Olympic Snub Has Silver Lining for Chicago

IOC shows us the world still likes to thumb its nose at American power

(NEWSER) - The first-round knockout of Chicago’s Olympic bid speaks to an unpleasant fact, writes Mike Lopresti: “A lot of people out there don't like us. They don't care if President Obama is eloquent and the first lady is charming.” If it had come down to just Chicago and Rio, with South America never having hosted the games before, that would’ve been one thing. But “to be the first city eliminated speaks to something deeper. This was a repudiation.” More»

1-2 punch of job stats, Olympic decision gets a third stage

(NEWSER) - From worse-than-expected unemployment numbers to Chicago’s foiled Olympic bid, today was a lousy day for America, but Republicans reacted as if Christmas had come early. Soon after the jobs numbers hit, Glenn Thrush of Politico got a slew of GOP press releases. “Rep. Mike Pence literally hit the send button at 8:30 am, the moment the announcement” hit, says Thrush. More»

(NEWSER) - So much for the clout of the Obamas and Oprah. Chicago lost its bid to host the 2016 Olympics after being eliminated in today's first round of voting in Copenhagen. Despite personal appeals by the president and first lady, the city got the fewest votes in the International Olympic Committee tally. Tokyo also missed the early cut, leaving Madrid and Rio de Janeiro battling for the honor. Rio eventually won, reports the Chicago Tribune. More»

President, first lady stump for their hometown ahead of Olympic vote

(NEWSER) - Barack and Michelle Obama made an impassioned call today to bring the 2016 Olympics to Chicago, which the president called the "most American of American cities." In his pitch to the International Olympic Committee in Copenhagen, the president told of how he became "a proud Chicagoan" after a peripatetic childhood and fell in love with the diversity and ambition of the Second City. The first lady made a deeply personal presentation. She spoke about how her father instilled a love of sports in all of his children despite his battle with multiple sclerosis. More»

Lula borrows from Obama before Olympic vote tomorrow

(NEWSER) - The Brazilian president, in Copenhagen after some serious politicking to win the 2016 Olympics for Rio de Janeiro, used a certain Chicagoan's slogan to promote his bid today. "Yes we can!" Lula told reporters today, dismissing concerns that the developing nation can fund the Games. "For some countries, it is just one more sports event that they are going to organize. But for us, it is a unique and extraordinary thing." More»