1) The president of Brazil went as well. Presidents of other countries do these things all the time! Why hasn't the US ever gone!?! Is it because our past presidents expect the olympics to just be handed to us? Obama went and made an effort to tell the International Olympics Committee why Chicago deserved the olympics. Good for him!
2) It's the presidents job to represent our country! He went over there, tried, and didn't work, but that's ok, at least he tried and made that effort to be part of the process.
I am disgusted with rush limbaugh and the right wing media that has insulted Chicago because of this. Chicago is a beautiful city with wonderful people and I'm proud to live within a stone's throw of it. Thank you for trying Mr.President.
Jacob - 15 years ago
The IOC had its mind made up before the event started. It was a personal thing for Obama, as well as it was patriotic, to get the Olympics to his home town. So, no big deal.
Doug - 15 years ago
Those who voted "no big deal" are deluding themselves. Chicago finished DEAD LAST. Reuters, hardly an anti-Obama organ, called it "a stunning rebuff to U.S. President Barack Obama and favorites Chicago."
Let's put it another way: Would a sitting US president takes time away from two wars, a struggling economy, and a critical piece of healthcare legislation if landing the Olympics for Chicago were "no big deal"?
Does anyone outside the U.S. think this was a comment on the President of the United States? It was a vote of a small number of elite members of a club about where they wanted to stage their next big event.
Rio is a very beautiful place in an important country on a continent that has never hosted the Olympics before. It was their turn and I hope they put on a great show for the world.
A Gray - 15 years ago
I think one reason the US is turned down for the Olympics time after time is because of our poor showing and support of the Paralympics. I travel and work abroad and have noticed over the years that other countries treat the Paralympics with the same respect as they do the Olympics giving the same coverage to both games. I lived in Atlanta during the 1996 Olympics and remember there was hardly any coverage at all on US television or in US print media about the Paralympics. I attended both the Olympics and the Paralympics that year and both were amazing events with outstanding athletes. This lack of Paralympics coverage was sited as one of the reason the US was turned down for further games by the Olympic Committee. Another thing I noticed is that a lot of US coverage of the Olympics is about US athletes only. That is astounding to me. Since 2000 I have enjoyed watching the Olympics and Paralympics in the UK and Ireland. The coverage of all participants, from all countries represented was based on athletic ability. In the US we tend to cover the games that involve US athletes with of course perfect bodies. It is a big world out there. Someday we will have to join it. I don’t think it mattered if Obama asked or not. I appreciate him trying but I think what would give us a better shot at a US city being chosen to host the Olympics AND Paralympics is a change in our priorities.
Samilcar - 15 years ago
Last place isn't so bad. Just think how much worse it would have been if the President HADN'T flown over to plead for Chicago.
Kathy Izzo - 15 years ago
What a waste of taxpayer money. The president should stay in DC and try not to run up the debt anymore.
YoYo.Fishing - 15 years ago
The olympics aren't a big embarrassment, but Mormon polygamy is a disgrace to this country. The YFZ Ranch trials start in Texas this month. FLDS polygamists are a shame to us all.
Banking on Heaven . com
Accounting Dept. - 15 years ago
The American taxpayers just spent a bundle for this trip.
Airforce One is about $67K/hr. + secret service +additonal staff and transportation.
This is probably a seven figure expenditure - direct to the national debt.
Can we just send Chicago the bill?
Nader - 15 years ago
No big deal, he gave it his best shot, now that sound like sports, does it not?
I am proud of the man taking such chances and putting such efforts on the issue
I voted no big deal, because
1) The president of Brazil went as well. Presidents of other countries do these things all the time! Why hasn't the US ever gone!?! Is it because our past presidents expect the olympics to just be handed to us? Obama went and made an effort to tell the International Olympics Committee why Chicago deserved the olympics. Good for him!
2) It's the presidents job to represent our country! He went over there, tried, and didn't work, but that's ok, at least he tried and made that effort to be part of the process.
I am disgusted with rush limbaugh and the right wing media that has insulted Chicago because of this. Chicago is a beautiful city with wonderful people and I'm proud to live within a stone's throw of it. Thank you for trying Mr.President.
The IOC had its mind made up before the event started. It was a personal thing for Obama, as well as it was patriotic, to get the Olympics to his home town. So, no big deal.
Those who voted "no big deal" are deluding themselves. Chicago finished DEAD LAST. Reuters, hardly an anti-Obama organ, called it "a stunning rebuff to U.S. President Barack Obama and favorites Chicago."
Let's put it another way: Would a sitting US president takes time away from two wars, a struggling economy, and a critical piece of healthcare legislation if landing the Olympics for Chicago were "no big deal"?
Does anyone outside the U.S. think this was a comment on the President of the United States? It was a vote of a small number of elite members of a club about where they wanted to stage their next big event.
Rio is a very beautiful place in an important country on a continent that has never hosted the Olympics before. It was their turn and I hope they put on a great show for the world.
I think one reason the US is turned down for the Olympics time after time is because of our poor showing and support of the Paralympics. I travel and work abroad and have noticed over the years that other countries treat the Paralympics with the same respect as they do the Olympics giving the same coverage to both games. I lived in Atlanta during the 1996 Olympics and remember there was hardly any coverage at all on US television or in US print media about the Paralympics. I attended both the Olympics and the Paralympics that year and both were amazing events with outstanding athletes. This lack of Paralympics coverage was sited as one of the reason the US was turned down for further games by the Olympic Committee. Another thing I noticed is that a lot of US coverage of the Olympics is about US athletes only. That is astounding to me. Since 2000 I have enjoyed watching the Olympics and Paralympics in the UK and Ireland. The coverage of all participants, from all countries represented was based on athletic ability. In the US we tend to cover the games that involve US athletes with of course perfect bodies. It is a big world out there. Someday we will have to join it. I don’t think it mattered if Obama asked or not. I appreciate him trying but I think what would give us a better shot at a US city being chosen to host the Olympics AND Paralympics is a change in our priorities.
Last place isn't so bad. Just think how much worse it would have been if the President HADN'T flown over to plead for Chicago.
What a waste of taxpayer money. The president should stay in DC and try not to run up the debt anymore.
The olympics aren't a big embarrassment, but Mormon polygamy is a disgrace to this country. The YFZ Ranch trials start in Texas this month. FLDS polygamists are a shame to us all.
Banking on Heaven . com
The American taxpayers just spent a bundle for this trip.
Airforce One is about $67K/hr. + secret service +additonal staff and transportation.
This is probably a seven figure expenditure - direct to the national debt.
Can we just send Chicago the bill?
No big deal, he gave it his best shot, now that sound like sports, does it not?
I am proud of the man taking such chances and putting such efforts on the issue