To Gary. Thanks very much for your insightful com...

2009-10-07T18:00:28.326-05:00

To Gary.

Thanks very much for your insightful comments. I agree that your points were all primary reasons for Chicago's loss. I was actually attempting to address the actions that led to the anti-American (and anti-Chicago by extension) mindset of the committee, but realize that these were not the only factors involved. Thanks again for adding to the discussion.

I see where Jesse Jackson is now blaming Bush for ...

2009-10-06T22:01:12.960-05:00

I see where Jesse Jackson is now blaming Bush for the loss. I think it was also Bush's fault that it rained here last week.

Here's my why did Chicago lose the 2016 bid? 1. F...

2009-10-06T19:11:48.979-05:00

Here's my why did Chicago lose the 2016 bid?

1. First they did not put together a good bid package. That promo video was amateur at best.

2. Obama believed in the power of his own hype. he though his charisma points were so high that he could just show up smile and give a speech and it would be in the bag. The IOC was tripping all over themselves to greet him when he arrived.

Tony Blair spent 4 days wining and dining the IOC to get the London games. Obama only spent 4 hours tops in Copenhagen with the IOC and have one of the most self centered "do it for my daughters" speech it what really turned the IOC off.

3. Chicago just did not have enough allure as Rio or even a good plan for the games. The city of Chicago is going broke, Mayor Daley is scraping money just to pay for basic services and they want to build billion dollar venues for the games.

The IOC saw this and thought "this will be another Athens". We have a city that wants to use the Olympics as a free money grab.

Rio has it problems, such as poverty and crime as well. Rio was just sexier city, Ipanema beach or Lake Michigan? you decide.

4. Anti-Americanism,

This is not because of Bush, Iraq or even Afghanistan it is due to how we handled Atlanta and Salt Lake. Atlanta was a mismanaged mess and SLC was mired in a bribery scandal that was pulled out of the fire by Mitt Romney.

Comments on The Real Issue: Why Chicago Lost the 2016 Olympics

To Gary. Thanks very much for your insightful com...

I see where Jesse Jackson is now blaming Bush for ...

Here's my why did Chicago lose the 2016 bid? 1. F...