Chicago congressman calls Olympic loss 'heartbreaking'
WASHINGTON (CNN) - Illinois Rep. Danny Davis, a Democrat whose district includes part of Chicago, called the Windy City's failed bid to host the 2016 Olympic Games "heartbreaking."
Davis was in the middle of telling CNN's Ed Henry on Friday why he believed Chicago would be the best location for the Olympics when the news broke that his city had been the first one eliminated. Above audible gasps around the studio, Henry asked Davis for his immediate reaction.
Listen: Davis hears the news from CNN's Ed Henry
"Well, it's kind of heartbreaking in a sense," Davis said. "It's obviously a downer for us, because a tremendous amount of effort has been put into trying to win the bid, but of course Chicago is the city of the big shoulders. We pick ourselves up and keep on moving and look for the next horizon."
Davis said he didn't think it was wrong for President Obama to visit Copehagen to personally push for Chicago's bid, and said that he was aiming to get an international opportunity and to show leadership. Davis also said that because Obama is from Chicago, he was expected to put up the extra effort to try to help his hometown.
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so much for the "ultimate couples'" powers of persuassion. Looks like Chicago's reputation exceeds theirs (rev wright and Ayers) YES WE CAN just became NO YOU WON"T....ha ha ha
obozo the great (stupid). Your comment is at the level of a 2nd grader and most 2nd graders I know are even more intellgent then you. Do Idiots like you think this is going to make or break this President? Morons like yourself bozo the stupid, will reach for anything to jump on the bandwagon of blaming this President. Your negativity and lack of intellengence is so over done till it's truly lauaghable. LOL
By the way bozo the stupd, LOL is what we bloggers do now, maybe you don't know how to spell it.
Yay! My fellow AMERICANS in SOUTH America finally get the Olympics! Woo!
Now, Chicago, go fix your more important problem, you're black youth and destroyed parenting and family structures.
I am totally unsurprised that Chicago didn't get the Olympics.
Rio already has half its venues built, South America has NEVER hosted the games, and the US had an Olympics just seven years ago (Salt Lake City Utah, 2002.)
Not to mention Chicago traffic is a nightmare in the best of times; can you imagine the horror of hundreds of thousands of people trying to navigate its streets all at the same time during an Olympics? And Chicago can be miserable in the summer – high heat and high humidity. Not the most hospitable of climes for the athletes.
Is it disappointing? Sure, I mean, I only live 3 hours away from Chicago! It would have been cool to have an Olympics so close to me. But, it was not to be. Congratulations Rio!!
Oh my – Obama doesn't walk on water after all. What a surprise.
Obama and the politicians in Chicago have one thing in commen. The citizens of Illinois didn't want the Olymics and the American People don't want Obamas version of Health Care but they are both determined to stuff it down our throats.
One down – one to go.
NOBAMA!!
The next time you wanna sway a decision in your favor – take a couple of hot chicks with you instead of Michelle and Oprah.
I am from Chicago and while I beleive hosting the 2016 games would have been nice for my city, I feel the correct outcome was made. Congratulations, Rio!
But you have to remember that South America has never had an Olympics. So I suppose that is what tipped the scale.
That is called sports some time we win some time we loss
I'm not surprised a bit that Chi-town lost. I'm also not surprised people are "shocked" or "stunned" given Obama and his supporters over-inflated ego's. Which is likely the reason Chicago was eliminated first. I mean come-on, it was so obvious that alot of certain people & groups (media & government) thought the Obama's & Oprah could just show up and steal the show. How arrogant is that?
What is even more heartbreaking is that Conservative/Republican commentators worked so very hard to this end, bashing the President for trying to bring something good to this country - something that would have been beneficial to the United States on several fronts. They even went so far as to "warn" the Olympic Committee via the media that Chicago was too dangerous a place to hold the Olympics. There are very nice places in Chicago in which Olympic events could be held. But, I guess this is what Republicans call "patriotism." They have shown their "patriotism" from day one since President Obama was elected. And, they want to win future elections? They will need Democrats, Independents, Greensm and others on board to win future elections - the REAL country-loving patriots who would not be willing, as so many Conservatives are, to wish the worst for this great country which Republicans have nearly all but destroyed.
Democrats need to stand behind this President – FOR ONCE! Stand by him so that he can actually get something done for us. Orm ONCE AGAIN, we really may be seeing another BUSH-like Presidency in our futures! And, we WILL be very sad that these opportunities to unite passed us by.
Anyone who's looking at this as some sort of failure on Obama's part, he did the absolute best he could and it was certainly not for lack of eloquence that Chicago didn't make the cut. Rio just had too much going for it. Maybe next time!
Good, now Obama can work on some of those campaign promises that got him elected.
What a waste of tax payer dollars but that what democrats do.
Just mark this up as one more of the many failures this administration will succeed in obtaining over the life of his tenure. What can you expect when you elect a child to fill an adult position.
Arrggghahhahahahahahahahah! The laughter is contageous!
The whining GOP wants Obama to work on the economy and, instead of understanding the billions of dollars the Olympics would bring to the country, they consider it a distraction to go pitch for it.
Obama pushed too hard and pushed away the committee. The MOO Show (Michelle, Obama and Oprah) attempted to steal the media coverage of the event and as a result, Chicago's bid was tersely eliminiated.
Rep Davis said that President Obama was aiming to get an international opportunity and to show leadership.
Leadership starts at home Mr. President. Step up on Afghanistan, step up against young men being beaten and killed by each other HERE IN AMERICA. Stop the civilian Terrorism. Call the gangs
GANGSTERS. Appoint an Eliot Ness type of CIVIL TERRORISM CZAR to save the lives of young American men. We are losing our young men here at home without so much as a second thought, while we talk about the Wars in Iraq and Afganistan. At least there, they are on the same side and help each other to try to stay alive.
White serial killers might kill many people and that gets lots and lots of attention. When one young man kills another young man... that equals two dead young men, any way you look at it. This is insane for young men to be lying on the streets dying. White neighborhoods would not tolerate it. How can anyone accept this as okay and normal, because these are just angry young black men, who have no hope, no education, no daddy. 'Bologny' ... as we say in the South.
You sent Eric Holder to Chicago, to cover yourself politically, while you were in Copenhagen (in case crime came up). You want to show
leadership internationally? Solve this problem, call Bill Cosby, set up
a task force consisting of young black men and get their help.
Life is everyone's constitutional right.
Waste of taxpayer's money. Why fly 2 jets, Secret Service, and Guests to make a 25 minute speech. Unemployment is at 9.8%. Our Military needs immediate help in Afghanistan. The money spent could have supported hundreds of families in need. Just where is Obama's priorities?
To Obozo the Great:
Thank you for the insightful, well-argued commentary. You must have gotten an A+ in your high school debate class.
President Obama & First Lady, I'm proud of you for trying to improve the reputation of the US around the world. You think way above the common thugs in DC and the idiot critics. Keep you head up, it will all work out.
For the rest of you.....a failure of the President is a failure for America. The Olympics is watched worldwide. People come from all around the world to see the games....it would of meant wonders for the City of Chicago & the US. At least he put his neck on the line for his country enough to lobby for the games to come here. Bush went to the Olympics and got a pic of him slapping someone's rear end. Which one of these President's actions seems more honorable? GROW UP!!!!
Some of the post I've seen are so ugly and mean spirited on any given subject. Pres. Obama is blamed for everything under the sun, but Bush & Cheney never contributed to any of what we are experiencing now. He has been in office 9 months......count them. All of what you are experiencing now did not happen on his watch, so exercise some patience while he is cleaning up this REPUBLICAN MESS!!!!
Does anyone suppose RIO will hold a brazilian wax competition?
Grrrrowwww
Chicago Lost Because the World does not like us and IOC members voted against us.
Bush and GOP have:
1. Ruined our Reputation in the World.
2. Made Enemies everywhere.
3. Made the World to Hate us.
4. Made no Friends.
BUSH and GOP are the BIGGEST AMERICAN FAILURE. 😦
For all of you talking about the crime in Chicago....look up Rio. If you think Chicago is corrupt, you should read up on the drama they have there.
At least Pres. Obama tried.