IOC Rejects Obamalympics on First Ballot; Update: It's Rio

The Ego Has Crash Landed

Complete and utter humiliation for The One.

Chicago was eliminated in the first ballot of voting for the 2016 Olympics on Friday, a stunning defeat for the city that was expected to be one of the two finalists. Not even the presence of President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama — nor a long list of celebrities — was enough to help the United States’ third-largest city.

Chicago had seemed to pick up momentum in the last few days, with many International Olympic Committee members seemingly charmed by Mrs. Obama. But when IOC president Jacques Rogge announced the results of the first vote, Chicago was the city that fell out.

It was one of the biggest upsets in IOC voting history, and will likely have ramifications throughout the U.S. Olympic Committee. USOC chairman Larry Probst was stone-faced as he and acting CEO Stephanie Streeter walked down a hallway.

A shame President Palin won't get a chance to preside over the opening of the 2016 Olympics.

Of course, this must be raaaaacist!. Already, everyone but Obama is getting blamed.

The Daley Plaza crowd reacted to Chicago's elimination in silence. Some members of the crowd were crying as they walked away. People blamed negative media attention on the bid and former Chicago Bulls star Michael Jordan's lack of participation as reasons for the loss.
"We weren't unified as a city. We didn't get behind this enough," said Rob Fox of Chicago.

"Michael Jordan didn't show up," said Margaret Johnson of Chicago. "His city asked him for help and he turned his back on us."

This photo is priceless.

More from Hot Air and Michelle Malkin.

When you think about it, can you blame the IOC? Obama has spent most of his presidency trashing the United States, so why would they want the Olympics in such a lousy country.

Hey look, someone actually says Obama suffers some indignity.

In the short term, CBS 2 Mike Flannery reports that the Chicago defeated leaves Obama politically wounded by taking on a fight that he really didn't have to take.

The vote is also a stinging defeat for Mayor Daley, who has been used to getting what he wants. Although opponents now no longer have the Olympics, and the potential for cost overruns and mismanagement, as a campaign issue.

CBS 2 Olympics expert Mike Conklin said the defeat points to the United States' lack of standing within the International Olympic Committee, dating all the way back to the U.S. boycott of the Moscow Olympics.

So how does that explain the 1996 Atlanta Games and the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Games?

Another one humiliated? Rahm Emanuel.

"Here we're going to go to Denmark to help secure the games for here in the U.S.... They shouldn't try to make politics of this. I think they should take some pride in the US's win, and you know we'll make sure they get some good seats once Chicago does host the games.''

So much for the battle between Rio and Chicago being close as hell.

Madrid and Tokyo are also in the running, but sources close the process said that Chicago and Rio have emerged as the clear frontrunners, and are neck and-neck ahead of President Obama's arrival early Friday for a presentation to the IOC's 105 members, who will be voting later that day.

After a flurry of private conversations among IOC officials here, one of the sources close to the process said bluntly that it's "close as hell" between Chicago and Rio, as both Obama and Brazilian President Lula da Silva plan to make personal appeals to the voters on behalf of their cities on Friday morning.

Want to walk that one back, CNN?

Question: How soon until the Chicago Machine unleashes the goons on the IOC?

Some comedy gold via Hot Air.



More reaction here.

I must admit, I'm stunned nobody has yet blamed Bush or Fox News. Give it time, though.

Update: It's Rio.

Brazil will become the first South American country to host the Olympics, after the city of Rio de Janeiro was chosen to stage the 2016 Games.

Rio won a majority of the 95 votes at the meeting in Copenhagen, eliminating Madrid in the final round. Tokyo and Chicago had been knocked out earlier.

Earlier, Brazil's president told IOC members "it was time time to light the Olympic flame in a tropical country".

Chicago's early exit was a surprise, with bookmakers making them favourites.

I hope the bookies blame Obama for their financial bloodbath.