The WSJ states that this could be Obama's successful going out party (that is if he is re-elected in 2012):
Obama wants the Chicago Olympics to top off his presidency in style. If he wins re-election, he’ll be handing over to a successor six months or so after the Games are held. By the summer of 2016 he will hope business is booming again and he can then present the Chicago Games as his crowning glory and a symbol of recovery on his watch.He's got a ways to go before that will happen, but we could see this logic.
Anyway, this should be an interesting week for Chicago. We will do our best to keep you covered on interesting Olympic info.
17 comments:
I have my fingers crossed...
YES !!
What time will they announce the decision on Friday?
Chicago has it's final presentation at 1:45am local time. The other bid cities will follow after that.
The winner is supposed to be announced at 11:45am local time. We're pretty sure every local website and TV station will be broadcasting the event.
I hope Obama, and especially Daley, get peppered with questions about the violence in Chicago. The video footage of the animals outside of Fenger HS could not have come at a worse/better time as far as the Olympics are concerned. This footage is making headlines all over the planet right now. I received a text from family in Dublin and friends in London about this just today. There is no way that the IOC has not seen this. If I were an undecided IOC member, how could these images NOT be burned into my mind when I vote?
And Rio doesn't have violence issues?
Rio's violence is an entirely different animal; there, it's a war between ruling drug lords. The government in Brazil concedes this is a huge issue; however, drug lords aren't exactly the concern of the Olympic movement.
Here, it's youth killing and beating and mugging in record numbers. Both the Obama and Daley administrations claim to want the games for the "youth of America"; and it's the "youth of the world" that the Olympic movement exists for. Why would anyone want to expose the youth of the world to Chicago's violence?
Dude Please Rio violence is worst it's not drug lord have you ever been or seen favelas. I have been to Rio and compare to RIO the south side of Chicago is like a suburb give me a break.
By the way for your info What finances the Chicago Gang if it's not drug lord then What????????
You just are one of the people against the Olympics unfortunately for you, you're a minority.
I suggest you travel to Rio and hopefully you don't get kidnapped while down there Oh you did not know they had kidnapping as well!!!!
Watch this link about Brazil, The violence has made brasil Rio and Sao Polo more dangerous than most war zone.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqO3qCgyFJ0
No different than the south side they're just worst that's all.
Sports Illustrated just had an article talking about the crime in each three cities:
"The city's homicide rate dropped to 33 per 100,000 people last year from 39 per 100,000 the year before, and authorities expect the rate to continue failing despite a homicide spke from April through June.
While last year's rate was the lowest in 17 years, it is much higher than the rate for Rio's competitors. Chicago's was 18 per 100,00 in 2008, up from a 16 a year earlier. Madrid's was flat at 2 per 100,000 for both years, and Tokyo's was 1 per 100,000 both years."
Here is the link to the article from SI called 'Rio Shrugs Off Crime Question in 2016 Olympic Bid'
Still, the timing could not be worse. This video is being played all over the world right now. Yes, I of course have "heard" about Rio's violence - but all I "see" on the news right now is Chicago's out-of-control black community. The shots of the accused murderers' family members leaving the criminal courts yesterday afternoon was just as appauling as the brawl video; they are actually defending these guys!
The fact that these are young kids will not be lost on the IOC. The Olympic movement is very youth-oriented. I hope Daley is asked about this because he seems more concerned about pleasing the IOC than he is with his own concerned citizens.
If you think that the caucasians in the south loop are "uptight douchebags," you clearly have never met an IOC member.
And for the record: I am VERY much in support of Chicago's Olympic bid. I am just one of the MAJORITY of Chicagoans that want to see our bevy of local problems adressed before we sink millions into building a white-water rafting course on the lakefront or constructing a velodrome.
It's a single incident of senseless violence. Every year in every city around the world murders like this happen and duh. Rio is insanely dangerous and did not provide the promised infrastructure updates for the Pam American games. They've got some serious real questions to answer.
A "single incident of senseless violence"? Where the hell have you been? Even the residents of Roseland have been saying all week on the news that "this is what it is like everyday.". Whether it's drive-bys in Englewood, gang brawls in Roseland, or muggings in Lakeview, this violence is NOT an isolated incident. You're living in a fantasy world if you believe that.
The violence in both Chicago and Rio is one of the reasons why Madrid will win. People seem to be over-looking the fact that long-time IOC head Sammarach is the chairman of the Madrid bid. Anyone in IOC circles will tell you that this man is FAR more influential to the Olympic movement than Obama or Oprah. Further, Madrid was second runner-up for the 2012 games. Just like London surprised everyone by winning 2012, Madrid will do the same thing on Friday.
NOW will everyone agree that the recent worldwide coverage of Chicago's out-of-control youth was damaging?
Until Daley & Co. concern themselves with the way the rest of the world perceives this city, nothing of any real weight will be addressed.
King Richie will blame the Olympic bid decision on someone/something else and then it'll be business as usual.
Rio's like a 3rd World country and we lost to them.
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