Obamas: Pick Chicago, 'Most American' City

Broadcaster pays $4.38B for rights to 4 Olympics

(NEWSER) - NBC Universal has outbid rivals to win the US rights to broadcast the four Olympics after London 2012. The Comcast company's $4.38 billion bid included $2 billion to broadcast the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, and the 2016 summer Games in Rio de Janiero. Rival bidder Fox offered only $3.4 billion, while ESPN offered $1.4 billion for 2012 and 2014, insiders tell the Wall Street Journal . More»

Conservative watchdog slams first lady's 'technical violation'

(NEWSER) - Michelle Obama may have violated Illinois election laws by seeking support for her husband’s agenda at a Chicago polling station, holds the Daily Caller . The first lady was talking with voters, and reportedly urged them to support said agenda—but state laws ban political discussion near polling places, the site notes. Sure, it may be a mere “technical violation,” acknowledges a conservative watchdog, somewhat gleefully. “But what are mere technical violations of voting laws to the Obama administration!” More»

President turns 49 today

(NEWSER) - President Obama turns 49 today, and he’ll celebrate the occasion with his friends (but not family) in Chicago. Sources tell Lynn Sweet of the Chicago Sun-Times that Obama will be dining out at a restaurant he frequents. “I think his plans for tomorrow are dinner with some friends in Chicago,” Robert Gibbs said yesterday, adding, “I think he is looking forward to spending the night in his house for a change.” More»

Golfers, ruggers seek Olympic gold in 2016 for first time in 100 years or more

(NEWSER) - Medals for golf and rugby will be awarded at the 2016 Olympics for the first time in a century or more. The IOC voted today to reinstate the sports for the Rio de Janeiro games and provisionally accepted them for the 2020 Olympiad. Golf has not been played at the Olympics since its first appearance, in 1904, and ruggers haven’t been able to seek gold since 1924. The vote was 63-27 for golf, 81-8 for rugby, the AP notes. More»

(NEWSER) - It's a big disappointment for Chicago, but how big a hit was yesterday's Olympic Committee put-down of the US's 2016 bid for the president, who stuck his neck out to go to bat for it? Of course Rush Limbaugh said it was huge, the "worst day" of Obama's presidency, and Obama had "wasted his country's time, and his prestige." Democrats, even some who advised against the trip, said it was "a stumble, not a fall," and the president should get points for trying. More»