The 2016 Olympics Coming To The New World ?

[charliebear]

Chicago loses in bid to host 2016 Olympics


In a stunning upset, Chicago was ousted in the first round of voting to host the 2016 Olympics.

Chicago received the fewest number of votes in the first round, despite its star-studded last-minute pitch.
Tokyo was voted out soon after.

The decision caps a competition among four cities — Chicago, Madrid, Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo — to host the Games.

Chicago had several well-known lobbyists in Copenhagen. Foremost among them was President Barack Obama, who arrived Friday morning after an overnight flight.


The U.S., Obama told Olympic leaders, "is ready and eager to assume that sacred trust" of hosting the Games.

The president and his wife, fellow Chicagoan Michelle Obama, put their capital behind an enormous campaign to win the Olympics bid. Never before had a U.S. president made such an in-person appeal.

"I urge you to choose Chicago," Obama told members of the International Olympic Committee.

"And if you do — if we walk this path together — then I promise you this: The city of Chicago and the United States of America will make the world proud," the president said.

The four finalist cities have been making their cases to the IOC for more than a year, but many IOC members were believed to be undecided about which city they would vote for Friday. Some said they might not decide until after the cities made their final presentations in Copenhagen.

Michelle Obama, who grew up on Chicago's South Side, had two days of one-on-one meetings with IOC members, whom she assured of Chicago's sincerity to use the Olympics as inspiration for children who might not otherwise have reason to dream big.

One of the IOC members she chatted with on Thursday was former Russian swimming great Alexander Popov. After getting his picture taken with Mrs. Obama, Popov was ushered off to meet with talk show host Oprah Winfrey and Chicago Mayor Richard Daley.


Chicago's Olympic bid Photos: Chicago celebritiesdescended on Copenhagen in support of the city's bid for the 2016 Olympics. 
Winfrey, who ranks second only to Angelina Jolie on Forbes' Celebrity 100 list, drew lots of attention at the IOC hotel, shaking hands and posing for photos. As she made her way into the restaurant, she chatted up IOC executive board member Gerhard Heiberg and Sam Ramsamy, an IOC member from South Africa.

"Whoever's there, I'll talk to them," Winfrey said.

The bidding process to host the Games began in May 2007. The four finalist cities were named in June 2008. Not making the final cut were Baku, Azerbaijan; Doha, Qatar; and Prague, Czech Republic.

The most recent Summer Olympics to be held in the United States were the 1996 Games in Atlanta.

The 2012 Games are scheduled for London.

http://msn.foxsports.com/olympics/story/10154098?GT1=39002

[DisturbedPervert]

I love the headline on Drudge - WORLD REJECTS OBAMA

[DGuller]

WTF, I read somewhere that Chicago was a favorite to get the games, and yet they're the first ones out?  Ouch, that can't look good for Obama.

[Savonarola]

WTF, I read somewhere that Chicago was a favorite to get the games, and yet they're the first ones out?  Ouch, that can't look good for Obama.

That wouldn't have happened if McCain were president.   

[Josquius]

Aha, so thats why Obama was in Copenhagen, I was wondering about that.

[Duque de Bragança]

It's Madrid, Samaranch has spoken. When a president through 20 years begs on his life that the games come to his country, the game will come to his country.

Does rink hockey go olympic too?

[Caliga]

Aha, so thats why Obama was in Copenhagen, I was wondering about that.

Apparently, this is more important than dealing with our massive domestic problems.

I guess you could argue that this would have been of economic benefit to Chicagoland, but we all know graft would have made the project drastically more expensive than it needed to be.

[DGuller]

Samaranch is not dead yet?   What's the holdup?

[C.C.R.]

I guess you could argue that this would have been of economic benefit to Chicagoland, but we all know graft would have made the project drastically more expensive than it needed to be.

[Caliga]

I heard that was a problem in Atlanta, so I can only imagine it'd be way worse in Chi-Town. 

[Liep]

Apparently, this is more important than dealing with our massive domestic problems.

It's been quite helpful to our government as distraction for a somewhat stupid crisis that will make heads roll. Or should, at least. Knowing how things work here everybody will properly keep their jobs, though.

[Alatriste]

Samaranch is not dead yet?   What's the holdup?

Not only that, he seems... unchanged. Either he has a handy trinket in his pocket to disappear when meetings become boring, or somewhere in his basement he hides a revealing portrait.

[alfred russel]

WTF, I read somewhere that Chicago was a favorite to get the games, and yet they're the first ones out?  Ouch, that can't look good for Obama.

When he decided to go, I thought he must have had an indication he would be successful.

Oh well, maybe in 2020.

[Valmy]

Well I look forward to Rio 2016.

[Eddie Teach]

7 years to get ready. What event do you plan on competing in?