Olympics Decision Stuns Chicago Crowd

(CBS/AP)  Thousands of people stood in bewildered silence in downtown Chicago on Friday after the International Olympic Committee surprised everyone by dumping the city from the race for 2016 Summer Olympics in the first round of voting.

The vote in Copenhagen was carried on huge television screens set up in the Daley Center to carry what many had hoped would be approval of Chicago as host. It had seemed so likely to many in a city still basking in the glow of hometown Sen. Barack Obama's election as president.

Instead, Chicago was bounced in the first round, bringing an audible gasp from the crowd. The elimination came so quickly that some would-be revelers weren't sure what had happened and they asked bystanders if they had heard what they thought they heard.

Many stood for a few minutes, staring at the screens, and at least one flung his hands into the air in a crude gesture toward the TVs. Within seconds, people began filing out of the plaza.

"I've never really had a disappointment like this," said Ken Rudd, a 33-year-old salesman from Evergreen Park. "This is one of the saddest things I've ever seen."

Chicago was in a race with Rio de Janeiro and Tokyo and Madrid for the 2016 games.

Meet the 2016 Olympic City Contenders

The Chicago bid had plenty of homegrown firepower, from Oprah Winfrey right on up to Mr. Obama and the first lady, South Side native Michelle Obama. All were in Copenhagen ahead of the vote and the first couple gave presentations to the IOC earlier Friday.

"The President did everything he could to bring the Olympics to our country and we're obviously disappointed that we didn't win them," Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton said.

Randy Wood, 49, of San Diego said the IOC clearly wasn't swayed by Obama's influence.

"Maybe his clout stopped at the Pacific and the Atlantic," said Wood, who said the early elimination reflects poorly on the president.

With Chicago well-known for public corruption and problems with public services, opponents had serious concerns about Olympics-sized hassles and bills, despite assurances by city officials that taxpayers wouldn't owe a dime.

A recent poll by the Chicago Tribune showed residents almost evenly split, with 47 percent in favor of the bid and 45 percent against; that's a drop from the 2-1 support the newspaper found in a February poll.

The 2016 bid committee said its own poll last week found support from 72 percent of Chicagoans, and that was evident at Daley Plaza on Friday.

[letsmeetfordinnersoon]

I am so glad that Chicago didn't get the Olympics. This is yet another disappointment for POSTUD. He should have been giving priority to his country. Like many concentrating on trying to get us out of the recession and trying to get new jobs. He promised that several months ago and with yesterday's report, they're still being lost by the hundreds of thousands, even with his "stimulus package" (cough, cough).

The ones who actually voted for him are lying might low now, especially among their friends, eh? Snicker, snicker!

[armyoftwelve]

Think about it....hot thongs in Brazil or sweaty Polaks in Chi-town.

You figure it out.

[dovestar]

So the president goes to Denmark to try to win the Olympics for Chicago. He doesn't come home with the prize and he gets criticized for making the effort. Some of the posters on this board seem to have the mentality of a monkey. To hear some of you tell it, the fault somehow lies with the Republicans and George W. Bush.

This is just plain dumb. First, with the kind of majority the Democrats enjoy, the Republicans couldn't rally a vote to toast the Queen of Sheba. As for George W. Bush, he's out of office, in case anyone failed to notice, and has not openly criticized his successor since leaving office.

How this fiasco could be blamed on either of those factors is beyond my comprehension. Will someone please enlighten me?

Nobody seems to consider the fact that Obama's list of priorities seems awfully flawed. While he criticizes business leaders for extravigance in hard economic times, he takes the massive footprint of the traveling White House, and all the expense that goes with it, to try to win the Olympics for one American city.

Apparently it's not right for an American businessman to travel in a private jet, but it's quite alright for him. The double standard here is so obvious I'm flabbergasted that more people don't notice.

President Obama as Commander-in-Chief hasn't spoken with his general in Afganistan, who sent him a 60 page memo telling him the war effort could be lost if Obama doesn't act. And Obama doesn't act because he's too busy jetting around the world on foolish missions like this one.

I don't criticize President Obama because of his race. I criticize President Obama for his judgement--or really the lack of it.

And THAT's what we're supposedly paying him $400K a year for.

[troopf4]

Obama is the first president to go to bid: HELLO!
His ego got in the way of common sense - he thought they had sheep on the commitee: NOT!!!!
His sorry ass should have went to Afghanistan - but that would have been to scary for him.

[troopf4]

pininlipsitck: Whatever you're drinking or sniffing - knock it off.
Blacks are killing blacks everyday and you have nothing to say about that.

[stuart-johns1]

What's brazen hypocrisy on the extremists part who are refuting what I said is that you are so quick to say that while it's not Bush's fault, it IS Obama's.

There is no denying Bush had a terrible impact on the world. He angered our allies and our enemies. That's fact. The last 8 years really hurt America's standing in the world. So it is entirely possible and more reasonable that if you guys are going to blame a President, blame Bush, not Obama. Obama's favorability ratings in the world a so much better than Bush's were. So how can you guys sit here and blame Obama?

I am simply saying that it's entirely possible that Bush was at least a PART of the decision to give the nod to Rio. Bush left office leaving the world angry at America. That is certainly more plausible than blaming Obama. Obama has improved relations with the world.

And as to all of you bashing Chicago as a crime capital, a mafioso haven, having an inferior infrastructure let me tell you that Rio has more murders in that city per year than Chicago ever thought of having. 2000 homicides a year. I'll let you tell me how many Chicago has. So your all wrong there too. As far as infrastructure, Rio's is far worst than Chicago's so your wrong there too. And Brazil has its version of the mafia too and they are far more deadly and overt than any mobs in America so you're wrong on that point too.

Before you anti-American fools carry on just remember that for you to sit here and slam Obama over this loss is simply un-American behavior - something that American has already grown used to from the republican extremist party.

When you delight so that Obama failed to secure the win, you are also delighting in America failing to secure the win. To me and the majority of Americans, that's un-American. Whatever happened to United We Stand????

You demand that jobs be re-established NOW (which is just immature and shows pathetic ignorance of history and economic matters). But you also delight in the fact that 350,000 jobs were lost because of this. Nearly 25 billion dollars would have been infused into our economy but none of you care about that. You just delight that Obama failed. Forget the jobs, forget the cash infusion, as long as Obama fails you guys are delighted and on these boards you act like the mentally challenged children of wrath that you are.

So all you trolls can come on these boards and gang up all you want. I am NOT impressed with any of you or any of your responses and I will defend the United States of America which you freaks are a minority in - thank God!!!

[troopf4]

Who gives a rats ass - the other countries don't even like us when billions of dollars are throw their way every year.. Charity begins at home.
Tell me what countires have given the US money during our difficult times - NONE.
Do these other countries pay your bills? If they do, you have an argument..

[stuart-johns1]

And troopf4 is a perfect example of what I am talking about.

[proudmilvet]

While i do applaud the President & the First Lady for trying, i can understand why the IOC turned Chicago down in the first round of voting. I just came back from a 2 week stay in Great Britain, staying with relatives. Like it or not, the U.S. is generally seen by other countries as being a very childish,insular,ignorent,violent & egotistical nation. Totally obsessed by race,Guns & Religion. We expect all other nations to be in total awe of us because of our Liberty & our Freedom, like we are the only country on earth that is free.

[Orlandojon]

Chicago politicians would have turned the Olympics into their own personal cash machine. If the citizens of Chicago ever want to be considered for such an honor, they first need to stop electing scum to represent them.

[ghwab1949]

Perhaps the world does not adore Oprah or the Obamas.

[dkb218]

I'm ashamed to call myself American. Then again, I should be proud to be American and people like dichrom, surfcity5150, dowell100, JustaPatriot should return to the communist countries they come from.