face.
Why would the President need a pretext to meet with his general?
Oh, right. Military bad. Very, very bad.
I guess corruption's OK as long as it's latin-flavored.
At least we taxpayers won't be stuck with the tab when the graft and corruption occur in Rio instead of the inevitable graft and corruption in Chicago.
It is embarrassing for someone as powerful as the American President to insert himself into such a small matter and fail.
You know for once I have to agree with you.
You can still rent out your house, MM. Rio is just 20 miles north of Madison.
And by extension to our country. It is embarrassing for someone as powerful as the American President to insert himself into such a small matter and fail.
I agree its not really Presidential for the American President to personally bid on the Olympics. The federal government does not fund the olympics and in matters of importance, the Olympics is way down the list. Obama has spent considerable time worrying about it when he has many other issues.
In contrast, it makes sense for the Mayor and even Oprah to make personal appeals.
Then again, Obama is redefining the Presidency to be a more aristocratic office. Instead of being a "president of the people," Obama behaves as if he is president over the people." This is not traditional.
The comparisons to this for Obama are going to be bad. Questions will be asked... How can Obama convince Iran to give up its Nuclear program if he cant convince the IOC to give the Olympics to Chicago or even get third place..!!!
You know for once I have to agree with you.
For once?! :)
garage mahal said: We lose! Yay :)
We didn't lose. Obama lost it. He tried to put enormous pressure on the Olympic Committee and it backfired. Never before has a President tried to influence the outcome of the vote in this way.
His strategy of putting pressure on them backfired and now Chicago will pay the price in lost jobs and broken dreams.
I think it is fair to say that the Obama magic was completely destroyed today. Obama did it too himself.
A seriously racist decision. Three prominent African-Americans go to pitch Chicago and they get tossed under the bus in the first round?
Al Sharpton, where the hell are you?
Good thing Michelle didn't take any prisoners. She would have to turn them all loose now.
Damn, I guess the world still hates us!
wv= cronj
Twitter is overcapacity, probably with everyone tweeting #Obamafails.
Somewhere, Mitt Romney is smiling.
The best news Chicago could hope for.
A prize to Drudge for his headline: THE EGO HAS LANDED.
Brazil kicked our ASS!!!
Goooooooo Brazil!
I can't WAIT to have some Feijoada, wash it down with a Caipirinha, and watch some futbol!!
FUCK apple pie and baseball!
I want to ear what Obama supporters have to say, so far they've been speechless!
Obama may be the first US president to personally attempt to appeal to get the US the Olympics, but has there ever been a US president whose adopted city was in the running while he was in office? Also, no one seemed to care that Obama was not alone in his plea, each of the four countries in the running sent their president/prime minister.
It's not about the Obama magic fizzling. I think whatever magic there was fizzled but I don't think this is direct evidence of that.
The same people that are excited that Chicago didn't get the Olympics so that they could use it as evidence that the Obama magic has fizzled are the same people that, if in the position, would vote against health care reform even if the bill met all their demands.
It's one thing to want Obama to fail because you disagree with his policies. When it becomes opposing him just for the sake of expressing your opposition it becomes juvenile.
I did not vote for John McCain. If he had been elected and Phoenix were attempting to get the Olympics, I would have taken no issue and would have welcomed him going to appeal on America's behalf. I don't understand the big deal.
To be fair-[and really I hate myself for starting a comment like that]-
Obama-according to BBC-his team said that they had to try and that they shouldn't fear failure.
Now-it really sucks to lose something that you care about.
Let them get that damn feeling now and good for-
CHEAP.
Perhaps they learn real fast here-how bad that feels.
Then they can extrapolate that to something that does matter a whole damn lot more and feel one percent of how the military and their families will feel if something that they have died or put their lives on hold for-
FAILS.
What the repercussions of that will be...
It's pretty damn demoralizing Mr. President-
[cue Dylan]
How does it feel?
I'm hoping to hell he is fast on the uptake-some people can only learn things first hand-this is probably the best thing that could have happened to him, lately.
And damn it I give him credit for going and trying.
I admire that.
So there.
Iran humiliates him.
North Korea has him groveling.
Israel tells him to cram it.
Pakistan humiliates him.
Blue Dog Dems shit down his neck.
He doesn't dare respond.
But Rio? Rio will feel his wrath.
They’ve pass on the chance to incorporate a deadly beating as an Olympic sport.
Their loss ;)
"Obama may be the first US president to personally attempt to appeal to get the US the Olympics ..."
The Olympic Spirit is not about allowing the person with the most charisma or power to win.
The Olympic Spirit is about everyone competing fairly and within the rules and allowing the best competitor to win on their own merits.
Obama tried to rig the vote. He tried to use political pressure to affect the outcome - and the results were sadly predictable.
No other leader of any other country flew to Copenhagen telling reporters they were going to "kick ass" and "fight to the end."
Such rhetoric is beneath the Olympics, and Obama's strategy likely caused Chicago to lose out. It represents a complete failure of his style of political leadership.
Obama cost the US the Olympic games. We did not fail. He failed.
We are not losers.
He is the loser.
gaywrites: I don't understand the big deal.
The people in the voting audience gasped. The BBC (the BBC!) immediately started talking about how it was a blow to Obama.
The thing is, this is the Olympics, not a big thing. But Obama took time away from things which ARE big, like Afghanistan and healthcare reform, to deal with it, and got less than nothing in return.
This is Bush's fault. It HAS to be!!
Ann is funny. Just because she has a superficial-American Idol like-lens through which she views the world, she can not imagine that the committee decided against the Chicago bid based on substance. My guess is that they decided that U.S. cities have already hosted many Olympics and it is time to give another country a chance.
I am not the first person to have pointed out that Ann looks a little ridiculous to be complain about President Obama given that he is pursuing policies that he campaigned on and hence she voted for. But for Shallow Ann he has lost his "fizzle." Ann, what do you actually stand for? Do you have any political philosophy that drives your analysis of current events? Or is it just all American Idol for you?
I like knowing that he went, they gave it their all and they did that-without "the fix" being in-as they say.
Gave it an honest effort-somehow I feel better about Obama knowing that.
I wish our President hadn't gone to pitch it.
Obama's mom pants lost it.
Chicago is the winner.
Although I wish Chicago would been the winner just because it is Chicago, returns would never have covered expenditures.
madawaskan: And damn it I give him credit for going and trying.
I admire that.
Oh, so if healthcare, or one of the many other issues Obama could have spent his attention on, doesn't turn out the way you want it to, you'll think it was a fair trade?
You can still rent out your house, MM. Rio is just 20 miles north of Madison.
LOL. You mean that's the Rio that beat Chicago? How embarrassing!
"gaywrites said...The same people that are excited that Chicago didn't get the Olympics so that they could use it as evidence that the Obama magic has fizzled are the same people that, if in the position, would vote against health care reform even if the bill met all their demands."
Yes, all dozen or so Americans who are against Obama's policies simply because they are his should be ashamed. Then let's compare them to the lefties who claimed freedom had ended under Bush, but who are now silent as Obama continues the very same policies which previously justified their fevered imaginiations.
Drudge "The ego has landed" is funny. I don't think it has, though.
I don't think we lost face; I think Obama lost face. The world is tired of the overhyped, moralistic, narcissistic Obamas. Maybe now he will do his job.
I loved the LA Games also. They were the first to use volunteers and it was great. For those of you who had hoped to rent out your houses, though, don't fret. That did not happen in LA or Atlanta so you are not missing anything.
You mean that's the Rio that beat Chicago?
There's another one?
Iran humiliates him.
How so? Iran seems to be willing to let inspectors in, and is shipping nuclear fuel to Russia. Are these positive developments?
And after Michele made that big sacrifice of going to Copenhagen, too. They reeaaaalllllllyyy should have taken her sacrifice into account.
They just said no because she's black. Copenhagen, like the Clintons, has a long history of acting out of racist motivations.
Jason you might be misreading me.
You might not have read my comment here-
I'll repost sometimes these threads load weird-
Repost:
I like knowing that he went, they gave it their all and they did that-without "the fix" being in-as they say.
Gave it an honest effort-somehow I feel better about Obama knowing that.
Also, no one seemed to care that Obama was not alone in his plea, each of the four countries in the
The leaders of the other countries are not in the same class of power as the American President. Also, didn't the rest of them go after Obama decided to go?
LA Times (before the vote):
"... If Chicago loses the bid, it would count as a defeat for Obama too. "
We'll see if they report it as a defeat for Obama after the vote.
"I don't think we lost face; I think Obama lost face. The world is tired of the overhyped, moralistic, narcissistic Obamas. Maybe now he will do his job."
Yep, this is all on Obama but only because he just had to make it all about him in the first place. His ego is writing checks his reality can't cash. He has almost no political capital at home anymore and evidently very little overseas as well . . . not that he ever really had any because the world was just blowing smoke up his skirt. They wanted an weak American leader and now they got one to push around.
Also, no one seemed to care that Obama was not alone in his plea, each of the four countries in the running sent their president/prime minister.
Actually, when I heard that the other countries had also sent their "head of states", I thought that it was appropriate for Obama to go and pitch for the US.
I don't think it was appropriate for Michelle to take a separate jet at taxpayer expense. What was the rush? Why couldn't she wait and go at the same time as Obama.
These people spend our money without any thought as to where it came from. They act like they are entitled royalty instead of elected officials who can/and will be voted out of office.
L. E. Lee :Ann is funny.
And you can listen to her live on the radio right now!
Obama losing face on domestic agendas? Great! Happy about it.
But Obama losing face internationally is America losing face. He's our President, and he went there representing us.
It's a huge blow to Obama. He made the Olympics personal
And it's 100% his own doing. The man's hubris appears more and more unbounded. We know how this little parable always turns out.
They didn't pick Chicago because Obama has a big FAT ego. That's how they pick these thing you know. At first I was rooting against Obama and Chicago, but now I'm mad, MAD I tell you because he BLEW it.
I'm happy Rio is getting it because Rio should get it. I just wish Obama hadn't gotten involved in the whole thing.
Of course, if this contributes to tanking his domestic agenda, it's probably worth it.
But Obama losing face internationally is America losing face. He's our President, and he went there representing us.
Is Obama really representing us though? Obama basically apoligized for everything that America has done since he took office. So its him - Obama; and us - America. I think Obama was really just representing himself, not America.
"Yes, all dozen or so Americans who are against Obama's policies simply because they are his should be ashamed. Then let's compare them to the lefties who claimed freedom had ended under Bush, but who are now silent as Obama continues the very same policies which previously justified their fevered imaginiations."
I'll let you make the comparisons. I mean, you've simply pointed out that it happens on both sides of the political spectrum. I agree. I never said it didn't.
I don't have any interest in the lefties that were against Bush because he was Bush and who now support Obama because he's Obama. I don't have any interest in anyone like that, regardless of political affiliation. It's unproductive.
But Obama losing face internationally is America losing face. He's our President, and he went there representing us.
And many commenters seem happy about that!
20/20 hindsight says the Chicago team was getting signals their proposal was circling the bowl and appealed to Obama to use his mad diplomatic skilz would swing the vote.
Is Obama really representing us though? Obama basically apoligized for everything that America has done since he took office.
True. Which also makes us lose face.
The face-losing President.
Bummer is right. Madison would have gotten some of glow without the headaches. Oh well, my thoughts now go to the underdog Badgers and Packers (we could go 0-fer to our friends with 10,000 lakes, this weekend). Ouch.
Am agreeing with some of the comments that this is embarrassing. The shine is gone, on him, and maybe on us. It'll be interesting to see what comes out of this right-sizing.
Sheesh. Why is anyone surprised? Obama has bopped around the world telling foreigners that America sucks.
They apparently believed him.
Liberal Margaret Carlson: "Obama Chases Olympic Bauble While U.S. Burns"
17% unemployment was announced today, with another quarter of a million people pushed out of their jobs, but the Obama's are too busy jetting around Europe with Oprah to tend to America's vital business.
"They didn't pick Chicago because Obama has a big FAT ego. That's how they pick these thing you know. At first I was rooting against Obama and Chicago, but now I'm mad, MAD I tell you because he BLEW it."
Lovely spin there. Around and around you go. They didn't pick Chicago for whatever reason they didn't pick Chicago, but Obama, one again, made it all about him and now he looks silly.
I mean, please, if it had gone to Chicago the left would be singing his praises . . . "See they love us because of The Won."
Are Jonathan Chait and Noam Scheiber and Bill Keller and Pinch Sulzberger and the rest of the gangs at TNR and the NY Times embarrased yet? Have they no shame?
"But Obama losing face internationally is America losing face. He's our President, and he went there representing us."
Obama was representing himself.
He didn't take an ordinary American along with him on his trip to Copenhagen.
He took Oprah.
He was warned not to try to attempt to put political pressure on the Olympic Committee.
No other leader attempted to lean on the committee to do his bidding.
No other leaders took that incorrect and inappropriate approach.
Obama has spent the first 9 months of his Administration badmouthing the United States around the world and so it's no surprise that the Olympic Committee snubbed him.
His strategy lost the games.
It's Obama's loss.
We are not the loser.
Obama is the loser.
but the Obama's are too busy jetting around Europe with Oprah to tend to America's vital business.
I pointed this out earlier. This is the real political story that is about to really surface. Obama has done nothing about unemployement for the past 6 months. Nothing. yet employement is the #1 issue for eveyone in this country. And Obama has done nothing.
"20/20 hindsight says the Chicago team was getting signals their proposal was circling the bowl and appealed to Obama to use his mad diplomatic skilz would swing the vote."
And girls like guys with skilz, like nunchuku skilz, bow hunting skilz, computer hacking skilz...
Obama, the Napoleon Dynamite of world leaders.
madawaskan: Jason you might be misreading me.
No, you had many posts, I responded to the one I wanted to.
Gave it an honest effort-somehow I feel better about Obama knowing that.
How do you feel about Obama giving up time to deal with healthcare reform and Afghanistan to deal with the Olympics?
On the other hand..
The Olympics would have been an irresistible Al Qaeda target.
Let’s not kid ourselves.
Maybe its a good thing we didnt ge it.
Chicago loses - women and minorities hardest hurt.
Honestly, did anyone think Chicago had a chance? No IOC wanted to spend time in Chicago when Rio was available.
I think they're still upset about staying in Atlanta for weeks eating grits and fatback.
At least it gave our Pitchman-In-Chief the opportunity to meet for 25 minutes with the general commanding our war in Afghanistan.
Gibbs said: "The President realized that he would be close and thought it was a good opportunity to continue the conversation..."
This is going to be cast as an Obama failure, which in part it is. But in addition to the pervasive envy and disapproval of the United States in the rest of the world, the United States still is well behind the eight ball with the IOC because of the boycott of the Moscow Olympics in 1980. So not only did Jimmy Carter punish the American athletes in 1980, he punished the American olympic movement for decades to come.
Obama thought his charm and changiness would overcome all of this. Wrong. But this is not just an Obama loss--it's an American loss. I doubt any other President would have made a difference either. Obama just looks silly because he was so sure that he was the difference maker.
Perhaps this slap will make him rethink some of his assumptions. But don't hold your breath.
The real reason Chicago lost: I bet some of the IOC members have had to fly through O'Hare before.
And many commenters seem happy about that!
Happy that the object lesson of what a horrible mistake the electorate made in the last election is being taught and learned. It's a necessary albeit unfortunate phase. We went through this with Carter too, so we've been down this road before. And if that history is a guide to what happens next, it's going to get much worse and the stakes will get much higher than losing the award of Olympics.
Apparently the city with the least number of votes is eliminated, and that was Chicago. I hadn't realized it was that thorough a defeat.
I'm sure there will be lots of gossip about how it happened, but I still say it's an Obama defeat, not a US defeat.
rcocean: Chicago loses - women and minorities hardest hurt.
The people of Rio have it harder than the people of Chicago. If you want to help the impoverished and if the Olympics causes positive changes to the cities it goes to than you'd want it to go to Rio.
Rio hasn't got it yet either. The ex-president of the IOC is asking them to give it to Madrid because he is so old and he would like to see Madrid host the games before he dies. Lula is boosting for Rio. Either could win this one yet.
It is only Zero and Tokyo who have lost so far.
Well worse-
I just landed at Midway-
Drove through that hood-and everyone I met later in Chicago-was
Aghast!
Aghast!
You landed at Midway!?!?!
No- BO -dy-lands at Midway!
OK then.
I do admit the whores and cash only gas station at midnight- my drive through experience after landing- was pretty exhilarating- wadda rush!
Well, I am a little bummed. It would have been great for the city.
Anyway, some comments here about Chicago being some kind of Detroit-esque ghetto are quite absurd. Chicago is far and away the best big city in the United States and one of the best big cities in the world. What? You think New York City and Tokyo and London don't have crime and bad neighborhoods? That's funny.
I urge everyone to come here to live, work, go to school, or go on vacation.
Happily, we won't have to worry about a surge of European pedophiles, all just a little nervous after that Roman Polanski business. But I do hope that Brazil keeps the favelas protected from the artistic types who usually succor on to this sort of event.
I pointed this out earlier. This is the real political story that is about to really surface. Obama has done nothing about unemployement for the past 6 months. Nothing. yet employement is the #1 issue for eveyone in this country. And Obama has done nothing.
Not only is Obama not doing anything, his Democrat's in the Senate are also fiddling while America burns.
The House of Representatives voted 11 days ago to extend unemployment benefits for millions of starving Americans and the Senate could care less, apparently.
Harry Reid won't even bringthe goddamned bill up in the Senate. Meanwhile, millions who are depending on these temporary insurance payouts are at risk of losing their homes.
And they want to force us to buy health insurance - when they can't get the unemployment insurance problem solved?
America to Senate: Get Off Your Fucking Asses and Do Something!
Perhaps this slap will make him rethink some of his assumptions. But don't hold your breath.
Well crap-I do have that all American disease-called optimism...
The Olympics would have been an irresistible Al Qaeda target.
That's a point. And by 2016 they may well have the bomb. And if the wind is blowing from the southeast, Oy.
All of a sudden, I think I'm glad Chicago lost.
Earlier this week, I visited my brother in Manhattan. We went down to the M&Ms store near Times Square. On the top floor were dispensers with various color mixes of M&Ms, with cutesy banners on the front of them featuring the M&Ms characters saying cutesy things. One of them showed the Red M&M saying, "Bribes? They were gifts, they were gifts!"
Apparently the "gifts" in the goodie bags that the Chicago delegation gave the IOC voters must have been a little lighter than those of the other cities vying for the games. That's the most disappointing thing about the Obama debacle: Of all people, he should have understood what The Chicago Way is all about: Greasing palms. How humiliating for a Democrat president from Chicago to be outcorrupted by a bunch of foreigners! It's like the Yankees getting beaten by some AAA team.
" ... comments here about Chicago being some kind of Detroit-esque ghetto are quite absurd."
Yeah, all that YouTube video of the Lords of the Flies beating each other to death in the streets with boards ... pay no attention whatsoever to that.
Who are you going to believe? Masked man Seven Machos, or your lyin' eyes?
NPR (MPR anyway) is saying people in Chicago stood in stunned silence, didn't mention it was eliminated first.
While this is a surprise, I think people who suggest it's a referendum on Obama are wrong. Chicago had a few things going against it:
(1) The video of a Chicago honor roll student being beaten to death with 2 x 4 boards.
(2) The stuff done to Soldier's Field to provide more seating for Bears games is hideously ugly.
(3) Chicago traffic.
It's terrible. New York has never recovered from getting rejected by the IOC. It's just derelicts wandering among piles of burning trash, muttering "shot-put" and other track and field game names... After Obama kills himself in his bunker, Chicago will probably be razed and a giant statue of Ozymandias will be erected on that spot as a reminder to all of the folly and hubris of man.
Jim Hu, FTW!
Let's not make too much of this in terms of Obama. Making the pitch on behalf of his hometown seemed okay to me.
I'm glad Chicago didn't get the games because if a games set in Utah can have a corruption scandal. A Chicago based games would set new depths of corruption, and be a massive embarrassment.
Actualy I think that the Salt Lake winter olympics scandald had more to do with Chicago losing. The scandals exposed the corrption within the International Olympic Committe. I'm sure there's a lot of ill will towards the US on the IOC over that. It'll be quite a while before any US city will get the games.
Not Obama's fault. He had to go really. I wouldn't have voted for Chicago against Rio. Madrid making it past Chicago though, in light of Barcelona having the Games just years ago, is a bit obscene though.
As Americans we've got to deal with the rest of world snubbing us. It is something that brings the rest of world self-esteem.
My opinion is-
the unemployment rate is where it's at for exactly the opposite reason.
The Obama Administration has done plenty to bring that about.
Looming Cap and trade, government regulation, unionism as a core plank in their platform, the supposed invisible elephant-
Higher taxes.
How in the hell anyone heard Obama's Santa Claus list during the campaign and thought that taxes on the engines of our economy were not going to be inevitable is unreal.
Obviously the business community saw the going forward balance sheet, when the young college voter did not.
Florida -- So gang fights don't happen in London, New York, and Rio, right?
I guess for you, it doesn't happen if you didn't see it on film. That's one way to live.
"gaywrites says...I mean, you've simply pointed out that it happens on both sides of the political spectrum."
Actually, I've recognized that in a country of 300 million there is a number of people who believe absolutely anything. The comparison is between the number , evidence, and meaning of those on each side. There is not one single person you can point to who objects to Obama's policies simply because they are Obama's. Nevertheless lefties and you routinely make such evidence free accusations. At the same time these accusors, including you, never say word one about the thousands of leftist public commentators and politicians whose fevered objections to policies still in force simply disappeared the moment Obama became president.
In addition, you're attacking those whose objections are mild on a non-substantive issue. So you've chosen to attack something completely meaningless, which applies to a vanishingly small number of unidentifiable and politically unimportant people, while ignoring masses of leftist opinion setters doing far worse with far more evidence supporting it.
No wonder you don't want to compare. Your priorities show you aren't a serious commentator.
Lyle: Not Obama's fault. He had to go really.
So you think it was a good idea for him to take time away from dealing with healthcare reform and Afghanistan (etc.) for this?
Is it too late for him to try to get us next summer's WOrld Cup?
If the mormons had to provide baksheesh to get the winter games, could it be possible that the Chicago delegation did not grease the IOC's palms enough?
I love the smell of schadenfreude in the morning.
Obama is really flailing, though. His legislative agenda is bogged down and going nowhere. Afghanistan is apparently a mess. Now this.
Could the guy get a package of Milk Duds at the 7-11 right now at full price right now?
Sheesh. Why is anyone surprised? Obama has bopped around the world telling foreigners that America sucks.
They apparently believed him
And I think Michael H. has won the thread. Yep, that about sums it up.
This from MS-NBC, no less...
CHICAGO - Thousands of people stood in bewildered silence in downtown Chicago on Friday after the International Olympic Committee surprised everyone by dumping the city from the race for 2016 Summer Olympics in the first round of voting.
The vote in Copenhagen was carried on huge television screens set up in the Daley Center to carry what many had hoped would be approval of Chicago as host. It had seemed so likely to many in a city still basking in the glow of hometown Sen. Barack Obama’s election as president.
LOL
As to anyone that doesn't think this has nothing to do with Obama politically, I advise you to read up on how things actually work in DC.
I thought for sure a display of Michelle's rippling biceps would seal the deal.
He believes that its not his fault. He just does not speak Olympian.
I guess no one on the IOC got a tingle up their leg.
May the Obama Presidency also be eliminated after the first round.
[fyi, for the wing-nuts, this is a reference to him LOSING RE-ELECTION].
"So gang fights don't happen in London, New York, and Rio, right?"
No.
They don't.
But in Chicago schoolkids are killing each other in the streets with 2x4s and taking videos of each other doing it, and then uploading them to YouTube as fan-vids.
For you to suggest that Chicago is not a Detroit-esque Lord-of-The-Flies-ghetto is laughably easy to disprove.
Even the police in Chicago are on film (multiple times) shown beating innocent people almost to death.
Show me some film of Brazilian kids beating each other to death in the streets and then I'll join you in comparing Brazil to Detroit and Chicago.
Fls wrote: If the mormons had to provide baksheesh to get the winter games, could it be possible that the Chicago delegation did not grease the IOC's palms enough?
And in the face of the failure of the reknowned "Chicago Way," the ever-predictable fls takes an unwarranted shot at Mormons -- a conservative group
The only appropriate response will be the burning of the south side.
I feel badly for anyone hoping for this (MadisonMan and Seven). Not for Obama, though. Although madawaskan makes a fair point. It is somehow more comforting that he did this without the fix being in.
I have a friend in Rio too! Have never been there, but have been invited. Everybody's friends in Rio are going to be suddenly a bit more popular. LOL.
wv: crool (Oh. LOL)
And it's Rio!
We extended an open hand. They extended us their fist. Up our ass. And without Crisco. And knowing a thing or two about this sort of thing, that hurts.
I feel so much more confident that Obama can talk Iran out of its nuclear weapon ambitions. Don't you?
It'll be quite a while before any US city will get the games.
Due to global warming, 2016 could be the last games held anywhere, dontchaknow? At least, according to Toyko governor Ishihara.
If Obambi had taken some ACORN folks with him instead of Oprah and the Grinch, the votes might have turned out differently for Chi-Town.
Drudge Headline: The Ego Has Landed.
Florida: you're an idiot.
There are no gang fights on film from Rio because anyone filming gang activities in a favela would be executed on the spot by the local comandante vermelho capo and his henchmen.
In Rio, they don't use boards. They use AR-15s and grenade launchers.
Where were the Greek columns?!?!
I mean, was Obama's advance team completely asleep at the wheel?
Sheesh - what a disaster! It could have made all the difference!
Doesn't anyone besides me think of these things?
I should add that drug gang violence in Rio really will have no effect whatsoever on the Olympics, and Rio is a great, great place for these games. Large public celebrations are extremely common and well handled in Brazil, probably the most fun country in the world.
First, it is good that Chicago lost. The Olympics are a big money-waster. It would cost billions for Chicago, Illinois and the US.
Second, plain and simple it is a blow to Obama's power and influence. A sitting US President spent his valuable time, prestige and power on something as minor-league as the Olympics and his home city lost in the first round. Spin it all you like, but that is what happened. All the while he is having problems with health care reform, the war in Afghanistan, nuclear Iran, and other more pressing issues.
Third, Rio deserves it. South America hasn't had it.
Fourth, the IOC is one of the most corrupt institutions in the world. Madrid in the final round with Rio? WTF? Spain had it back in 1992. Frankly, Spain is at best, a B list country.
Gangfight ... Brazilian style:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3mYDwRTALo
Gangfight ... Chicago style:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VwgGHrDdX0
Darcy-
Rio! you should go.
I'm an Olympics fanatic so when it came to locale it was all about my personal logistics.
It's been a dream of mine to see it live one day...
Although strangely I love the Winter Olympics best.
Can you say-
HOCKEY!
Oooh damn that reminds me-
Ta-day-is the opener-
Pens vs. Rangers....
On the boob tube: Rio celebrating--paaaaaaaarty time. Is one reason they got it that they wanted it more? These people are happy!
Peter Uberroth, acting like an adult. "Obama being there did nothing but help." That's probably correct, but he wasn't much help.
Florida: first of all, you're using the murder of a minor to score some kind of dubious political point about... Chicago being hell on earth? All of Chicago? Have you been?
Second, you are obviously completely ignorant about the realities of Brazil today if you think it's all samba and carnival.
Well, I'm just going to write you off as an idiot. As you can tell I enjoy pointing that out, so thanks for the opportunity.
Rush:
Oprah responded to the news that Obama lost the Olympics by eating Norway.
Contemporary Chicago headline:
IOC VOTES "NO": GANG VIOLENCE KILLS KICKBACKS!
Racists, unappreciative of Barack and Michele's tremendous sacrifice, Rio has a much better beach with all the good bodies. Blame It on Rio.
Nothing to see here, move on.
How can the IOC be so blatantly racist and hateful toward Obama and his wife?
I mean, it's simply not possible that they voted Chicago out based on anything other than the fact that Obama is black, right?
As an aside, this white boy grew up on the south side of Chicago. As the rot moved even further south of 75th, my parents sold their house and moved. Had they not, they would have lost almost a third of the value on their home.
I suppose we should have stuck it out, though, for diversity's sake. I suppose it's healthy to raise kids in a neighborhood that Domino's will no longer deliver to.
Florida you are an astute commenter and I pretty much always agree with you but the gang violence in the favellas of Rio is orders of magnitude worse than anything in this country.
That being said Seven Wackos proclamation that Chicago is the by far the best big city in America is just stupid.
"... you're using the murder of a minor to score some kind of dubious political point about... Chicago being hell on earth?"
Yes, exactly.
It is so bad in Chicago that honor students in Chicago are unable to merely walk home from school without the threat of being beaten to death by gangs wielding 2x4s.
The place is sick and the Democratic leadership of the city should be fucking fired.
I am making that political point and illustrating it by pointing to the easy to obtain video of gangland Chicago to demonstrate that point.
Not to mention the numerous videos of the corrupt police department beating innocent civilians senseless.
This probably wasn't helpful when the Olympic committee is deciding where they'd like to have their next Games.
The death of this student is a perfect example of why people in Chicago should demand CHANGE.
I didn't know this before. ESPN reported (in the video) that Chicago was going to spend $2B for a new Olympic Stadium that was only going to be a temporary structure!
In Rio, they don't use boards. They use AR-15s and grenade launchers.
It wouldn't be a conversation if some liberal wasn't out there painting the Brazilians as gun-toting gangbangers executing people with cameras.
Real nice Monty.
That being said Seven Wackos proclamation that Chicago is the by far the best big city in America is just stupid.
Paul,
I'm being obviously facetious to make that same point.
Correction. Wikipedia says the $2B was more than the temp stadium.
Florida said...
I pointed this out earlier. This is the real political story that is about to really surface. Obama has done nothing about unemployement for the past 6 months. Nothing. yet employement is the #1 issue for eveyone in this country. And Obama has done nothing.
What makes you think he knows how to create any job growth? I mean, other than bail out car companies, seriously, what the hell does this flimflam man know about making real jobs? There is NOTHING about his background that would suggest he can do anything other than make himself look good.
Due to global warming, 2016 could be the last games held anywhere, dontchaknow? At least, according to Toyko governor Ishihara.
Well, we could hold the summer games in Anchorage. President Palin could help with that.
Might need to hold the winter games in Antarctica to find snow.
What big city in America is better than Chicago? I live in New York, but Chicago is pretty awesome (if it wasn't for those winter).
Summertime in Chicago is divine.
Florida-- Florida, the state. Man, I hate Florida. It's like a big swamp with 'necks sprinkled around in it. What a suckhole.
"Florida. It's like a big swamp with 'necks sprinkled around in it. What a suckhole.
Chicago. It's like a big pile of snow with necks sticking out of it. What an avalanchehole. F'kin Icebacks.
...the gang violence in the favellas of Rio is orders of magnitude worse than anything in this country....
Perhaps, but the Brazilian cops and military will shoot their gangsters, if necessary.
In any event, it is unlikely that the IOC did a comparative violence study. Chicago, with very high rates of violence and homicide, simply couldn't gain an edge by claiming to be safe.
I'm glad Rio got the Games.
And I agree with Seven that Chicago is the best big city in America.
I lived in the area for four years, and was (sorry everyone) very happy to get away from the midwest. But, Chicago is a great, great city. It has a corrupt core, but the city itself is really great.
Chicago has political corruption. It's nothing like, say, Florida, where politics is practiced with white gloves on the croquet pitch.
How are those foreclosed housing tracts doing?
"I mean, other than bail out car companies, seriously, what the hell does this flimflam man know about making real jobs?"
You may have a point, but I disagree that Obama has bailed out these car companies. He's fucking killing auto jobs.
GM sales down 47%
Chrysler sales fall 44%
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=a0QFjrJ95Kkk%
but I disagree that Obama has bailed out these car companies. He's fucking killing auto jobs.
You can't make people buy crappy cars when they don't have money.
He's fucking killing auto jobs.
GM sales down 47%
Chrysler sales fall 44%
No, their product design department did that. Do you read Consumer Reports? Chrysler consistently turns out the lowest ranked products, with GM not that far ahead.
Minivans and SUVs saved Chrysler and GM, but now that they're out of favor Chrysler and GM have no backup plan.
Apparently they'll still buy Fords, though (down only 5 percent). Which might tell us something about government's helpfulness in business.
Montagne Montaigne - "How are those foreclosed housing tracts doing?"
Probably better than Cabrini Green, which, of course, is the single most notorious shithole in all of these United States. Collect in one place all of the shitholes in Florida and they would pale in comparison to a single floor in a single building in the now-reduced Cabrini Green.
I love Chicago. It is a great city and I prefer it to any other USA city espcially New Yawful City, home of the most arrogant, mediocre people anywhere. Christ- their repugnant arrogance has even spilled over to north New Jersey. I never met or dealt with more incompetent, dumb, uninformed, undereducated BUT arrogant people.
wv = thsdat = IOC verdict LOL
I'm glad for Rio - beautiful country and beautiful people.
I'm sorry that Chicago lost, but really, what reason did they have for hosting it? What did they offer except a chance to further the glory of Ear One?
BTW, love Drudge's headline.
October 2, 2009: the high water mark for the peeps.
I don't like Obama, but I don't like losing even more.
If we weren't going to win, why did he go?
There is no Obama looking bad in this without America looking bad in this. And this after we were made to look so lame at the UN.
Apparently Lynch never had North Jersey pizza.
If it had come down to Rio v. Chicago, then it wouldn't be so bad, but first round? Sheesh.
Napoleon on Obama and the IOC: "If you set out to take Vienna, you must take Vienna."
"No, their product design department did that."
The product design department didn't close hundreds of GM dealerships that used to sell its vehicles.
Obama did.
The product design department didn't close 350 Saturn dealerships yesterday, putting 13,000 people out of work who used to sell GM cars.
Obama did that.
“We’re all stunned,” said Mary McHugh, an executive with Saturn of Schaumberg near Chicago.
"I don't like Obama, but I don't like losing even more."
Nobody likes losers.
RAAAAAAAACCCCIIIISSSMMMM!!!
There, I said it.
Which might tell us something about government's helpfulness in business.
Well-managed companies don't need government help.
The product design department didn't close hundreds of GM dealerships that used to sell its vehicles.
Obama did.
Too little, too late. Instead of waking up and smelling the coffee, GM let the coffee scorch on the bottom of the pot.
The product design department didn't close 350 Saturn dealerships yesterday, putting 13,000 people out of work who used to sell GM cars.
Obama did that.
Hey Opels don't even sell in Europe, much less Mexican built versions with a Saturn badge on them
The same people that are excited that Chicago didn't get the Olympics so that they could use it as evidence that the Obama magic has fizzled are the same people that, if in the position, would vote against health care reform even if the bill met all their demands.
Well thank you, gaywrites, for showing us how easy it is to compartmentalize. You must have been great at algebraic reductions. You know, this equals that, cross out this, cross out that, end up with X = ... something.
Obama is looking more and more like a one-man circular firing squad....
To be fair, Michelle never said it was a SACRIFICE sacrifice.
Which might tell us something about government's helpfulness in business.
"Well-managed companies don't need government help."
I live in Chevy Truck country. More GM cars and trucks than any other vehicles on the road. We own 3 Chevy trucks and two Blazers.
We will never buy another car from Government Motors. Ever. And from talking to people in the area, we are not alone in that sentiment.
People will not forget what Obama did to them in this take over of the auto industry and the absolute favoritism that he is showing the Unions.
This whole administration stinks to high heaven and I'm glad glad glad that Obama is a failure. The more he fails the less harm he can do to our country.
When talking about Chicago, you have to remember there are at least three distinct subcultures there. Northside, Westside are very, very different from Southside. The political culture is very corrupt, but has somehow been able to keep the city growing, through a number of economic downturns. I find it exasperating.
wv: paticali. It's paticali a conumdrum.
Teach the IOC a lesson, boycott the Olympics for making our president lose face, or for losing our president's face.
Gosh, those Chinese idioms are hard to translate.
When talking about Chicago, you have to remember there are at least three distinct subcultures there. Northside, Westside are very, very different from Southside. The political culture is very corrupt, but has somehow been able to keep the city growing, through a number of economic downturns. I find it exasperating.
Why? I don't think it's the case, generally, that corrupt societies are unsuccessful on the whole -- they're just unjust. There's an event horizon of corruption, I guess, beyond which a society breaks down (e.g. in the African failed states), but a bit of graft and who-you-know just helps things run more smoothly.
"For you to suggest that Chicago is not a Detroit-esque Lord-of-The-Flies-ghetto is laughably easy to disprove."
Chicago is a huge city, and most of it is beautiful and safe. The vast majority of honor students are in no more danger walking home from school than their peers in Nebraska.
Political corruption and Moonbattery aside, Chicago is a wonderful place to live (and if you're a liberal, the Moonbattery part won't even be a problem). It puts New York City to shame.
As for Freeman Hunt's question:
"If we weren't going to win, why did he go?"
I fear the answer might be that Obama is simply much more naive than many of us feared. He might be feeling so desperate about the economy that he convinced himself that he couldn't afford not to go.
That he would be wrong not merely about his ability to pull this off but also about how vital it would be is not confidence inspiring.
would vote against health care reform even if the bill met all their demands.
This is patent bullshit. I would be ecstatic if Obama came out with a bill that had everything I wanted. Insurance across state lines, tort reform, tax breaks for individuals who work for themselves and have to buy their own insurance... there's lots more.
Just because a lot of liberals wanted Bush and his "Illegal Wars" to fail, doesn't mean conservatives are motivated by the same suicidal pettiness.
For example, I highly doubt anyone on the right wants Afghanistan to collapse, even if it did hurt Obama.
Dark Eden said...
Well seriously Chicago is a highly corrupt crumbling ruin filled with homicidal gang violence... why would the Olympics be held there?
The difference is that in RIO, equally corrupt with twice the black thug violence problem Chicago has...they have no progressive Jews forming a BCLU. a Brazilian Civil Liberties Union. Meaning thugs are free to kill one another in slums..but if they trespass into the working parts of the City, they end up beaten or dead.
Rio has little regard for thug's rights, even "innocent thug's families".
Anyone worried about their safety in Brazil during Carnival, World Cup had nothing to fear if they stay in "good areas". Rio will also likely be safer than Atlanta was for their Olympics.
The really important thing is that this gives home court advantage and more TV time to the Brazilian Women's Beach Volleyball team.
I'm sure it was politics of some sort, or graft, that did him in.
But why doesn't the POTUS and his staff know how to manage the politics? Many of them are old Clinton hands. Are they that egotistical that they thought they didn't need to?
Really, this is really dumb politics. Let's hope they smart up before Iran gets the bomb.
As for the Olympics, I don't really care. Ever since they made it every 2 years instead of every 4, it's not as special anymore.
As for Obama, I can't believe he took the time and expense without knowing it was a lock. Regardless of how it "looks," now is not a time for him to be running around the world for something this superficial. Poor decision-making.
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